WHOOP: Startup Trek

Join venˣ during The Engine's Tough Tech Week for an afternoon of deep tech insight and connection, featuring a fireside chat with Tomás Villalón Jr., PhD, CTO & Co-Founder of Phoenix Tailings. Before and after the program, explore a curated showcase of deep tech startups and network with venture investors, LPs, founders, and operators. About the Speaker Tomás co-founded Phoenix Tailings, which is building a domestic supply chain for the rare earth metals behind magnets used in defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing. Under his technical leadership, Phoenix Tailings became one of the only producers of these metals in the Western world, using a clean, zero-waste refining process. He holds a PhD in Materials Engineering from Boston University and a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT. Itinerary 1:30–2:00pm: Arrivals, networking, and startup showcase 2:00–3:00pm: Welcome remarks and fireside chat with Tomás Villalón 3:00–3:30pm: Networking and startup showcase

We're bringing together investors and founders across early stage biotech for an afternoon of innovation and connection. Please join us for drinks and rapid-fire speed pitches with commentary from three VC judges: Michelle Levine - Lilly Ventures Aniqa Tasnim - 5AM Ventures Devin Quinlan - Curie.Bio Breakout Fund Agenda: 3:00-3:30 — Check-in and networking 3:30-4:15 — Speed pitches 4:15-5:00 — Happy hour and networking About First Citizens Innovation Banking First Citizens Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank) is the bank of some of the world’s most innovative companies and investors. FCIB provides commercial banking to companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, and venture capital industries. FCIB operates in centers of innovation throughout the United States, serving the unique needs of its dynamic clients with deep sector expertise, insights, and connections. FCIB’s parent company, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA ), is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $200 billion in assets. First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at https://innovation.firstcitizens.com/. About Fidelity Private Shares Fidelity Private Shares helps private companies manage equity with clarity and structure. Cap tables, 409a valuations, governance, and planning tools work together in one system so founders and operators can stay investor-ready and manage ownership as complexity grows. By clicking submit below, you agree to receive communications from FCIB about this event. You also agree to receive communications about products, services and insights provided by FCIB's and our partners and affiliates based on your subscription preferences. I agree to these Terms and Conditions.

Join us for the official kick off to Tough Tech Week, hosted by Wolf & Company and Foley Hoag! Enjoy drinks, light refreshments, and an evening of networking with founders, innovators, investors, and members of the greater Tough Tech community. Connect with others across the ecosystem, exchange ideas, and build new relationships as we raise a glass to an exciting week ahead.

Welcome to our October 2026 Boston Go meetup at Datadog's Boston Office! We are looking for speakers for the next few months! Please reach out to us on Gophers Slack in #boston or via bostongolang@gmail.com to sign up to speak. It can be short or long, and it can be beginner, intermediate, or advanced--all talks are welcome! Some talk ideas to get your creativity flowing: An optimization you did at work How to use an open-source Go library A Go utility package you built as a side project Something new you learned about Go itself And remember, the organizers are here to help you prepare. Whether that's idea formation, slide review, or rehearsing, we are here to help! Contact us at bostongolang@gmail.com if you need help with coming up with a talk idea or preparing or presenting your talk! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Talks begin at 6, but doors open at 5:30, so attendees can socialize beforehand and enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks! ➤➤ Important to Know ➤➤ Boston Golang officially adopts the Go Code of Conduct (https://golang.org/conduct). Harassment, bullying, and discrimination are unacceptable here, and if you witness or experience those or other harmful behaviors, please let the organizers know or email us at "bostongolang at gmail dot com"

Co-hosted by The Engine and the Tough Tech Summit Host Committee: Breakthrough Energy, DCVC, Engine Ventures, NFX, Obvious Ventures, RA Capital, and SOSV. Tough Tech Summit is the flagship event of Tough Tech Week and brings together Tough Tech startups presenting their work with the investors, government, academic, and ecosystem leaders funding what’s next. The day features pitches, panels, and high-impact networking designed to connect breakthrough science with the people and organizations helping it move forward. A cornerstone of Tough Tech Week (October 26–30), the Summit spotlights the next generation of Tough Tech pioneers while examining how the ecosystem can scale solutions and support those just beginning their journeys. Last year’s Summit welcomed 440+ attendees, 250+ startups, and 160+ investors. For more information, including the agenda, visit toughtechsummit.xyz. Tough Tech Week is a week-long celebration of transformational science and engineering, hosted by The Engine and more than 50 partner organizations across Greater Boston and beyond. The week convenes Tough Tech startups building breakthrough solutions alongside the investors, government leaders, academic institutions, and ecosystem organizations funding and supporting them. Last year’s Tough Tech Week featured 65+ ecosystem events. To learn more and register for the full calendar, visit luma.com/toughtechweek or engine.xyz/toughtechweek.

Most conversations about selling AI to the enterprise stop at the pilot. The harder part comes after, and founders mostly talk about it in private. That’s the elephant and we want to put it on stage. Landing a pilot is one thing. Getting the CIO, CISO, legal, compliance and procurement to sign off on a paid contract is another. Then the contract’s signed, and a lean team has to deliver for a customer that dwarfs it. Join Fidelity Private Shares and The Open Accelerator for a founders’ breakfast with early-stage AI founders who are tackling these challenges right now. Hear firsthand what’s working, what’s not, and lessons learned along the way: Build vs. buy: Why would an enterprise buy from a startup if it can build in-house? Beyond founder-led sales: When does it stop working and what comes next? Delivering at enterprise scale: How does a small team support a huge customer after the deal closes? You’ll also meet Boston’s B2B AI founders and hear how they’re using local accelerators and the wider ecosystem to move faster. Building B2B AI? This one’s for you. Space is limited and founders get priority. Agenda 9-9:30 Arrivals & Networking 9:30-10 PanelRichard Shaaya, Founder & CEO, Sigma Automate Nyari Nain, Cofounder, Whiteroom AI Logan Currie, Director of Residency Programs, The Open Accelerator Kristen Craft, Head of Partnerships, Fidelity Private Shares 10-10:30 Networking & Departures Fidelity Private Shares Fidelity Private Shares is committed to supporting the startup & venture capital community. Fidelity helps founders prepare for their next round of funding with our cap table management and data room platform, events that give you access to seed stage capital, equity scenario modeling, and premier support to generate, execute & store legal documents. No matter where you are in your journey - from inception to IPO - Fidelity has the expertise to support you. The Open Accelerator The Open Accelerator, led by Red Hat with IBM Ventures and the Massachusetts AI Hu