Beyond the AI Hype: The Next Growth Playbook at TiECON East 2026

At TiECON East 2026, Chair Ameeta Soni and Co-Chair Vikram Venkatasubramanian will bring founders, investors and business leaders together to explore what it really takes to build and grow companies in the Age of AI.

AI is changing how companies build products, reach customers, raise capital and operate. But as the technology becomes increasingly embedded across industries, the bigger question is no longer what AI can do—it’s how companies can use it to create lasting value.

That is the focus of TiECON East 2026, taking place Friday, October 2, at the Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts. Organized by TiE Boston and co-hosted by TiE New York, this year’s conference is built around the theme “The Next Growth Playbook: Product, Market and Capital in the Age of AI.”

In the accompanying video interview, Chair Ameeta Soni and Co-Chair Vikram Venkatasubramanian preview what attendees can expect from this year’s event and why the conversations extend well beyond AI.

AI is everywhere today, but the advantage comes from how one uses it. The real opportunity is leveraging AI to build better products, go to market more effectively, and deploy capital with discipline.

The one-day, single-track conference will focus on the practical challenges facing companies today, from product-market fit and customer decision-making to fundraising, growth and operational resilience. Sessions will explore questions including What Still Wins When Everyone Has AI, How Buyers Actually Decide Now (and Why GTM Is Harder Than It Looks), What You Actually Have to Prove to Get Funding, and The Messy Middle: Where Good Companies Stall.

Ameeta brings extensive experience as a board director and growth advisor, working with companies at key inflection points on commercialization, strategic growth, digital transformation and go-to-market execution. Her board experience includes public and private companies across technology, healthcare and other sectors, and she serves on the investment committee of Maroon Venture Partners Fund.

For Vikram, the conference’s value is equally about the people in the room.

Founders today are operating in an environment where technology cycles, customer expectations, and market dynamics are evolving faster than ever. TiECON East organizers want attendees to leave with actionable insight, meaningful relationships, and a clearer understanding of how to navigate growth in this next era.

Vikram is Founder and CEO of Nandi Security, Inc., bringing more than 25 years of technology experience—including 15 years in cybersecurity—to his work as an entrepreneur, product strategist and mentor. He is also a Charter member of TiE Boston.