From Toast to Bessemer: Who founders will hear from at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026
Hosted by TechCrunch in partnership with Fidelity Private Shares, the full-day event goes beyond fundraising and AI to explore the realities of finding customers, building teams, sharpening a pitch, developing founder leadership, and scaling companies both inside and outside traditional startup hubs.
TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 will convene founders, investors, and operators at SoWa Power Station in Boston on November 4. The full-day event, hosted by TechCrunch in partnership with Fidelity Private Shares, delves beyond fundraising and AI to examine the realities of finding customers, building teams, refining pitches, developing leadership, and scaling companies from various hubs. Tickets are available for 25% off, with a BOGO deal offering free admission for a colleague.
Toast's Steve Fredette, president, co-founder, and director, will discuss "Building a Company That Keeps Reinventing Itself" on the Impact Stage. His presentation will focus on the challenges of scaling a company while maintaining customer satisfaction and adaptability as market conditions shift.
Kent Bennett, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, will lead "Finding Product Market Fit Before You Scale." The session aims to help founders critically assess the signals indicating readiness to expand the team, allocate resources, and extend their market reach.
Rudina Seseri, founder and managing partner of Glasswing Ventures, will present "When to Scale and When to Hit the Brakes." She will discuss how founders can determine when to accelerate growth and when to exercise restraint to protect the business, highlighting the delicate balance between growth and discipline.
Lior Div, CEO and co-founder of 7AI, will tackle AI's role in shaping company architecture and operating models in "Built for AI From Day One." The discussion will help founders consider AI as a foundational element rather than a standalone feature.
Chase Garbarino, CEO and co-founder of HqO, will present "The Boston Founder Playbook," exploring the unique opportunities and challenges of building and scaling a company in Boston. The session will provide valuable insights for founders across New England and the broader East Coast ecosystem.
Dave Balter, venture partner at True Ventures and CEO of Edisyl, will explore the importance of making pitches earn the next conversation in "Your Pitch Has to Earn the Next Conversation." The session emphasizes the need for founders to communicate their business effectively and maintain strong communication skills.
The Summit will also feature interactive sessions, including "So You Think You Can Pitch?" where founders will present their ideas to an investor judging panel, including Chirag Shah of Define Ventures and Simran Suri of Maveron. Additionally, Hunter Worland of NEA will discuss distribution as a potential competitive advantage, while Vineet Edupuganti of Cogent Security will delve into building high-performing teams.
Tina Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures will examine category winners and their hidden signals, and Fidelity Private Shares will share its perspective on fundraising trends and enterprise relationships.
Written by urgent.news from TechCrunch's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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