BOSTON— From billion-dollar founders to first-time entrepreneurs, over 450 attendees gathered at the Sheraton Boston Hotel for TiECON East 2025, the region’s premier innovation and entrepreneurship conference, organized by TiE Boston and co-hosted by TiE New York.
With this year’s theme, “The Heart of Entrepreneurship,” the day-long event explored the deeply human aspects of building ventures—courage, creativity, clarity, and resilience. The result? A conference that left attendees inspired, energized, and ready to lead with intention.
“This was a very unique conference in the sense that it was very different from a typical entrepreneurial conference,” said Purnanand Sarma, President of TiE Boston. “It went straight into the heart of entrepreneurship—what drives people to build, take risks, and overcome adversity. The attendance was fantastic, and the energy was undeniable. We want to keep up this momentum and continue offering something truly unique every year.”
The event kicked off with a rare and riveting opening keynote conversation between Nitin Nohria, former Dean of Harvard Business School and now Partner and Chairman at Thrive Capital, and Steve Papa, founder of Parallel Wireless and Endeca.
“Steve Papa has scaled multiple companies, built category-defining technologies, and shaped global industries,” said Dr. Atul Dhir, TiECON East 2025 Co-Chair. “The opportunity to hear him in conversation with Nitin Nohria—a thought leader on leadership and performance—was a rare gift for entrepreneurs at any stage.”
Added Dhir: “In addition to exploring the inner mindset and the creative side of entrepreneurship, we had a powerful session on the breakthrough technologies in mRNA and the evolving AI technology ecosystem.”
Another major highlight was the afternoon keynote by Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Eric Paley, who brought both private-sector credibility and public vision to the stage. As the newly appointed Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development and former Managing Partner at Founder Collective, Paley shared insights on growing the state’s innovation economy and how entrepreneurs can help drive impact at scale.
“From navigating uncertainty to building with resilience, our speakers exemplified the emotional and intellectual depth that entrepreneurship demands,” said Satish Bhat, Co-Chair of TiECON East 2025. “Beyond the talks, the environment—the Innovation Showcase, networking lounges, breakout sessions—was charged with creative energy and collaboration.”
The Innovation Spotlight featured over 20 early-stage startups innovating in AI, digital health, robotics, and cross-border ventures—highlighting the next wave of bold ideas and ambitious founders. Attendees traveled from across the U.S. and India, creating a dynamic environment that blended global vision with local impact.
“Boston and New York chapters have developed a unique synergy,” said Jignesh Patel, President of TiE New York. “This partnership has brought new energy and reach to TiECON East, and we’re excited to keep building together. Other chapters should absolutely look to this as a model.”
Panel topics ranged from creative leadership and emotional resilience to technology’s role in social transformation, reflecting TiECON East’s broader mission: helping founders not just build successful ventures, but lead with meaning and clarity.
“This year’s theme really resonated,” said Dr. Dhir. “We didn’t just talk about product-market fit or capital strategy. We focused on the mindset, the heart, and the personal grit it takes to truly innovate.”
As the day came to a close, the takeaway was clear: the future of entrepreneurship lies not just in what we build, but in how and why we build it. And TiECON East 2025 set a bold new standard for what entrepreneurial conferences can—and should—be.
TiECON East is the flagship conference of TiE Boston, part of the global TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) network. TiE Boston is one of the oldest and largest TiE chapters, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship through mentoring, education, networking, and funding opportunities.
