Dave Salvant
Co-Founder & President
SQUIRE
Entrepreneurship Track
Entrepreneurship at AfroTech Conference 2026
Funding, Ownership and Growth
The Entrepreneurship Track at AfroTech Conference 2026 is where founders, operators, investors and future owners get into the real work of building a company.
Sessions cover venture funding, intellectual property, customer insight and community-led product development, along with the longer game of turning a business into lasting wealth. Join us in Houston, November 2 to 6, 2026.
What You'll Explore
The programming looks at building a company from both sides of the table.
Featured Sessions
View All Sessions →- Entrepreneurship TrackBuilding a Venture-Backable CompanyBreaks down what early-stage investors actually evaluate.
- Entrepreneurship TrackBuilding Products Rooted in Real Community NeedsTraces how SQUIRE grew out of firsthand knowledge of barbershop owners and their customers.
- Entrepreneurship TrackYour IP Is the New Real Estate
- Entrepreneurship TrackThe Portfolio Life
Other sessions cover intellectual property as an asset, franchise ownership and building a portfolio beyond a single operating role.
Featured Speakers
All Speakers →
Monique Idlett
Co-Founder & General Partner
Reign Ventures
Kobie Fuller
General Partner
Upfront Ventures
Thai Randolph
Founder and CEO
NILE & Co.
Why This Matters Now
Starting a business has never been cheaper, but keeping one alive long enough to matter is as hard as it's ever been. Success in today's market requires turning raw innovation into indispensable software.
SQUIRE, for example, achieved a $750 million valuation simply by locking down a specific operational problem for barbershops. That critical gap between having an idea and finding a market that genuinely relies on it is what this track makes concrete.
See How Founders Build
Find sessions for founders, operators and investors on the 2026 schedule.
View Entrepreneurship Sessions →FAQ
The Entrepreneurship Track covers venture funding, customer discovery, intellectual property, ownership, product development, business growth and the decisions founders face as they build and scale companies.
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