Technology
TechCrunch Founder Summit in Boston Reveals Packed Schedule on Fundraising, Hiring, and AI Strategy
The one-day event on November 4 brings together established founders, investors, and startup leaders to share lessons on the toughest challenges facing early-stage companies.
TechCrunch — AI
On November 4, TechCrunch's Founder Summit will convene entrepreneurs at Boston's SoWa Power Station for an intensive workshop focused on the core challenges of building startups. Rather than spending months figuring out what to do through trial and error, the event offers direct engagement with investors and founders who have already navigated the key decisions early-stage leaders face.
Core agenda tracks#
The summit covers multiple critical areas for founders:
- Fundraising: Brian Devaney of Underscore VC will discuss how the investment landscape is shifting and where founders commonly lose negotiating power without realizing it.
- CEO Evolution: HubSpot co-founder and Sequoia partner Brian Halligan explores how the CEO role changes as companies scale, and how to sidestep leadership traps.
- AI as Foundation: Lior Div, CEO of 7AI, examines what it means to build an AI-native company—not just add AI features—and how that reshapes everything from product development to go-to-market strategy.
- Smart Capital Selection: Vineet Edupuganti of Cogent Security shares how to evaluate investors beyond valuation, drawing on his experience raising an $11 million round.
- Spotting Winners: TDK Ventures' Tina Tosukhowong unpacks the framework used by top-tier investors to identify category-defining companies through economics, scalability, and timing.
- Building the Right Team: NEA partner Melissa Taunton discusses early hiring decisions that shape culture and execution during growth phases.
- Geography and Growth: Chase Garbarino, CEO of HqO, shares how he scaled a $200 million company from Boston without relocating to Silicon Valley.
- Finding Fit Before Scaling: Kent Bennett of Bessemer Venture Partners explains how to recognize true product-market fit and avoid scaling prematurely.
Networking beyond the sessions#
The agenda represents only part of the value. The event also creates space for founders facing similar challenges to connect with peers, and for attendees to build relationships with experienced leaders and investors who have backed successful companies. These connections often extend far beyond the single day, translating into ongoing partnerships and resources.
