Techstars

•

Channel • 6 Shows

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated Biweekly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated Feb 17
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 5d ago
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated Weekly
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 04/05/2021
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Updated 12/09/2020

Feb 17

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.
Jul 9

Long Term Commitment Is the Whole Game

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly digs into the second principle of the Boulder Thesis: long term commitment. Most startup communities do not fail because they misunderstand entrepreneur led leadership. They fail because they underestimate time. Chris explains why startup communities behave like complex systems rather than complicated ones, and why that distinction changes everything about how founders and investors should think about progress. He also tackles a harder truth: the people involved in a startup community will change. Founders move on. Investors shift focus. Community builders burn out or retire. But the mission has to survive all of it. Because the goal is not a startup community that depends on a handful of people. It is one that no longer needs any single person to keep going. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5d ago

Inclusiveness Is a Responsibility, Not an Invitation

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly takes on the third principle of the Boulder Thesis: being inclusive of anyone who wants to engage. Most communities assume they are inclusive because they do not exclude anyone. Chris argues real inclusiveness is not about leaving the door unlocked. It is about knocking on doors. One is passive. The other takes effort. He unpacks why founders skip events, why every city has invisible entrepreneurs, and why organizations should recruit one another instead of competing. Because building a startup community is not about waiting for people to find you. It is about taking the community to them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 25

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.
04/05/2021

Crossover: Talking Through It + Give First! Talking through unicorns, NFTs, and giving first with David Cohen

In this special episode, Give First host David Cohen and Talking Through It host Neal Sáles-Griffin take turns interviewing each other: it’s two Techstars podcasts in one. David discusses with Neal on how giving first grew the Chicago startup ecosystem, and then Neal talks through today’s hot issues with David. Today’s Topics: Finding Unicorns Crypto, NFTs, What’s Next? Dream Dinner Guest This Week’s Startup to Watch: https://hey.com/. Plus, listen to Neal’s conversation with Hey and Basecamp founder Jason Fried here. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the National Geographic documentary series City So Real, a portrait of contemporary Chicago, including Neal’s candidacy in the 2019 mayoral election. 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.
04/14/2021

Creating Demand for Breakthrough Climate Tech, with Nan Ransohoff and Shawn Drost

New and breakthrough technologies are essential to solving our planet’s climate crisis. We need tech that replaces high CO2-emitting processes, tech that removes carbon from our atmospheres, tech that connects it all — and more. That’s why Hannah Davis, Program Director of the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, is talking with Nan Ransohoff, Head of Climate at Stripe, and Shawn Drost, CEO at Diversified Hydrogen. Listen for a dive into the importance of creating demand for new climate-friendly technologies, plus a clear explanation of why hydrogen is such an important element of climate solutions — and how it’s being used now. Follow Nan on Twitter @nanransohoff Follow Shawn on Twitter @shawndrost 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.
02/23/2021

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.
06/01/2021

How To Start and Grow a Renewable Energy Company, with Steph Speirs and Yoav Lurie

Renewable energy startups — and the entrepreneurs who found them — are crucial to the fight against climate change. These founders are smart, driven, and agile enough to see the opportunities in energy right now, and dive in. This is a fascinating time in energy, as renewable sources become cheaper and easier to democratize, reaching a more racially and economically diverse set of users, and big utility companies are also starting to see the need to get on board with sustainable initiatives. It wasn’t long ago that climate tech was unpopular. We’re grateful to see that changing. But here are some words of wisdom from Yoav to other entrepreneurs who are doing the right thing, even when no one else believes in their mission: “Don't be afraid to do the unpopular thing, because the rest of the world is just going to catch up.” Listen to learn about community solar, energy savings at home, learning to work with utility companies, the importance of infrastructure, and more. Follow Solstice on Twitter @solarforgood Follow Yoav on Twitter @yoavlurie 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.
03/10/2021

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.
05/07/2021

Symplifi: Rethinking the world of remittances

On this episode of The Lead Up, we catch up with Maurice and Gregoire, cofounders of SympliFi, a one of a kind fintech solution that enables migrants to help their families and loved ones back home access credit without having to send money and pay high fees. With a wealth of financial knowledge and a very ambitious vision, the team explains how they have positioned themselves in a highly competitive industry, the process of securing partnerships with organizations like the United Nations, and using those endorsements to establish trust in the communities they serve with their product. 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.

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.