TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 will bring founders, investors and business operators together on November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston. Six roundtables will focus on practical challenges facing early-stage companies, from entering complex markets to using AI with smaller teams.
Six focused discussions for startup builders
Blueprint Lab founder Alexandra Ames will lead a session on building an effective events strategy before a company can hire a dedicated team. Define Ventures partner Chirag Shah will discuss the difficult decisions involved in choosing a first industry vertical, particularly in regulated or specialized markets.
Enterprise AI is another central theme. Procore Technologies' Shishir Tewari will explore how knowledge graphs and GraphRAG can provide AI systems with stronger context and improve reliability. ADIN.AI's Merve Kitapci will share perspectives on winning major enterprise customers, including navigating long purchasing processes and multiple decision-makers.
Two other sessions address the work of creating and scaling new ideas. Draper Associates partner Andy Tang will consider how founders can explain and commercialize products that do not fit an established category. IFTTT founder and CEO Linden Tibbets will examine how AI can help lean teams increase their output without expanding headcount.
The roundtables are designed for direct discussion, giving participants the chance to raise company-specific questions and exchange practical approaches. The wider summit program will also cover product-market fit, hiring, leadership, fundraising and pitching.
By connecting startup leaders around real operating questions, the summit may help turn emerging technologies and fresh business ideas into more durable companies.
