Paul Young
Why You Should Apply to TechStars
TechStars is a 3 month, mentorship-driven seed stage investment program running in Boston (MA), Boulder (CO), New York City (NY) and Seattle (WA).
I had the privilege of being part of the inaugral NYC class. Here’s why I think you should apply to TechStars:
Your acceptance into the program says something special about you and your team. With hundreds of applicants and only around 10 spots up for grabs, getting in means you could be on to something big.
You’ll get up to $18,000 in funding.
Your ideas and execution will be put to the test. So much so that several companies will change name and/or idea in response to the advice on offer, in an environment where they can be built back up.
You and the rest of your team will learn how to pitch. Not just your own business, but that of the other companies in your class. You’ll hear demo day presentations and give elevator pitches so many times that even for developers and engineers it will become second nature.
You’ll be blown away by the caliber of mentors and investors, and the insight they will provide on a personal level. One-on-one meetings and Q&A panels with amazing entrepreneurs you wouldn’t otherwise get access to are coming. Do your homework and have questions prepared.
You’ll end up with, “good problems to have”. Site down from too much traffic? Too many investor meetings? Round over subscribed? Good problems to have.
You’ll be part of an awesome community. The healthy competition that comes from being around other great companies makes you want to up your game, offer encouragement and take advice. In addition to the great relationships you’ll make within your class, the other 3 TechStars programs in the U.S. mean you’ll also get adopted into a much bigger family.
You’ll Do More Faster. Have a great idea but haven’t yet written a line of code? Got a killer product with recurring revenue? Somewhere in between? TechStars is for you.
Empire State of Mind
Taken back in November from the top of Rockefeller Center using my iPhone 4.
