Key Speakers Announced for TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026: From Toast to Bessemer

Starting a new business often involves navigating uncertainty and making choices without having all the answers.

Key decisions such as when to scale, how to confirm product-market fit, what it takes to attract enterprise clients, effective team building, and how to refine a pitch for investors are crucial and complex.

On November 4, the TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 will convene at the SoWa Power Station in Boston. This gathering will feature a diverse group of founders, investors, and industry leaders who have explored these pivotal questions from multiple perspectives.

In partnership with Fidelity Private Shares, this all-day event promises a deep dive into pressing topics beyond fundraising and AI, including customer acquisition, team dynamics, pitch refinement, leadership development, and scaling operations both within and outside traditional startup ecosystems. Attendees can save 25% on their tickets today and even bring a colleague for free through a limited BOGO offer.

Featured Speakers at the Summit

Insights from Steve Fredette

Steve Fredette, co-founder and president of Toast, will take the stage to discuss the importance of continual innovation in his session titled “Building a Company That Keeps Reinventing Itself.” His journey serves as a powerful case study for founders, showcasing how to identify customer challenges, achieve product-market fit, successfully acquire customers, and scale a Boston startup to public company status.

Fredette will also address how to adapt as customer expectations, technology, and market dynamics evolve, emphasizing the need to remain attuned to the core needs that initially fueled business development.

Understanding Product-Market Fit with Kent Bennett

Kent Bennett, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, will lead a session named “Finding Product-Market Fit Before You Scale.” This discussion centers around the critical milestone of confirming readiness for growth based on actual customer feedback.

Founders will gain valuable insights into identifying vital signs of readiness before adding resources, increasing expenditures, or accelerating market entry.

Scaling with Rudina Seseri

Rudina Seseri, founder and managing partner of Glasswing Ventures, will delve into the delicate balance between scaling and exercising caution in her talk, “When to Scale and When to Hit the Brakes.”

This session will explore how founders can discern when to push for growth versus when to hold back, highlighting the significance of strategic restraint in protecting the business.

Building for AI with Lior Div

Lior Div, CEO and co-founder of 7AI, will address how to embed AI into a company from the ground up in his session titled “Built for AI From Day One.”

He will guide founders in understanding how to consider AI not just as an enhancement but as a foundational element influencing the company’s architecture and operational strategies.

Chase Garbarino’s Perspective on Boston’s Startup Scene

Chase Garbarino, CEO of HqO, will present “The Boston Founder Playbook,” offering valuable insights into the distinct advantages of building a company in Boston. This session is particularly beneficial for founders from New England and the East Coast, emphasizing how local talent, customer bases, capital access, and community support can help in creating successful ventures outside of Silicon Valley.

Dave Balter on Effective Pitching

Dave Balter, a venture partner at True Ventures and the CEO of Edisyl, will discuss how a pitch should open doors for further conversations in his session “Your Pitch Has to Earn the Next Conversation.”

This will serve as a reminder to founders that effective communication of their business story is as crucial as knowing the business itself.

Live Pitching Opportunity

The event will also feature “So You Think You Can Pitch?”, where founders will present their business stories live on the Build Stage. Balter will be joined by other investors, including Chirag Shah from Define Ventures and Simran Suri from Maveron, to evaluate these pitches in real time.

This interactive feature provides a unique opportunity for attendees to witness the dynamics of pitching and investor feedback firsthand, learning from both successful presentations and those that leave questions unanswered.

Broadening the Startup Dialogue

The summit will cover a wide range of topics relevant to founders today. Hunter Worland from NEA will touch on how distribution could emerge as a competitive edge for startups. Meanwhile, Vineet Edupuganti, co-founder of Cogent Security, will delve into building high-performing teams, and Tina Tosukhowong from TDK Ventures will share insights on spotting signals that indicate potential category leaders.

Fidelity Private Shares executives will also provide insights into fundraising trends and forming enterprise relationships.

Join Us in Boston

The TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 invites you to participate in an engaging day filled with founder dialogues, practical workshops, intimate roundtable discussions, live pitching experiences, and networking opportunities, culminating in a closing reception sponsored by Fidelity Private Shares.

As the event approaches and slots fill up quickly, be sure to secure your spot and take advantage of the limited time 25% ticket discount.