Join a Techstars Accelerator to Scale Your Startup
Better for Founders
Techstars strongly believes and operates under the principle that great ideas can, and do, come from anywhere and anyone—no matter where entrepreneurs live or what their backgrounds may be.
This year we're investing in more startups than ever before, selecting 700-800 early-stage companies to join one of our 3-month, mentorship-driven accelerators. Investing $120K and providing hands-on mentorship and access to the Techstars network for life.
We offer programs globally, from Los Angeles to London, catering to a wide range of verticals like Space, Web3 and Sustainability, plus several non-vertical programs. Complete the form to express your interest in applying for a Techstars accelerator program and we will help connect you to the right program for your company.
Take the first step toward your application
Techstars accelerators have one goal
To help entrepreneurs succeed. During the immersive 3-month accelerator programs, we surround companies with the best mentors and an unrivaled network of investors, corporate partners and alumni founders. We provide early stage startups with:
Access to financial, human, and intellectual capital to fuel the success of their business
Lifetime access to the Techstars worldwide network
Access to over $400k of cash equivalent hosting, accounting, and legal support—plus other perks worth more than $5M
Demo Day exposure and investor connections. Historically, on average, Techstars companies go on to raise more than $2M of outside capital after the program
It’s a proven model that’s helped build thousands of successful companies, all over the world.
Techstars Stats
Named most active seed stage investor in the world by Crunchbase.
4,100+
graduate companies
$1.0M
average first round raise post program
$26B+
total lifetime funding raised
20
unicorns
$100B+
graduate market cap
4,000+
active mentors
How We Help Entrepreneurs Succeed
"What made me excited to be a part of the Techstars program is that it opens doors to new possibilities and business potential...I met more than 90 mentors who helped me to refine my business model, build my cap table, and raise $1.25 million in 30 days. The network is invaluable."
Want to know what it’s really like inside a Techstars accelerator? In this video, Techstars Cofounder David Cohen breaks down the three-month program, and founders weigh in on what made the experience so transformative for their companies.
FAQ’s
Who are some of Techstars most notable companies?
There really are too many to name, and more great companies are joining the Techstars network every year, but you might want to check out ClassPass, Cloudability, Coachup, Contently, Crowdtwist, Distil Networks, DataRobot, Digital Ocean, DoubleDub, Everymove, FullContact, Ginger.io, GrabCAD, Kapost, Keen.io, Kinvey, Localytics, Mocavo, Next Big Sound, Occipital, OnSwipe, PillPack, Pivotdesk, Placester, Plated, Remitly, SendGrid, Simple Energy, Sphero, Owlet, Sketchfab, and Synack.
Can you Fund My Company?
We invest primarily through our mentorship-driven accelerator programs. On average, accelerator companies raise > $1M in the first round of investment post-program, and >$3M in subsequent rounds. For more detail about the funds raised by our Techstars alumni companies, check out our portfolio companies. Participating in an accelerator provides valuable access to funding, industry mentors, potential venture capital investors, and +400 perks worth more than $1M. Plus, you’ll join a powerful lifetime network of +10,000 founders, mentors, and investors—all committed to helping each other by “giving first”. We encourage you to learn more and consider applying.
What investments does Techstars make in its accelerator portfolio companies?
Techstars provides accelerator portfolio companies with access to financial, human, and intellectual capital to fuel the success of their business. Techstars contributes $20,000, which is commonly used as a stipend to support living expenses during the program, and in return receives 6% equity of the company (on a fully diluted basis, issued as common stock) until the company raises a priced equity financing of US $250,000 or more (a “Qualified Financing”). However, if a company conducts a Network Launch using distributed ledger technology (i.e. a blockchain initial coin offering, token event, etc.), then Techstars will also receive 6% of the Token Reserve (i.e. the tokens “held back” for the founders and the company at Network Launch). Additionally, upon acceptance to a Techstars mentorship-driven accelerator, every company is offered an optional $100,000 convertible note.
What are the other benefits I receive from a Techstars mentorship driven accelerator?
Access to Techstars resources for life
Acceleration in a 90-day Techstars mentorship-driven accelerator program with personal mentorship
Lifetime access to the Techstars worldwide network, including more than 4,000+ mentors, 4,100+ alumni companies, 300+ corporate partners and thousands of investors.
Access to over $400k of cash equivalent hosting, accounting, and legal support—plus other credits and perks worth more than $5M;
Demo Day exposure and other investor connections. Historically, on average, Techstars companies go on to raise more than $2M of outside capital after the program
What is a typical day like for a Techstars Founder during the accelerator program?
It’s your company, so you’ll be hard at work on your product. About two or three nights a week, we organize informal educational sessions with our mentors. We also expect many of the mentors to drop into Techstars at various times throughout the program. In general though, you’ll be working on your product each day, just like all of the other founders in the program. We don’t tell you what to do or when, but we create an environment that is conducive to helping your startup every day. And we’ll make sure you have lots of experienced mentors around to help you.
How can we get funded after the accelerator program ends?
We provide the seed funding to get you going, but you may well need more funding to really make it. Near the end of the three month program, we’ll organize Demo Day where angel investors and venture capitalists will check out your technology and listen to your pitch. Usually we have about 100-200 investors there. We’ll coach you so you’re as effective as possible, and do everything we can to help get you follow on funding. So far, about 75% companies have received follow on funding and/or immediately became profitable after Techstars ended. On average, Techstars’ companies raise $1-2M post demo day.
