Startup Strategy: Boston Roundtables Target Enterprise Sales and AI

TechCrunch will host its Founder Summit at the SoWa Power Station in Boston on November 4. The event features six dedicated roundtable sessions scheduled to run alongside the main conference program. These smaller groups allow founders and investors to discuss specific operational challenges with experts and peers.

The agenda includes six distinct time slots for these discussions. Alexandra Ames of Blueprint Lab leads the first session at 10:45 a.m. She will address how early-stage companies can manage event strategies without full-time staff. The session covers selecting opportunities and defining success metrics for limited budgets.

Two parallel sessions start at 11:30 a.m. Chirag Shah, a partner at Define Ventures, discusses entering difficult markets such as regulated industries. Shishir Tewari of Procore Technologies covers the use of knowledge graphs to improve AI reliability in enterprise settings.

The afternoon program begins at 1:15 p.m. Merve Kitapci of ADIN.AI examines closing major enterprise deals before a Series A. Her session references securing contracts with L'Oreal and Vodafone. Andy Tang of Draper Associates follows at 1:55 p.m. He will discuss selling products that do not fit existing categories to investors and buyers.

Linden Tibbets, CEO of IFTTT, concludes the roundtable track at 2:35 p.m. He will explore how small teams can use AI to increase output without expanding headcount. The conversation will cover hiring practices and organizational structure for AI-enabled companies.

The main stage includes sessions on product-market fit, fundraising, and leadership. Steve Fredette, co-founder of Toast, is among the speakers scheduled to share perspectives. Attendees will also participate in a live pitching competition called So You Think You Can Pitch.

Networking opportunities include a Braindate lounge and a closing reception presented by Fidelity Private Shares. TechCrunch currently offers a 25% discount on tickets for a limited period. The organizers also provide a buy-one-get-one deal that allows attendees to bring a colleague at no cost.