TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026
TechCrunch returns to Boston, MA with TC Founder Summit (formerly TC Early Stage and TC All Stage), a full-day gathering where founders of every stage connect with top VCs and gain tactical, how-to knowledge for building and scaling companies.
Elevate your business at TechCrunch Founder Summit
Wondering how to nail that pitch meeting and raise VC funding? Or how to build a high-octane sales team? What about recruiting early team members who will fuel future growth? Managing the finances of a new company while also wondering about your own personal finances as a founder? Legal? Marketing? PR? Being a great leader?
TechCrunch Founder Summit will answer every one of these questions. Join the waitlist to know when the tickets go live at the lowest rate and for key event details.
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What founders and VCs can expect
Main Stage founder insights
Hear from accomplished startup leaders in panel-led breakout sessions as they reveal the secrets to their success. These main-stage sessions offer unparalleled access to the journeys, insights, and tips that can help take your startup to the next level.
Deep-dive founder sessions
Participate in immersive sessions where startup pioneers and peers come together to discuss challenges, share stories, and build connections that drive success.
Build meaningful connections
Expand your network, connect with founders, share insights, and form valuable relationships that inspire growth through networking opportunities.
Past Speakers
Meet the leading voices in scaling who have taken the stage over the years, sharing candid insights with thousands of founders and VCs.
General Partner Visible Hands VC
Founding & Managing Partner Asymmetric Capital Partners
Partner boldstart ventures
Chief Product and Technology Officer Miro
Principal Bain Capital Ventures
VP, Partnerships Fidelity Private Shares
Partner Sapphire Ventures
Partner Underscore VC
General Partner Hyperplane
Founder and Managing Partner Glasswing Ventures
Managing Partner Precursor Ventures
Partner CapitalG
Founder and CEO On Top Strategy
Co-CEO and Co-Founder Stash
CEO and Co-Founder DVx Ventures
Co-Founder, Managing Partner January Ventures
Founder and CEO Alt/Finance
Co-founder and CEO Avol
Partner Latham & Watkins LLP
Partner Index Ventures
Co-Founder & CFO DepositLink Inc.
Daniel Acheampong is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Visible Hands, a venture capital firm that funds the overlooked, formidable founders who are transforming the future in finance, health, and climate. He received a dual Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School and Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. Prior to graduate school, Daniel was an associate at Summit Partners, a premier investment firm, where he managed the firm’s due diligence process to raise investment funds. Previously, he was a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he supported senior management in supervising the New England Private Wealth Management business. He serves on the national board of The Posse Foundation, the board of directors of American Student Assistance (ASA), and was named a Boston Business Journal Power 50: Movement Maker.
Daniel's Sessions
It's not 2021 anymore. Navigating the 2025 VC landscape
The latest report from Fidelity Private Shares, Top Venture Capital Trends Startups Should Watch in 2025, breaks down where capital is flowing, why AI is skewing the data, and how M&A is becoming the top exit path. Whether you’re fundraising or planning ahead, this is a must read for growing companies.
Rob Biederman is the Managing Partner of Asymmetric Capital Partners. Before founding Asymmetric, Rob co-founded and spent eight years as co-CEO of Catalant Technologies, the market leader in helping companies access and deploy talent—from employees to 70,000+ elite independent consultants and 1,000 boutique firms. He now serves as Chairman of Catalant and is the co-author of Reimagining Work, a book that outlines a new model for how global companies engage talent. Rob began his career as a private equity investor at Goldman Sachs and Bain Capital, where he focused on healthcare and high-tech. He advised public and private companies on growth strategy, M&A, and capital allocation. He is also an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he co-teaches the Scaling Technology Ventures course on growing disruptive internet companies. Rob holds an A.B., cum laude, in Economics and Finance from Princeton University, where he served as Student Body President and played JV basketball. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School as a Baker Scholar.
Rob's Sessions
The 2025 VC Playbook: Where the Smart Money Is Going Next
In this session, Asymmetric Capital Partners’ Rob Biederman will unpack where venture capital is flowing in 2025—from emerging sectors to evolving deal dynamics. Learn what’s driving investment decisions this year and how founders can align with the new VC playbook.
Ellen Chisa is a partner at boldstart ventures, where she invests in enterprise startups at inception. Prior to boldstart, she was the cofounder of darklang, and held product leadership roles at Lola Travel and Kickstarter. She holds a B.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ellen's Sessions
How to Successfully Build at the Inception Stage
In this session Ellen Chisa, partner at boldstart ventures will walk through lessons on all the things to do (and not do) to learn as quickly as possible from the first days of your company. Topics will include picking the right amount of capital at inception, scoping experiments to learn as quickly as possible, and common early day pitfalls.
So You Think You Can Pitch?
Please join us for “So You Think You Can Pitch” where three promising early stage startups will have 4 minutes to wow a panel of judges, who will then provide feedback.
Jeff Chow is the Chief Product & Technology Officer at Miro. He has over 25 years of experience building high growth organizations focused on delivering customer-centric digital products. He is passionate about building a team culture where collaboration and quick problem solving contribute to transforming a good business to a great one. Prior to Miro, Jeff was the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Product Officer at InVision, and held leadership roles in Product and Product Design teams at Google and TripAdvisor. In addition, Jeff has founded, run, and exited several startups in mobile, consumer, and marketing industries. Jeff received his BS in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.
Jeff's Sessions
Building Team Intelligence: How Product-Led Innovation Transforms Collaborative Problem-Solving
As a multi-company founder with extensive C-suite experience, Jeff brings unique insight into creating products that elevate team communication and problem-solving. He champions inclusive design that ensures products work for everyone from interns to CPOs—critical for driving adoption across departments. Jeff offers real-world perspectives on AI implementation, drawing clear lines between tasks worth automating and those needing human judgment. While AI can eliminate repetitive work, he stresses that core functions like implementing shareholder feedback, strategic problem-solving, and assessing business impact remain distinctly human domains. His approach helps teams find the sweet spot between technology and expertise to truly excel.
Alyssa Co
Principal, Bain Capital VenturesAlysaa is a principal at BCV where she invests at the earliest stages in application software and financial services companies.
Alyssa's Sessions
Fundraising Mistakes That Will Kill Your Round, and How to Avoid Them
Raising venture capital as an early-stage startup can be both exhilarating and daunting. With fierce competition for limited funding opportunities and investor expectations constantly evolving, founders must approach fundraising strategically to stand out and secure the capital they need to grow. This session is designed to both identify critical mistakes that startup founders make that cause their fundraising rounds to fail, and also to equip early-stage teams with actionable insights to optimize their fundraising outcomes in today’s dynamic venture landscape. Whether you’re gearing up for your first round or navigating a Series A or beyond raise, this session will help you position your startup for long-term success. Expect a candid discussion, real-world examples, and a clear framework for approaching your next round with confidence and clarity, from pre-pitch to close.
Kristen Craft brings deep startup roots to her work at Fidelity Private Shares. In this role, she’s building out Fidelity’s startup engagement platform, supporting founders and investors with equity management tools, fundraising strategy, and go-to-market best practices. Prior to Fidelity, Kristen was a founder herself, and then a longtime startup operator. She enjoyed working on strategic partnerships and digital marketing, predominantly in B2B SaaS companies. A Boston-area native, Kristen holds a B.A. from Brown University, an M.Ed. from Harvard University, and an MBA from MIT Sloan. She’s particularly passionate about building community, creating connections, and supporting diverse founders.
Kristen's Sessions
It's not 2021 anymore. Navigating the 2025 VC landscape
The latest report from Fidelity Private Shares, Top Venture Capital Trends Startups Should Watch in 2025, breaks down where capital is flowing, why AI is skewing the data, and how M&A is becoming the top exit path. Whether you’re fundraising or planning ahead, this is a must read for growing companies.
Cathy is a Partner at Sapphire Ventures and is on the boards of Culture Amp, EliseAI, Gem, involve.ai, Medable, Paradox, SafeGraph, Sword Health, and UJET. She has experience investing at multiple stages, ranging from buyout to venture capital and has also sat on the other side of the table as a business operator. For her work, she has been recognized by the Venture Capital Journal as a Rising Star and by Silicon Valley Business Journal as a Woman of Influence. Prior to Sapphire, Cathy was an investor at AXA Venture Partners where she invested in enterprise software. She started her career at Blackstone and TA Associates and was an operator at Gusto, joining shortly after the Series B.
Cathy's Sessions
The New Rules of Growth-Stage Fundraising: How to Win at Raising a Series C & Beyond
After two years of decline, growth-stage fundraising is heating up again—driven largely by the surge of GenAI adoption. For most founders, breaking through the noise and securing top-tier investors is harder than ever. Cathy Gao, Partner at Sapphire Ventures, will share what it really takes to raise a successful Series C+ in today’s competitive environment. Whether you’re scaling a breakout AI company or navigating the new fundraising landscape, this session will give you the insights to sharpen your pitch and maximize your fundraising outcomes.
Chris Gardner is a partner at Underscore VC focusing on FinTech. Prior to joining the firm, he had spent the last 25 years as an operator in Product and Marketing roles resulting in 5 exits in a row. Most recently, he was the co-founder of Paydiant which was acquired by PayPal in 2015. He then led P2P, SMB, and retail payments teams at PayPal prior to joining Underscore in October 2020.
Chris's Sessions
MVP in the Age of AI: When to Bot and When to Not
In an era where AI tools are revolutionizing how founders build software and prototypes, understanding both the opportunities and limitations is crucial for success. Join us to discover how AI is turbocharging MVP (Minimum Viable Product) development and where some founders get it wrong by letting the robots do all the thinking. Learn the art of combining AI superpowers with irreplaceable human skills – Nobody wants marketing copy that sounds like it was written by a very enthusiastic toaster! This session is perfect for founders navigating the wild world of building products in the age of AI.
Samara is a General Partner at Hyperplane, an early-stage VC fund investing in B2B industrial and enterprise automation. Before Hyperplane, Samara was the founder of The Faster Times and held product leadership roles at Finomial and Emerton. She holds a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Samara's Sessions
It's not 2021 anymore. Navigating the 2025 VC landscape
The latest report from Fidelity Private Shares, Top Venture Capital Trends Startups Should Watch in 2025, breaks down where capital is flowing, why AI is skewing the data, and how M&A is becoming the top exit path. Whether you’re fundraising or planning ahead, this is a must read for growing companies.
Rick Grinnell is Founder and Managing Partner of Glasswing Ventures, focused on AI-enabled security and enterprise infrastructure investments. Over his 24-year career in venture capital, Rick has built an exceptional track record of investing in transformative companies across security, storage, analytics, and SaaS applications. Rick’s portfolio achievements include leading investments in multiple successful exits: Digital Guardian (acquired by HelpSystems), EqualLogic (acquired by Dell), Prelert (acquired by Elastic), Resilient Systems (acquired by IBM), TrackVia (acquired by Primus Capital), and VeloBit (acquired by Western Digital). He currently serves on boards of cutting-edge companies including Allure Security, Black Kite, Lambent, Nametag, Realm.Security, Trustle, and Narrative. Beyond investing, Rick brings valuable operating experience from senior marketing and engineering roles at Adero (acquired by Inktomi), ClearOne Communications, and PictureTel (acquired by Polycom). Rick’s influence extends throughout the innovation ecosystem. He serves on MIT’s Educational Council, advises at Harvard Business School’s Rock Center for Entrepreneurship, and mentors at MIT iHQ and Sandbox. He frequently judges at MassChallenge and sits on the Advanced Cyber Security Center board, leading New England’s public/private security collaboration. Recognized as one of Boston’s most important VCs by Business Insider, Rick received the Community Leadership Award from New England Venture Network. His community involvement includes the Museum of Science Boston Board of Advisors and ongoing work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts. Rick holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Rick's Sessions
Winning Capital in a Competitive Market: How to Fund Your AI-Native Startup
This roundtable discussion explores the distinct challenges AI-native startups face when pitching to investors who might still use traditional SaaS metrics and frameworks, and how to find next round of investors that “get it.”
So You Think You Can Pitch?
Please join us for “So You Think You Can Pitch” where three promising early stage startups will have 4 minutes to wow a panel of judges, who will then provide feedback.
Charles Hudson is the Managing Partner and Founder of Precursor Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm focused on investing in the first institutional round of investment for the most promising software and hardware companies. He invests in people over product at the earliest stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Under his leadership, Precursor has raised four funds and has $250+ million under management. He has invested in 400+ companies and has supported 450+ founders, including the teams behind Bobbie Baby, Carrot, Incredible Health, Juniper Square, Modern Health, Pair Eyewear, Rad AI, and The Athletic (sold to the NY Times for $525 million in 2022). Prior to founding Precursor, Charles was a Partner at Uncork Capital where he focused on identifying investment opportunities in mobile infrastructure, applications, and marketplaces and supported their portfolio companies on business and corporate development matters. He was also the Co-founder and CEO of Bionic Panda Games, an Android-focused mobile games startup. Charles is an active member of the VC community. He was the 2023-2024 Chair of the NVCA Board of Directors, a board member at Venture Forward, on the investment committee for Screendoor, and is on the Path Ahead Ventures Advisory Board. He is also an advisor and mentor to a number of emerging managers. Charles holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from Stanford. He maintains close connections with his alma mater and was awarded the 2021-22 Governors’ Award in honor of his volunteer service to the university as a board member and volunteer. Charles is also a co-instructor for the Entrepreneurship from Diverse Perspectives course in the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Charles's Sessions
All the Ways You Don’t Realize VCs Are Evaluating Your Company at Pre-Seed
This is an important topic, especially for pre-seed founders, because much of company evaluation is about the founder and the idea – there isn’t a lot of data to work with yet! One key point to highlight is that your choice of co-founder is critical. If it seems like you’re not the best match, many VCs will use that as a proxy for your ability to hire strong talent. Additionally, there are numerous traps that founders fall into that indicate to VCs they’ve not learned how to run a fundraising process, so it’s essential to do your homework in advance.
Mo Jomaa is a partner at Alphabet’s independent growth fund, CapitalG, where he invests in IT management and data infrastructure and analytics software. He played a leadership role in CapitalG’s investments in Armis, Collibra, Cribl, Databricks, Grafana, NinjaOne, New Relic, BMI, and Ping Identity. Prior to joining CapitalG in 2018, Mo helped lead enterprise software IPO and M&A transactions at Morgan Stanley. Mo graduated from UC Berkeley and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business. Having grown up in Southern California, Mo is a loyal Los Angeles Lakers fan and religiously watches almost every single game. In his free time, Mo loves to play basketball, cook, golf, and cycle. Prior to joining CapitalG in 2018, Mo helped lead enterprise software IPO and M&A transactions at Morgan Stanley. Mo graduated from UC Berkeley and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business. Having grown up in Southern California, Mo is a loyal Los Angeles Lakers fan and religiously watches almost every single game. In his free time, Mo loves to play basketball, cook, golf, and cycle.
Mo's Sessions
What to think about now if you want to IPO someday
From market considerations to unit economics, sales and marketing strategies, and executive hiring, it’s never too early to think critically about how to build a business with the potential for an eventual public debut. Gain insights from Mo Jomaa, a partner at Alphabet’s independent growth fund, CapitalG, and investor in Databricks, Armis, Cribl, Grafana and more, to learn what kinds of metrics growth-stage investors look for and how those metrics translate into eventual public market readiness. Discover actionable advice, whether an IPO is a year or a decade away.
Kamila Khasanova is the founder and CEO of On Top Strategy, a NYC-based communications firm that works with high-growth startups from seed stage through exit, as well as VCs focused on seed to Series C. Her team helps founders and investors navigate critical moments of scale – developing PR, founder thought leadership, and positioning strategies that drive fundraising and market expansion. With a background in government lobbying and public affairs, Kamila’s team has worked with companies across health tech, fintech, and other verticals whose founders have collectively raised over $500M.
Kamila's Sessions
Fundraising Mistakes That Will Kill Your Round, and How to Avoid Them
Raising venture capital as an early-stage startup can be both exhilarating and daunting. With fierce competition for limited funding opportunities and investor expectations constantly evolving, founders must approach fundraising strategically to stand out and secure the capital they need to grow. This session is designed to both identify critical mistakes that startup founders make that cause their fundraising rounds to fail, and also to equip early-stage teams with actionable insights to optimize their fundraising outcomes in today’s dynamic venture landscape. Whether you’re gearing up for your first round or navigating a Series A or beyond raise, this session will help you position your startup for long-term success. Expect a candid discussion, real-world examples, and a clear framework for approaching your next round with confidence and clarity, from pre-pitch to close.
Brandon Krieg is Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Stash, the pioneering fintech company that he and Ed Robinson founded in 2015 with the belief that all Americans deserve the advice, tools, and opportunity to invest in themselves, starting with just $5. Most recently, Brandon led the launch of StashWorks as well as Stash’s AI Money Coach. Brandon also serves as CEO of Stash Capital, the company’s broker-dealer. Prior to Stash he co-founded Edge Trade, one of the first and largest agency trade execution and software firms (later acquired by Knight Capital Group), and served as Head of Electronic Execution at Macquarie Securities Group.
Brandon's Sessions
How Tech is Leveling The Playing Field So Anyone Can Be an Investor, Not Just the Wealthy
Brandon Krieg is the co-founder and CEO of Stash, a personal finance platform built on the belief that anyone, not just the wealthy, should have the tools to invest and build long-term wealth. With 1.3 million paying subscribers and $4.3 billion in assets under management, Stash is proving that smart investing can be simple, accessible, and built for financial stability, not speculation. Brandon will dive into how Stash is helping millions of everyday Americans form lasting money habits, the role of AI in financial coaching, and why fintech needs to focus on long-term impact over quick wins. Expect a conversation about real financial progress for real people, and how technology and access can truly change the way we build wealth.
Jon McNeill is the CEO and Co-Founder of DVx Ventures, a venture studio that has launched 12 companies tackling large-scale market opportunities. A visionary entrepreneur, investor, and operator, Jon has founded six companies, building and scaling businesses that created tens of thousands of jobs and delivered 9x returns to investors. Jon’s operating career includes leadership at some of the world’s most transformative companies. As President of Tesla, he helped scale the company from $2B to $20B in revenue in just 18 months, overseeing global sales, delivery, and service. At Lyft, where he served as COO during a critical growth phase, Jon doubled revenue, expanded market share, and prepared the company for its IPO. He currently serves on the boards of General Motors, Lululemon, Asurion, CrossFit, and Stash. At Lululemon, Jon played a key role in its turnaround, contributing to a 5x increase in stock value. He also sits on the Liquid AI Advisory Council. Earlier in his career, Jon was a consultant at Bain & Company and is a graduate of Northwestern University. A frequent speaker and guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, and Stanford GSB, Jon is known for delivering practical, actionable insights on innovation, leadership, and scaling operations. His upcoming book, The Algorithm: The Hypergrowth Formula That Transformed Tesla, SpaceX, Lululemon, and General Motors, will be published by Penguin Random House in 2026.
Jon's Sessions
The Operator’s Playbook for Building and Scaling Sustainable Companies
Most startups chase product-market fit but ignore a scalable go-to-market strategy, leading to premature scaling and failure. Jon McNeill, former president of Tesla, COO of Lyft and CEO and co-founder of hatch platform DVx Partners, suggests breaking the traditional VC mold by validating both before accelerating growth. The next wave of disruptive companies should be operator-driven and built for profitability and impact from day one. Jon will share successful cases where this method is already transforming transportation, electrification, and AI.
Jennifer Neundorfer is an operator turned investor who has been investing in early stage startups for the last decade. She is currently the Managing Partner of January Ventures, a pre-seed focused venture capital firm investing in B2B startups leveraging software to transform legacy industries. She founded January Ventures to rewrite the networks in venture capital, and invest in the most ambitious founders regardless of pedigree, network, or access. Prior to January, Jennifer was co-founder of Flashstarts, a startup accelerator focused on software startups outside of Silicon Valley. As an operator, she launched and scaled media and advertising businesses at 21st Century Fox and YouTube. As a Cuban-American and one of the few Latina GPs in venture, Jennifer believes in demystifying venture for founders and future investors. She has a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University. Jennifer is based in Boston.
Jennifer's Sessions
How Company Building is Changing in an AI-enabled World
We’re witnessing the most significant shift in startup building since the cloud revolution. AI is transforming everything from how we validate ideas and build products to how we structure teams and go to market. In this talk Jennifer Neundorfer, Managing Partner of January Ventures, will explore the new rules of company building in the AI era and what it means for the next generation of founders.
So You Think You Can Pitch?
Please join us for “So You Think You Can Pitch” where three promising early stage startups will have 4 minutes to wow a panel of judges, who will then provide feedback.
Sharon Obuobi is the Founder and CEO of Alt/Finance, an alternative market intelligence and platform that powers insights on alternative assets. Alt/Finance was launched at the TechCrunch Disrupt stage in San Francisco in September 2023. In 2024, Alt/Finance was part of a 3 month fintech innovation initiative with Accenture’s Fintech Innovation Lab in New York. With a background in fine art, business and technology, Sharon drives innovation at the intersection of these fields. She was a founding member of the Modern & Contemporary African Art department at Sotheby’s in 2018. In 2022, she was featured as a highly commended top 10 female founder in the UK by the national newspaper Telegraph and Natwest Bank. She was also recognized by Apollo Magazine as a 2021 global list of 40 under 40 art tech innovator. She has been featured on CNN, the Financial Times and published by Duke University’s NKA Journal.
Sharon's Sessions
So You Think You Can Pitch?
Please join us for “So You Think You Can Pitch” where three promising early stage startups will have 4 minutes to wow a panel of judges, who will then provide feedback.
Nathan Poon spent 10 years building medical logistics products used by Amazon, Tesla, DHL, Delta, and 50+ hospitals and clinics in the US before starting Avol. He built 2 startups (1 exit), received his PhD in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley, and holds 5 patents and publications.
Nathan's Sessions
So You Think You Can Pitch?
Please join us for “So You Think You Can Pitch” where three promising early stage startups will have 4 minutes to wow a panel of judges, who will then provide feedback.
Stephen W. Ranere is a partner at Latham & Watkins, where he represents technology and life sciences companies, as well as venture capital and private equity firms, across a diverse array of growth industries. His practice spans early-stage formation and strategy, venture and growth financings, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, corporate governance, and public company representation. He assists clients in various sectors such as fintech, climate tech, digital health, and AI-enabled drug discovery, and leverages Latham’s global platform to deliver tailored, business-focused solutions at every stage of corporate development. A recognized leader within the firm, Stephen serves on the Digital Health Task Force and previously served on the Associates Committee. He is ranked by Chambers USA for Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment (Band 3) and Technology (Band 2) in Massachusetts, and recognized by The Legal 500 US for Venture Capital and Emerging Companies.
Stephen's Sessions
Startup M&A Readiness: How to Be Acquired or Acquire Without Regret
As startups scale, the question of acquisition, on either side of the table, becomes more than theoretical. In this session, Daniel Hoffman and Stephen Ranere will equip founders with a legal and strategic playbook for navigating M&A, from due diligence checklists to deal structuring (asset vs. equity), negotiating critical terms, and sidestepping liability pitfalls. Learn how to retain top talent, manage post-deal integration, and approach the process with clarity and control. Whether you’re buying or being bought, this is your roadmap to a smoother, smarter transaction.
Jahanvi is a B2B investor focusing on cybersecurity, enterprise software, and fintech, from seed to pre-IPO stages. She is particularly excited to work with founders that display an immense amount of grit. Grit is the differentiating factor, that intangible essence, that sets high achievers apart; it’s the blend of passion, perseverance, and stamina to turn dreams into reality. Prior to Index, Jahanvi worked at Stripes, a growth equity firm in New York where she invested in cybersecurity, fintech, and application SaaS companies. Before that, she began her career in private equity at Aquiline Capital Partners. She holds a B.S. in Finance and Business Analytics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jahanvi's Sessions
The TAM Myth: How the Best Startups Reshape Markets
This session will dive into critical elements of assessing Total Addressable Market (TAM). Jahanvi Sardana, partner at Index Ventures, will explore how the best startups don’t just size markets – they create them. Through case studies from high-growth companies like Datadog, Adyen, Wiz, Shopify, and Airbnb she will examine how they identified emerging trends, removed friction, and expanded their TAM beyond initial expectations. A must-attend for founders looking to build companies that define the future of their industries.
Darrell West has over 40 years of combined experience working in accounting, finance, and private equity. As Co-Founder & CFO of DepositLink, Darrell oversees accounting, financial reporting, compliance and capital raising for the company. Prior to co-founding DepositLink, Darrell was as an auditor for Coppers & Lybrand where he qualified as a CPA in New York State, worked on Wall Street for Goldman Sachs in their Municipal Finance Department, and lived in South Africa for 15 years working in private equity and making investments in companies throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Darrell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School and received his MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently resides in Milton, Massachusetts with his wife and two children.
Darrell's Sessions
Preparing to Raise: Cap Table Best Practices to Help You Close Fast
So, you’re preparing to raise money to fuel your startup. How confident are you that your cap table and data room are squeaky clean? This question should be top of mind for most founders because a messy data room may drag out your raise and could cost you tens of thousands in legal expenses. This session will cover the best practices to help you close easily and efficiently. We’ll equip you with insights from the legal perspective, the investor perspective, and the founder perspective. Founders will leave this session, armed with tangible, actionable resources.
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