TechStars
I am thrilled to be part of the NYC mentors in the TechStars program this year. Hundreds of companies applied, 11 are in. Over the next three months these companies work with mentors and drill down on their business plan. Sometimes the plans change, sometimes the name changes but the founders who are the glue of the business generally stay the same. The winner wins seed funding to start their business.
TechStars has grown dramatically since the inception beginning in Boulder Colorado. The whole concept and how it works is really smart. Click on the link to TechStars above and read more. No women in this round which is unfortunate but am looking forward to meeting all the founders.
David Cohen said something last night that stuck in my head. Mentors bring their knowledge as well as their connections to the party which is incredibly powerful. It isn't exactly what he said but that is the gist. It is so true. Helping other people grow their businesses with the relationships that you personally have means that you are tapping into the expertise of everyone you know. I like that.
More on TechStars over the next few months.
Comments (Archived):
to build on david’s point (which he described as ‘blowing up your network in a good way’ at techstars-for-a-day), i’ve always held this thought that when you sit down with someone else, you’ve just opened yourself to their entire network. you never know who they know that might be perfect for what you have in mind. that’s powerful stuff.haven’t asked anybody yet, but is it public knowledge which 11 were selected?
good question if it is public knowledge yet about who they selected. youwould think so if they announced all the names yesterday but i’d ask david.
Joanne,Congratulations on being selected (choosing) to be a member. Your background and knowledge will surely be a welcome addition to the development of the participating companies. Do you plan on highlighting the efforts and development of the 11 companies on GG (possibly as an addition/addendum to Entrepreneurial Monday)?
There are women! Two female CEOs in this batch in fact! You’ll meet them soon..
Awesome! I’m reading “Do More Faster” at the moment and it’s clear that mentorship plays a crucial role in the program. Which is cool to see, and I’m excited to read on, especially since I’m heading a startup focused on college/career readiness with a mentor component.
Cool, Fred Wilson’s wife is a mentor in TechStars! Joking, of course, since I know you love being referred to in that manner.In all seriousness I think it’s an incredibly smart idea having someone smart, active, and engaged as you are. Congrats to you and the finalists.
ouch :)Congrats! As a big fan of both TechStars and yourself, this sounds like a great pairing.
I am very excited
I’ll be first time mentoring in Boston, so your post connected! It’s no secret I think we’ll get more energy and ideas out of it than we put into it, just via the nature of the beast. Sounds like you’ve got quite an inaugural class there in NY.
“Mentors bring their knowledge as well as their connections to the party which is incredibly powerful.”How true. One of the most important things a mentor can do is open doors for their mentee. This has definitely held true w/ the mentors & startups I work with at 500 Startups.Congrats on the post Joanne – the startups are lucky to have your mentoring!
thanks christine
Would love to figure out how to connect our Springboard applicants with TechStars. Who we are unable to coach nationally might be prime for TechStars approach? Any thoughts?
contact david cohen or david tisch