Pilots, Praise & False Positives: Diagnosing False PMF Signals Before You Scale

Most founders believe they’ll know when they’ve reached product/market fit.
Early revenue. Pilot agreements. Investor interest. Positive user feedback.
It feels like progress.
But many of these signals are misleading.
Startups rarely fail because they lack ambition. They fail because they scale based on false positives.
In this focused pilot session, we will examine the illusion of product/market fit — and introduce a more rigorous way to diagnose it before hiring, fundraising, or accelerating growth.
This conversation is grounded in real-world product and go-to-market work across SaaS, health tech, and early-stage B2B environments — where buyer-user dynamics, procurement cycles, and market complexity distort early feedback.

We’ll explore:
• Why early traction often produces false confidence
• The difference between usage, engagement, and buying intent
• How healthcare and enterprise environments distort fit signals
• Which metrics matter before you scale team, spend, or roadmap
• How product and go-to-market signals must align before growth

## Speakers

Shweta Agrawal
Founder, SheBuilds Product | Co-Director & Chief Product Officer, Boston New Technology
Shweta Agrawal is a seasoned product leader, startup advisor, and ecosystem builder recognized as one of Boston’s Top 40 Under 40 for her impact in product strategy and community leadership.
She has worked across enterprise and startup environments globally, advising founders on product validation, go-to-market alignment, and scalable growth. Her work focuses on translating ambiguity into precision — helping founders distinguish real demand from hopeful interpretation.
Shweta leads the SheBuilds Product initiative and its Product Lab programming, designed to deliver rigorous, experience-driven education for builders navigating high-stakes product decisions.

Courtney Greenwood
Founder & Principal, Greenwood Marketing Collective
Courtney Greenwood is a go-to-market strategist and product marketing leader with over 15 years of experience helping growth-stage companies translate product vision into measurable market traction.
As founder of Greenwood Marketing Collective, she partners with startups and mission-driven ventures — particularly in health tech and technology sectors — to sharpen positioning, operationalize launch strategy, and build durable market momentum.
Courtney brings a practical, execution-driven lens to scaling decisions, bridging product clarity with revenue reality.
Moderator: Steve Vilkas
Steve Vilkas is an ecosystem builder and operator working closely with founders across product, pitch, and go-to-market strategy. As a leader within the New England ecosystem and beyond, Steve supports entrepreneurs through structured programming, community building, and precision-focused founder development.
He will guide the conversation and moderate the live Q&A.

## Coalition Partners

Boston New Technology (BNT)
One of Boston’s longest-standing founder communities, BNT brings together entrepreneurs, operators, and investors through showcases, pitch practice, and structured programming focused on humanizing technology and elevating real builders.
Startup Grind Boston
Part of the global Startup Grind network, SG Boston connects founders to education, mentorship, and global resources through fireside conversations and practical workshops designed to accelerate startup growth.
StartOut
A national nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, StartOut provides community, mentorship, and access to capital for underrepresented founders building the next generation of companies.