AcceleratorCON 2026

Event Agenda

Oct 23, 2026 · New York City · One day, packed with the conversations that matter.

Event Schedule

Eleven sessions across one day. Keynotes, panels, workshops, networking, and lightning talks.

Single day · Oct 23
9:00 AM
45 min
Keynote
Opening Keynote: The State of the Accelerator Ecosystem
Speaker TBD
A data-driven look at what accelerators actually deliver in 2026 — what's working, what's been stripped, and where the smart money is going next.
Main Stage
9:45 AM
15 min
Break
Coffee & Networking
Quick break before sessions kick off.
Lobby
10:00 AM
60 min
Panel
What accelerators are actually looking for in 2026
Speaker TBD
Five partners from leading programs debate the criteria shift. Has the bar gone up? Has it changed direction? Are demo days still worth the equity? Twenty minutes reserved for audience questions.
Main Stage
11:00 AM
30 min
Break
Break
Coffee, snacks, and connections.
Lobby
11:30 AM
90 min
Networking
The Draft: 1-to-1 Meetings with Accelerator Partners
Curated 20-minute sessions between selected founders and program partners from YC, Techstars, 500 Global, and Fetcher. Pre-registration required. Matches announced 48 hours before the event.
Meeting Suites A–D
1:00 PM
60 min
Break
Lunch
Catered lunch included with all tickets.
Dining Hall
2:00 PM
45 min
Fireside
Bootstrapping to $1M ARR — the unorthodox playbook
Speaker TBD
How one founder built a company to $18M ARR without traditional VC. The actual decisions — when to charge, when to hire, when to turn down an acqui-hire. No inspirational framing, just the mechanics.
Main Stage
2:45 PM
40 min
Lightning
Founder Lightning Talks: Lessons from the First Year
Speaker TBD
Five founders, five minutes each, zero slides. Real stories about what broke in year one — and the single decision that fixed it. Selected from an open application process.
Main Stage
3:25 PM
20 min
Break
Break
Stretch, reset, connect.
Lobby
3:45 PM
60 min
Workshop
Write a fundable pitch in 90 minutes (preview)
Speaker TBD
Hands-on session covering the anatomy of a fundable pitch — what belongs, what doesn't, and why most founders are 2X too long. Bring your current deck or a blank slide deck.
Workshop Room 1
4:45 PM
45 min
Panel
Closing: Where the smart money goes next
Speaker TBD
A rapid-fire round-table with all keynote speakers. Five questions, five answers, no hedging. AcceleratorCON 2026 closes with a real take on where opportunity is in the next 18 months.
Main Stage
Tickets
Early Bird closes soon — $99 for 50 founders

Oct 23 in NYC. One day of keynotes, panels, workshops, and 1-to-1 meetings with accelerator partners. Early Bird is capped at 50 registrations — General Admission opens once it sells through.

Register Now →