Toast, Bessemer, and Glasswing Leaders Head to Boston for Startup Strategy Summit

TechCrunch will host its Founder Summit 2026 on November 4 at the SoWa Power Station in Boston. The one-day program, co-hosted with Fidelity Private Shares, brings together founders and investors to discuss operational decisions made in the early stages of a company. The schedule moves beyond standard topics of fundraising and artificial intelligence to include customer acquisition, team building, and leadership development.

Steve Fredette, co-founder and president of Toast, will open the Impact Stage with a session on building a company that continually reinvents itself. Fredette will discuss how the public company has evolved since its Boston origins, balancing shifting market expectations with its original mission. The session aims to provide a model for maintaining core identity while adapting to new technologies and customer demands.

Investors from Bessemer Venture Partners and Glasswing Ventures will lead discussions on the balance between growth and restraint. Kent Bennett, a partner at Bessemer, will examine the signals founders need before increasing headcount or spending. Rudina Seseri, managing partner of Glasswing, will explore how to distinguish between moments for acceleration and periods where caution protects the business. These sessions address the tension between scaling rapidly and maintaining operational stability.

The summit also features a dedicated look at the local Boston ecosystem. Chase Garbarino, co-founder and CEO of HqO, will present on building companies outside of traditional Silicon Valley hubs. His session, titled "The Boston Founder Playbook," will cover talent, capital, and community resources specific to the city. This focus positions the event as a forum for leaders looking to build ambitious firms in New England without relying on West Coast models.

Live pitching and AI strategy round out the program. Dave Balter, a venture partner at True Ventures, will lead a workshop on effective pitching. In a later afternoon segment, founders will present live to a panel that includes Chirag Shah of Define Ventures and Simran Suri of Maveron. Lior Div, CEO of 7AI, will also speak on designing company architecture specifically for artificial intelligence from the start. Other speakers include Hunter Worland of NEA and Vineet Edupuganti of Cogent Security.

The day concludes with roundtables, networking opportunities, and a reception presented by Fidelity Private Shares. TechCrunch is currently offering a 25% discount and a buy-one-get-one promotion for those registering for the event.