Building to Scale: The Tri-City Founders Series
APPLY HERE: https://wkf.ms/4cUWIua
Application Deadline: April 13, 2026
Endeavor Northeast is convening ambitious, seed-stage founders from across the region for a first-of-its-kind, three-city founder series.
This is a curated, application-based program designed to build durable peer relationships across regional ecosystems, and equip founders with the perspective and peer connections they need to scale.
Event 1 — Pittsburgh, PA | April 28–29 | Build What Scales
Event 2 — Cleveland, OH | June 23–24 | Scale with Speed
Event 3 — Buffalo, NY | August 25–26 | Scale That Endures
Accepted founders are invited to all three events. The peer relationships and their value compound across the series.
The Operators Leading This Program
Sessions are led by founders who have done it at the highest level. Jack Greco co-founded ACV Auctions — Buffalo's first unicorn, which IPO'd at a $3.8 billion valuation — and brings hard-won perspective on scaling financial infrastructure and building institutional-grade companies. Joe Hipsky co-founded IRALOGIX, which reached Series D, and today serves as President of Factify, which recently raised a $73 million seed round. Every speaker in this series is selected because they've navigated the exact inflection points these founders are facing — and are willing to talk about it honestly.
Event 1: Build What Scales | Pittsburgh | April 28–29, 2026
The first event establishes the foundation. Programming is focused on the $1–3M inflection point, the stage at which early strategies break down and founders must make consequential decisions about how they build.
Over two days, participants work through the core challenges of early scale:
Transitioning out of founder-led sales
Hiring, delegation, and decisions that create lasting downstream effects
Early leadership and the cultural choices that define a company's trajectory
Pricing, positioning, and systems that compound over time
Sessions are led by experienced operators selected for credibility and transparency, founders willing to share what actually happened.
Participants leave Pittsburgh with clarity on what must change in the next 12 months.
Agenda-at-a-Glance
Day 1
12:00pm: Arrive at Meeting Venue
12:30pm: Lunch and Opening Remarks
12:45pm: Workshop #1
1:45pm: Break
2:00pm: Workshop #2
2:45pm: Break
3:00pm: Founder Peer Circles
4:30pm - 6:00pm: Break
Travelers: Check into hotel
Locals: Meeting Room available for co-working
6:00pm: Arrive at Dinner Venue
6:30pm: Dinner & Fireside Chat
7:30pm: Networking
Day 2
8:30am-10:00am: Optional Breakfast at Hotel
Who This Is For
Leading a high-growth company — SaaS, manufacturing tech, health tech, or enterprise-oriented
At or approaching $1–3M in annual revenue
Seeking peer relationships with founders outside your immediate ecosystem
Open to candid, confidential conversation in a high-trust environment
Committed to participating across all three events
This program is designed for founders who have built something real and are working through the decisions that determine whether it scales — not for founders at the idea stage, and not for late-stage executives.
The Endeavor Approach
For nearly 30 years, Endeavor has supported high-impact entrepreneurs globally by curating the networks and environments that allow exceptional founders to grow.
The Endeavor Northeast Founder Series brings that methodology to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Buffalo. Programming is founder-only. Sessions are confidential. Peer groups are intentionally composed across cities and ecosystems.
How to Apply
Participation is by application only. All applications are reviewed by the Endeavor Northeast team, and accepted founders are notified directly.
APPLY HERE: https://wkf.ms/4cUWIua
Application Deadline: April 13, 2026
Space is limited. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Venue details provided upon acceptance.
Questions? kspencer@brand-heist.com