Techstars

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Channel • 6 Shows

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 17 Feb
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 05/04/2021
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated weekly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated fortnightly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 4 days ago
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 09/12/2020

4 days ago

Founders First, Always

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly breaks down the first principle of the Boulder Thesis: entrepreneurs must lead the startup community. It sounds simple. It is not. Chris unpacks why governments, universities, and economic developers, no matter how well-resourced or well-intentioned, cannot substitute for founder-led leadership. Drawing from his own experience in rooms full of civic planners without a single current founder present, he makes the case that startup communities are living systems, not strategic plans. Because you can remove friction. You can create the conditions for collisions. But you cannot engineer entrepreneurial energy from a conference room. The goal is not a managed community. It is a community where founders are heard, elevated, and in the room. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 days ago

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15 min
11 Jun

Stop Fundraising and Start Building

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly challenges one of the most deeply held beliefs in startup culture: that raising capital is the same as building a company. Drawing from his recent Raleigh Durham Startup Week, where over 2,700 founders and community builders gathered, Chris unpacks why the answer founders give about what is blocking their progress reveals a much deeper problem. Capital matters. But capital is not a strategy. And when founders and community leaders treat funding as the finish line, they risk skipping the harder, more important work. Because the goal is not a community full of funded startups. It is a community full of durable companies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Jun

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14 min
30/06/2025

Mentorship, Ecosystems, and Feedback Loops with Ian Hathaway

In this episode of the Give First podcast, Brad Feld sits down with Ian Hathaway, co-author of The Startup Community Way, host of Outsider Inc., and Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Far Out VC, to unpack what makes entrepreneurial ecosystems actually work. They revisit the early days of their collaboration, from Ian’s initial cold email and time in Boulder, to writing the book that reframed how founders, cities, and networks build momentum. They dive into the theory of complex adaptive systems, the power of feedback loops, and why startup success is anything but linear. Along the way, they reflect on Boulder’s influence, COVID’s inflection point, and how Techstars shaped Ian’s investing philosophy. Plus, Ian shares why he launched Outsider Inc., a podcast dedicated to founders breaking the mold, and how he’s helping push founder-friendly policies through the Center for American Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C. If you’ve ever wondered how movements grow, how policy intersects with startups, or how to support founders outside the usual hotspots, this conversation delivers. Follow Ian Hathaway on LinkedIn Follow Brad Feld on LinkedIn and X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30/06/2025

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34 min
01/12/2021

Derek Handley / Investing in the Next Sustainable Startup for a Competitive Marketplace

At the dawn of mobile, Derek Handley wanted to be an innovator, building a global company. About a decade ago, he had an existential crisis: What would happen if his business, his identity all went away? From this, Derek moved fully into sustainability and founded Aera VC to pick up where the climate pioneers left off. Now, Aera VC is investing in sustainability leaders that are tackling carbon in chemicals, reduction of industrial reliance on fossil fuels, the struggle for a plastics replacement, and how concrete is negatively affecting global emissions despite it being a more climate change champion. Cody and Derek also discuss the industrial revolution and how though it changed the world for the positive, the early warning signs of the fossil fuels’ destructive nature didn’t come to the forefront for a very long time. Connect with our guest: Derek Handley, Aera VC: https://www.aera.vc/team-member/derek-handley/ Aera VC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aera-vc Follow Cody on Twitter @codysimms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

01/12/2021

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34 min
05/05/2021

Yoona.AI: A tech makeover for the fashion industry

On this episode of The Lead Up, we catch up with Anna, the founder of Yoona.ai, a company using AI to help apparel makers and fashion companies like Puma and Vaude to shorten their design processes. Inspired by the intersection of technology and design, Anna explains her approach to building an innovative product for an incumbent industry full of traditions, how she’s earned the trust of some of the biggest players in fashion, and the process of putting together a strong support system for herself as a solo founder — from a solid team to an impressive board of directors with big names from the industry. Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

05/05/2021

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19 min
23/02/2021

What Exactly Is Going On With Our Planet? with Dr. Kamal Kapadia

We’re all trying to wrap our minds around climate change, its enormous consequences if left unchecked, and how people and organizations can fight it. In this first episode of the Techstars Climate Tech podcast, host Cody Simms, SVP for Climate & Sustainability at Techstars, talks with Dr. Kamal Kapadia, Cofounder of Terra.do, about the big questions, like what exactly is going on with our planet, and what our lives may look like in 20 or 50 years, before diving into the ways that technology can help. Listen for answers to these key questions: What are the biggest, hardest problems to solve about climate change?Where is technology a solution? Policy?Where is technology ready, but in need of marketplace support?How can entrepreneurs and startups help? The good news? Kamal is an intelligent optimist, and she offers a lot of reasons why we can be hopeful. Follow Kamal on Twitter @kamal_kapadia Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23/02/2021

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32 min
10/03/2021

An Academic and an Entrepreneur Talk Climate Change, with Dr. Chip Fletcher and Sierra Peterson

In order to survive the climate change crisis, we’re going to need solutions from all over. That’s why Hannah Davis, Program Director of the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, invited Dr. Chip Fletcher, Professor at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and Sierra Peterson, entrepreneur and climate tech investor, to talk about climate change and the solutions they see coming from research and from business — and how entrepreneurs can get involved. To quote Sierra: “For anybody who is thinking about starting a company in this space and devoting your time and talent to working on climate solutions, I can tell you your work matters. This is the defining challenge of our time. And if you succeed, you will influence the quality of life on earth and the only known life that we know in the universe.” Listen for a profoundly informed and thoughtful conversation about where we’re at now — and practical solutions for how we can save the planet and ourselves. Follow Chip on Twitter @fletcher_chip Follow Sierra on Twitter @sierrap Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10/03/2021

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18 min
08/12/2021

Stacy Kauk / Democratizing Sustainability to Build Accessibility for Carbon Removal Technologies

About two years ago, Shopify was looking to go the extra mile on its environmental footprint by purchasing carbon credits or offsets. Through discovery, the company realized how limited the market was for this type of sustainability method and how it needed growth. In this episode, Cody chats with Stacy Kauk, Shopify’s director of Sustainability Fund, which makes an annual commitment of $5 million toward entrepreneurial breakthrough technologies and companies to advance sustainability. Stacy shares how the fund tries to identify and support those solutions that all of humanity is going to need in the long run (“We’re playing the long game.”), and gives us insights into what exactly is emission reduction versus carbon removal. Cody and Stacy also discuss how climate change is a real threat to entrepreneurship, how they are trying to kickstart the market and democratize sustainability, and how buyers can find these products to help their carbon offset. Follow Cody on Twitter @codysimms Check out the Shopify Sustainability Fund here: https://www.shopify.com/about/environment/sustainability-fund Listen & subscribe to The Techstars Climate Tech Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

08/12/2021

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39 min
28/10/2025

How Sameer Dholakia Led SendGrid to IPO and Exit

In this episode of the Give First podcast, Brad Feld sits down with Sameer Dholakia, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and former CEO of SendGrid, the first Techstars company to go public. When Sameer joined SendGrid, growth was slowing and the company was losing money. Under his leadership, it became a $250M business, went public, and was later acquired by Twilio. Sameer shares the story of how his mother’s advice shaped his approach to leadership and why empathy and clarity became his greatest tools as a CEO. From his first days stepping into a nervous team, to navigating “oh sh*t” moments on the path to IPO, Sameer reflects on the lessons that defined his career, and how they continue to guide his work with founders today. Sameer Dholakia ➡️ LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28/10/2025

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38 min
17 Feb

Burn Bright, Not Out: James Oliver Jr. on Founder Mental Wellness

In this episode of the Give First podcast, David Cohen sits down with James Oliver Jr., Techstars alum, entrepreneur, and author of Burn Bright, Not Out. James shares his journey navigating the pressures of high achievement and the hidden cost of hustle culture. He introduces the Burn Bright Spectrum, a framework to help founders recognize the difference between healthy ambition and burnout, and explains why rest, micro-wins, and alignment are essential to long term success. The conversation explores founder mental health, breaking stigma in the startup community, and how sustainable performance drives deeper impact than constant grind. Follow James Oliver Jr. on LinkedIn ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-oliver-jr/ Order Burn Bright, Not Out ➡️ https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Bright-Not-Out-ShatteringThe-ebook/dp/B0GG8FCCQZ Check out the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund ➡️ https://give.socialgoodfund.org/KabilaMentalHealth?ref=ab_7QGjqr7P0pr7QGjqr7P0pr Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Feb

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24 min

The Techstars Podcast Network looks to elevate and amplify voices and stories from around the Techstars worldwide network, showcasing the points of view of founders, investors, mentors, and innovation leaders.