AcceleratorCON 2026: Championship Day — AI is the New Fire

🔥 AI is the New Fire. Are you in the room? AcceleratorCON is the NFL Combine for Startups: the only conference built for founders, accelerators, and investors to meet face-to-face and make real deals happen. One day. High impact. No fluff. On Friday, October 23, we take over The Maison Projects in Chelsea for Championship Day. Two stages of keynotes and founder pitches, a Marketplace Expo, speed networking, the University Pavilion, the Startup Pitch Stage, workshops and VC AMAs, and The Draft Experience, our live startup matchmaking where accelerators and investors pick their top founders for one-on-one pitch sessions on-site. Think sports draft, but for startups. What's waiting for you Two stages of keynotes, founder pitches, and real VC conversations Marketplace Expo packed with accelerators, sponsors, and startups Speed networking and curated 1:1 investor meetings Workshops, VC AMAs, and Mentor Round Tables The Draft Experience: get scouted, get drafted, get in the game Comedy Night to close out the day Who should be here Startup founders ready to get discovered and get funded. Accelerators and VCs who want to meet investable companies. Government and economic development institutions driving impact. Colleges and universities unlocking real-world opportunities for their founders. Past speakers include Tim Draper (Draper Associates), Cyan Banister (Long Journey Ventures), Alejandro Matamala Ortiz (Runway), and Iqram Magdon-Ismail (Venmo), with sponsors like JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft, Atlassian, and Cloudflare in the room. 92.6% of attendees make a meaningful connection. 200+ pre-matched meetings. 150K+ community reach. Pick your ticket Stream ($59, was $99): can't get to New York? Watch every keynote, founder pitch, and VC conversation live from anywhere, plus replays Founder ($120, was $200): two stages of content, Marketplace Expo, speed networking, Draft application, and the event app Ecosystem ($419, was $699): everything in Founder plus recorded sessions and Mentor Round Tables Accelerator ($479, was $799): everything in Ecosystem plus the Startup Pitch Stage, workshops and VC AMAs, and select 1:1 meetings VIP Insider / All Access ($900, was $1,500): VIP breakfast, lunch, and opening cocktails, VIP lounge and separate entry line, pre-reception at the Dream Hotel, whiskey tasting and product design workshop, directories, and direct access to speakers and sponsors The day at a glance 8:30 AM doors open. 9:00 AM VIP Breakfast with a special guest. 10:00 AM a conversation with our keynote. Then a full day of stages, the expo, the Draft, and networking until 6:00 PM. Want more than a ticket? Founders: apply to the Draft at acceleratorcon.com. Accelerators and investors: join the league. Brands: sponsor or exhibit and get in the room where the deals happen. Grab your spot now. Early pricing won't last, and neither will the seats. See you in New York! 🗽