Skip the small talk: Make game-changing connections at TechCrunch Founder Summit with Braindate

The best connection you make at an event is not always the person standing next to you in line for coffee. Sometimes it is the founder who has already solved the problem keeping you up at night. The investor who can challenge the way you are thinking about your next round. Or the operator who has learned firsthand what happens when a company scales too quickly.

At TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026, happening November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston, networking powered by Braindate is designed to make those conversations easier to find, whether they are in 1:1 or small-group on-site meetings.

The only way to make these game-changing connections is at Founder Summit. Grab your pass, plus get a second pass for free.

Networking with a purpose

The Founder Summit Networking Lounge gives attendees the opportunity to schedule one-on-one or small-group Braindates throughout the day.

Instead of hoping to run into the right person, Braindate lets you connect around the topics you actually want to discuss. Bring a challenge. Share something you have learned. Ask for perspective. Offer your own.

Whether you want to compare fundraising strategies, talk through hiring challenges, swap lessons on product-market fit, get another founder’s perspective on enterprise sales, or simply meet people building in Boston and beyond, the conversation starts with what matters to you.

Grab your pass now to save up to $100 on your ticket and get a deal on a pass for whoever you want to bring along.

Take the stage conversation one step further

Founder Summit is built around questions founders are already asking: How do you know when you are ready to scale? How do you build a stronger team? What makes investors take the next meeting? How do you land enterprise customers before you have a massive sales organization?

The agenda tackles those questions across the Build and Impact stages and in smaller roundtables throughout the day. Braindate gives you another way to continue them.

Hear Kent Bennett of Bessemer Venture Partners discuss product-market fit, then find another founder working through the same challenge.

Listen to Dave Balter of True Ventures and Edisyl unpack what makes a pitch earn the next conversation, then compare notes with someone preparing for their own raise.

Hear directly from Toast co-founder Steve Fredette about scaling and navigating changing markets, then use the rest of the day to connect with people building through their own version of that journey.

The value of the day does not have to stop when a session ends.

Build the conversations you came for

Founder Summit is intentionally smaller and more hands-on than a massive conference. Alongside the main stages, attendees can join interactive roundtables, watch founders put their pitches to the test live, explore the exhibitors who bring scaling solutions, and spend the day meeting other founders, investors, and operators.

Braindate adds another layer by helping turn networking from something accidental into something you can actively shape. You do not need a perfect pitch or a stack of business cards. You need a question worth asking.

Save on your pass before doors open on Nov. 4

TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 takes place November 4 at SoWa Power Station in Boston. Current passes include access to breakout sessions, roundtables, Braindate networking, the Expo Hall, and post-event session materials.

And right now, when you buy one pass, you can bring a guest for free. Bring a co-founder, partner, or someone else who should be part of the conversation. Get your Founder Summit pass and claim your free second ticket.