The key facts
- TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 takes place November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston
- The program includes Build Stage, Impact Stage, roundtables, a pitch session, and Braindate networking
- Discounts are available: up to $100 off a pass, a second pass free, and up to 30% off group packages
A one-day summit for founders in Boston
On November 4, 2026, TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 will take place at the SoWa Power Station in Boston — a one-day event bringing together startup founders and investors. As TechCrunch reports, the format is built around several ways of learning: hands-on sessions, candid conversations, live pitches, small roundtables, and networking. The organizer notes that a significant part of the event's value lies not only in the main program but also in the conversations that happen after the sessions.
Two stages: from early decisions to scaling
Build Stage focuses on decisions at the stage of forming and growing a business: distribution, raising capital, teams, and pitching. Speakers include Hunter Worland of NEA (on distribution as a competitive advantage), Kristen Craft of Fidelity Private Shares (on current fundraising trends), and Dave Balter of True Ventures and Edisyl (on whether a pitch deserves the next conversation). Impact Stage shifts the focus to bigger decisions: Steve Fredette, president and co-founder of Toast, will talk about scaling one of Boston's notable startups; Rudina Seseri of Glasswing Ventures — on when to scale and when to slow down; Kent Bennett of Bessemer Venture Partners — on product-market fit before scaling; and Chase Garbarino, CEO and co-founder of HqO, will present the
Roundtables, pitches, and networking
Smaller roundtables are built around narrow problems: entering difficult verticals (Chirag Shah of Define Ventures), reducing AI hallucinations through enterprise context (Shishir Tewari of Procore Technologies), selling to large global customers before Series A (Merve Kitapci of ADIN.AI), building a product the market doesn't yet have a name for (Andy Tang of Draper Associates), and AI's impact on team size and productivity (Linden Tibbets of IFTTT). By the organizers' design, the value of the format lies in participation: founders bring their own questions and compare experiences. In the So You Think You Can Pitch? session, founders pitch in front of investors, including Dave Balter, Chirag Shah, and Simran Suri of Maveron. The networking lounge on the Braindate platform allows attendees to schedule one-on-one meetings and small groups on specific topics, and the day concludes with a closing reception supported by Fidelity Private Shares.
Tickets and what's included
Discounts are available: up to $100 off a pass, a second pass free with the purchase of the first, and up to 30% off group packages. The pass includes breakout sessions, roundtables, Braindate networking, the Expo Hall, and access to session materials after the event.
