E37: Bigger Isn't Better and Give First with Techstars' David Cohen

David Cohen is the CEO and Cofounder of Techstars. Techstars is one of the OGs of startup accelerators, investing in almost 5,000 startups since Techstars was founded in 2006. David himself is a serial entrepreneur who was the founding CEO at Techstars, later stepped back from that role, and then returned as CEO in 2024. We talked about the problems that Techstars solves for founders, how vibe-coding affects accelerators, why Techstars finally opened up in SF, and why bigger isn’t better – better is better. Please enjoy. 

A few longer highlights:

• Techstars was founded to create a supportive community for entrepreneurs.
• The accelerator model has evolved, with many new players in the market.
• Quality of support is more important than the number of companies funded.
• Techstars is focused on improving the offer for founders to attract high-quality startups.
• The network of mentors and alumni is a key asset for Techstars.
• Founders often come in with hubris but learn to embrace feedback.
• The experience of founders in the program can lead to significant transformations.
• Market selection is based on capital availability and community strength.
• Techstars aims to maintain quality while allowing MDs autonomy in decision-making.
• AI is changing the landscape of startup development, emphasizing storytelling and long-term vision.

Investing in Startups is hosted by Joe Magyer and produced by Seaplane Ventures.