Boston startup event cuts ticket prices and adds six strategy sessions

Startup founders looking to attend a major industry conference in Boston next month can save 25% on tickets for the TechCrunch Founder Summit. The event takes place on November 4 at the SoWa Power Station. Organizers are also offering a limited-time promotion that allows one attendee to bring a colleague for free.

The schedule includes six new small-group roundtables. These sessions are designed for attendees to ask specific questions and work through problems with experts. The topics cover a range of operational challenges, from managing lean teams to selling into complex markets.

The day begins at 10:45 a.m. with Alexandra Ames of Blueprint Lab. She will discuss how early-stage companies can use events strategically before they can afford a full-time events team. At 11:30 a.m., two sessions run simultaneously. Chirag Shah of Define Ventures will address the difficulties of entering regulated industries, while Shishir Tewari of Procore Technologies will explain how knowledge graphs can make AI systems more reliable.

The afternoon features two more specific business challenges. Merve Kitapci of ADIN.AI will share how to win major enterprise customers early. She will discuss closing deals with companies like L'Oreal and Vodafone before a Series A funding round. Andy Tang of Draper Associates will follow at 1:55 p.m., helping founders explain and sell products that do not fit into established market categories.

Linden Tibbets, CEO of IFTTT, will lead the final roundtable at 2:35 p.m. He will explore how smaller teams can use AI to increase speed and output without adding more employees. The main stage will also host sessions on product-market fit, hiring, and fundraising. Steve Fredette, co-founder of Toast, is scheduled to speak on founder leadership.

The event also includes a live pitching competition called So You Think You Can Pitch. Networking opportunities are provided through a Braindate lounge and a closing reception presented by Fidelity Private Shares. The summit aims to gather founders, investors, and operators for a full day of practical conversations.

The ticket discount and the free colleague pass are currently available for a limited time. The roundtables are a new addition to the program for this year's event.