Relaunched accelerator will keep Techstars Boulder name
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A sign at the Boulder Theater for a Techstars Foundercon event on Wednesday. Photo: Mitchell Byars/Axios Boulder
Techstars' relaunched local accelerator program will once again be called "Techstars Boulder," not Techstars Colorado, as originally envisioned.
Why it matters: It's the latest move by Techstars to reconnect with its Boulder roots after unexpectedly cutting its local accelerator program and relocating its headquarters.
The latest: "We wanted to lean into the legacy of what was built here when the program started," Techstars Boulder managing partner Shay Har-Noy told us, referring to the organization's 2006 launch.
Yes, but: Though the name shines a spotlight on Boulder, Har-Noy said the accelerator will still have statewide reach and focus.
- In particular, he hopes to "bridge that (U.S.) 36 divide" between Boulder and Denver.
Context: Techstars shut down its Boulder accelerator last year and relocated its headquarters to New York under then-CEO Maëlle Gavet. The move sought to target larger markets and coastal cities with more resources and established business scenes.
- In 2024, Gavet exited the program and was replaced by co-founder David Cohen, who took steps to reconnect the company with its Boulder ties, including for this year's Foundercon gathering.
State of play: Cohen and others including Har-Noy spoke at the Foundercon breakfast Wednesday about the relaunched accelerator.
- While Techstars Boulder will have access to the company's full suite of resources, it is actually a locally owned partnership with Techstars.
- Har-Noy said that means fundraising from local investors and companies to cover the initial investments rather than Techstars simply funding the startups as it did in recent years.
- "The design ... is just different," Cohen said, adding, "Bigger isn't always better."
What they're saying: Natty Zola, managing director for the original Boulder accelerator from 2015 to 2020, told us the relaunch has created an "energy" in the local entrepreneurship community.
- "When [Techstars] left, it felt like a hole in the ecosystem, and now it's back and it feels whole again," Zola said.
"All the things that companies need in order to be successful, we help them get there," said Har-Noy, who got involved in the Techstars community after moving to Boulder in 2013.
The bottom line: Har-Noy said it feels "magical" bringing back the accelerator to the place where it all started, while also looking to expand.
- "That's not to be taken lightly, the responsibility and the opportunity that creates," Har-Noy told us.