TiECON East 2026 Announces Sunil Madhu as Opening Keynote Speaker

BOSTON — TiE Boston and TiE New York today announced that Sunil Madhu, Founder and CEO of Instnt and a pioneer in AI-powered digital identity and fraud prevention, will deliver the Opening Keynote at TiECON East 2026 on Friday, October 2, at the Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts.

The conference, themed “The Next Growth Playbook: Product, Market and Capital in the Age of AI,” will bring together founders, operators, investors, and business leaders to explore how companies can build, scale, and sustain growth in an increasingly AI-native world.

Madhu brings more than three decades of experience building technology companies at the intersection of identity, fraud, security, and artificial intelligence. A pioneer in applied AI and machine learning and a serial entrepreneur with four successful exits, he founded and led Socure, pioneering the use of machine learning in identity verification and fraud prevention. Socure is now a recognized leader in AI-driven fraud prevention and digital identity, with more than $350 million in annual revenue and a valuation of approximately $5.2 billion. Madhu is also a Forbes and CB Insights Top 100 Fintech Influencer, holds several patents, and has helped shape industry risk and compliance standards through OASIS, NIST, and W3C.

Today, Madhu leads Instnt, whose AI-powered platform helps businesses prevent fraud, streamline customer onboarding, and transform fraud losses into insurable assets. His work reflects a broader shift in the role of AI, from improving automation to reshaping products, business models, and risk management.

His keynote, “What Still Wins When Everyone Has AI,” will examine a critical challenge facing entrepreneurs: how to create sustainable competitive advantage as AI capabilities become increasingly accessible. Drawing from his experience building category-defining companies, Madhu will share perspectives on trust, execution, innovation, and creating long-term value.

“As AI becomes increasingly accessible, the challenge is no longer adopting the technology but building lasting competitive advantage with it,” said Ameeta Soni, Chair of TiECON East 2026. “Sunil has spent decades turning emerging technologies into category-defining businesses. His experience at the intersection of AI, identity, and trust offers valuable lessons for founders and business leaders building for the next era of growth.”

Co-hosted by TiE Boston and TiE New York, TiECON East 2026 will feature a single-track program designed to provide attendees with a full day of discussions on product strategy, go-to-market execution, capital formation, and company building in the age of AI.

In addition to keynote presentations, the conference will include fireside chats, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and the annual Emerging Startup Showcase, featuring innovative startups selected to present to investors and industry leaders.

Event Details

TiECON East 2026
October 2, 2026 | Burlington Marriott Hotel, Burlington, MA
For registration and information: TiECon East