David Cancel

Co-founder and former CEO, Drift

B2B SaaSBostonOn TechTO stages since 2017

David Cancel co-founded the conversational marketing company Drift with Elias Torres and was its CEO until 2022. It was his fifth company after Compete, Lookery, Ghostery and Performable, which HubSpot bought in 2011, making him its chief product officer. He now invests, advises and sits on boards.

On the TechTO stage ×1

TECHTO74:35

October 2017 SalesTO Panel: CEO: Being the First Sales Person

TechTO · November 2017

Watch on YouTube ↗

First seen on the TechTO stage in 2017. Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about David ↗

In their words

we all repeat bad habits right so we forget the lessons right so that's why I do podcast just like my podcast is just me actually talk to myself

TechTO, Nov 2017 · watch at 36:10 ↗

this is how we came up with this idea of the cql which is a conversation qualified lead

TechTO, Nov 2017 · watch at 36:58 ↗

A few quotes can’t cover everything David said on the TechTO stage. 1,600+ talks are searchable.Ask about David ↗

Around the web ×3

Podcast

Five-Time Founder David Cancel on Selling Performable to HubSpot, Building Drift, and Strategic ExitsThe Startup CEO Show

2025

Article

David Cancel: The Perks of Being an OutsiderSequoia Capital

2022

Podcast

Start with the story — Drift's David Cancel on lessons he's learned as a 5X founderFirst Round Review

2020

Quick answers

What is David Cancel known for?

Founding five companies. Compete, Lookery, Ghostery and Performable came before Drift, the conversational marketing platform he started with Elias Torres and led as CEO until 2022. HubSpot acquired Performable in 2011 and he became its chief product officer.

What happened to Drift?

Vista Equity Partners took a majority stake in September 2021 at a valuation above $1B, Cancel moved to executive chairman in June 2022, and Salesloft acquired the company in February 2024 on undisclosed terms.

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Maintained by TechTO · facts sourced and dated · last reviewed Jul 21, 2026