November 17, 2026
The Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC
700+ founders, investors, and operators.
What to expect
This is not a demo day, a networking mixer, or a content event attended in passing. Founders First is a structured, high-trust half-day get-together in which the most ambitious founders engage directly with the capital partners and operators positioned to support meaningful growth.
Who Attends
Seed and Series A founders building category-defining technology companies.
Nationwide venture funds actively deploying capital in 2026 and beyond.
Growth equity investors searching earlier for breakthrough companies.
Executives and operators from category-defining tech companies.
