"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
Fri May 15 - 12:50 PM EDT/New York (See in local time)
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05/15/2026 12:50 PM
05/15/2026 01:30 PM
America/New_York
#WTGC2026
"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
#WTGC2026
"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
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https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
"Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies"
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Session: Scaling Beyond $1M: Lessons, Pitfalls & Growth Strategies
Hitting $1M in revenue is a big milestone — but scaling beyond it requires new systems, sharper focus, and tough choices.In the startup world, reaching $1M in revenue is a milestone, but getting to $5M is a transformation. It requires new systems, sharper focus and tough choices.
This interactive discussion will bring together founders and investors who will share candid stories about what worked, where they stumbled and what they would do differently. You’ll walk away with practical frameworks for breaking through the $1M barrier and pitfalls to avoid –from expanding teams to positioning the business.
Key Takeaways
- Why founders must evolve from builders to fundraisers and culture architects | How chasing the wrong customers/metrics can stall momentum | How to break out of the “stuck” zone | How to prepare for acquisition while scaling operations
Bio
An architect of What’s Next and a champion of inclusive innovation, Parna Sarkar-Basu partners with CEOs and founders of emerging and growth-stage companies to navigate inflection points — moments where decisions around emerging technologies, market focus and positioning shape the future of their business. As the founder of a strategic advisory firm, she provides candid guidance to leaders on launching, scaling and revitalizing companies, while architecting and pressure-testing strategies and supporting fundraising and exit readiness.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nzCkB22hBN-DJS41CTo4zKdtDqBIMF20/view?usp=sharing
Vandana Tolani is the Founder of Convanto, a boutique investment bank that has mobilized over $600 million in capital for startups across global markets.
With over *25 years of experience* in international and domestic business advisory, she has worked closely with founders, investors, and institutions, helping raise funds for more than *450 companies* across *45 countries* , and collaborating with five venture capital firms. Her work sits at the intersection of capital, strategy, and founder journeys, giving her a deep, practical understanding of how startups scale.
Vandana is also a widely recognized voice in the startup ecosystem. *As a TEDx speaker* , she has delivered over 350 talks, sharing insights on fundraising, venture dynamics, and the realities of building in emerging markets. Her sessions are known for cutting through noise and focusing on what actually drives outcomes for founders.
Recognized globally as a leading voice in fundraising and wealth management, she has received multiple awards, including *Women Entrepreneur of the Year and Global Woman Leader by the World Women Congress* .
Vandana often says that her true net worth lies in the *450+ deals* she has successfully closed, reflecting not just capital raised, but long-term value created for founders and investors alike.
Through Convanto, she continues to work closely with startups, helping them navigate capital markets with clarity, discipline, and strategic intent.
Dr. Piali De is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Senscio Systems, where she leads the company’s mission to transform healthcare through intelligent care continuity. She is the visionary behind Senscio’s Digital Twin for Health™ and Ibis™, an AI-powered platform designed to help individuals with complex chronic conditions stay healthier at home by turning care from episodic to continuous.
Her work focuses on applying artificial intelligence to improve the daily management of chronic illness, with a particular emphasis on designing systems where human expertise and machine intelligence work together to produce better outcomes at scale.
Prior to founding Senscio, Dr. De was an Engineering Fellow at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, where she developed Confluence™, an AI-powered decision support system used in military and public safety operations.
She is the inventor and author of multiple patents and publications, including Senscio’s foundational patents in AI-powered health management. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Sigma Pi Sigma honor societies, and was the recipient of the National Women of Color’s 2009 Technology Innovation Award.
Outside of her professional work, Piali is deeply committed to education as a human right. She and her family operate a free school for underprivileged children in rural India.
