Boston Tech Agenda: Six Small-Group Sessions
The Founder Summit 2026 schedules specific workshops on AI, sales, and niche strategy for November 4.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
TechCrunch will host its Founder Summit 2026 at SoWa Power Station in Boston on November 4.
Organizers have added six specialized roundtables to the existing program. These sessions allow attendees to bring specific operational questions. Participants will discuss these issues with experts and other founders. The topics include enterprise sales, vertical strategy, and artificial intelligence.
Alexandra Ames, founder of Blueprint Lab, opens the schedule at 10:45 a.m. She will explain how early-stage companies can manage events without a full-time team. The session covers selecting opportunities and defining success metrics with limited resources. Two panels run simultaneously at 11:30 a.m.
Chirag Shah, a partner at Define Ventures, addresses the challenges of entering difficult markets. He focuses on regulated industries and complex buyer structures. At the same time, Shishir Tewari, head of enterprise data engineering at Procore Technologies, discusses knowledge graphs and GraphRAG. He explains how these tools improve AI reliability in real-world settings.
The afternoon starts with Merve Kitapci, managing partner of ADIN.AI, at 1:15 p.m. She shares strategies for closing major enterprise clients before raising a Series A. Her examples include deals with L'Oreal and Vodafone. Andy Tang, a partner at Draper Associates, speaks at 1:55 p.m. He helps founders explain products that do not fit established categories. This includes methods for educating investors on the market opportunity.
Linden Tibbets, CEO of IFTTT, concludes the roundtables at 2:35 p.m. He explores how smaller teams can increase output using AI. The session examines hiring practices and company structure for AI-enabled operations. The main conference also features stages dedicated to product-market fit and fundraising. Steve Fredette, co-founder of Toast, is scheduled to share his perspective on leadership.
A live pitching competition called "So You Think You Can Pitch?" is part of the agenda. A Networking Lounge with Braindate and a closing reception presented by Fidelity Private Shares provide additional time for attendees to connect. Tickets are currently available at a 25% discount for a limited time. A buy-one-get-one offer is also available to let attendees bring a colleague free of charge.
