TechCrunch is inviting brands, founders, and organizers to host independent side events during Founder Summit Week in Boston, running June 4 through June 10, 2026, with the main Founder Summit 2026 taking place on June 9.
The program is designed to extend activity beyond the official venue by letting third parties organize their own gatherings, timed around an expected turnout of more than 1,100 startup founders, investors, and tech leaders arriving in the city.
What Hosts Can Organize
The format is deliberately open. Eligible events include networking mixers, workshops, fireside chats, morning runs, and cocktail hours. Hosts retain full control over the programming and logistics. TechCrunch handles promotion on its end.
There is no listing fee. In exchange for organizing and funding their own event, hosts receive placement on the official Founder Summit agenda, the side events page, and the conference mobile app. Events are also featured in attendee emails and editorial coverage distributed to the full TechCrunch audience.
Hosts also receive a community discount code for their team and guests attending the main summit.
Requirements and Restrictions
All side events must be in-person and held within Boston. Events are permitted across the full June 4-10 window, with one restriction: any event scheduled on June 9, the day of the main summit, must begin after 5 p.m. ET.
- Events must be in-person and Boston-based
- Scheduled between June 4 and June 10, 2026
- Open to attendees aged 18 and older; 21 and older if alcohol is served
- June 9 events restricted to post-5 p.m. ET start times
- No listing fee to participate
Hosts are responsible for all event logistics. TechCrunch’s role is limited to promotional distribution across its platforms and communications.
The Strategic Case for Hosting
For brands looking to reach an active startup community, the arrangement offers visibility without the cost of official sponsorship. Getting listed alongside a TechCrunch event puts an organizer’s name in front of a targeted, self-selected audience of founders and investors who are already committed to traveling to Boston.
The pitch from TechCrunch frames side events as a tool for community building and brand association, not just attendance generation. A morning run or casual mixer can carry more relationship value than a booth on a conference floor, particularly in early-stage startup circles where informal access matters.
Applications are open now, with a deadline tied to available slots ahead of the June schedule. Early registration for the main Founder Summit 2026 event carries a discount of up to $300 for those who register by March 13.
Photo by Kumar Mehul on Unsplash
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