Celebrating 20 Years of Techstars

What does it take to change the world? Sometimes, it starts with a single email.

On February 18, 2006, Techstars Founder & CEO David Cohen sent a message to Co-Founder David Brown with a simple but ambitious idea: to build something that would help founders succeed. Nearly two decades later, that idea has grown into the original mentorship-driven accelerator, having supported more than 11,000 founders around the world.

This year, Techstars turns 20. It's a milestone worth pausing to celebrate, not just as a measure of longevity, but as a testament to what happens when a community rallies around a shared belief: that the best investment you can make is in people.

From a scrappy first accelerator class in Boulder, Colorado, to global programs spanning almost every continent, Techstars has always been about more than capital. It's been about mentorship, connection, and a genuine commitment to Give First. That philosophy, baked into Techstars' DNA from day one, is what has made the network so enduring and so meaningful to the founders who've come through it.

As we look back on two decades of breakthroughs and evolution, the story of Techstars is really the story of thousands of founders who dared to build, supported by a community that showed up to help them do it.

Here's how we got here:

Feb. 18, 2006 - The Techstars Idea Is Born

Founding email from David Cohen to David Brown with the original idea for Techstars.

Nov. 2006 - Techstars is Officially Incorporated

Techstars becomes a reality with founders David Cohen, David Brown, Brad Feld, and Jared Polis.

Summer 2007 - The First Accelerator Class Begins

Techstars hosts its first accelerator program in Boulder, Colorado.

July 2007 - Startup Weekend is Born

Andrew Hyde creates Startup Weekend and hosts the first event in Boulder.

2009 - Startup Weekend Incorporates

Marc Nager, Clint Nelson, and Franck Nouyrigat join as co-founders of Startup Weekend and set up an office in Seattle.

2009 - Techstars Ventures

Techstars launches its first venture fund, Techstars Ventures 2009 ($5M).

2009 - Second Accelerator Location Launches

Techstars launches an accelerator program in Boston.

2010 - Startup Digest Newsletters Added

Startup Digest joins the Startup Weekend family.

2010 - Third Accelerator Program Launches

Techstars launches an accelerator program in Seattle.

2010 - Startup Week Comes Together

The first Startup Week, which grows out of Startup Weekend, happens in 2010 in Boulder.

2011 - Expansion Continues

Techstars launches a fourth accelerator program location in New York City.

2012 - Techstars Ventures 2012

Techstars raises its second fund, Techstars Ventures 2012 ($25M).

2012 - Startup Week Expands

Four communities adopt the Startup Week format: Boulder, Denver, Austin, and Lincoln.

2013 - Techstars Acquires Chicago Accelerator

Techstars acquires Excelerate Labs to create the Techstars Chicago Accelerator.

2013 - Global Expansion into London

Techstars launches its first international accelerator by acquiring Springboard in London.

2014 - Techstars Ventures 2014

Techstars raises its third fund, Techstars Ventures 2014 ($155M).

2014 - Startup Week Goes International

Startup Week expands to 14 new cities, including locations in Canada.

2015 - Techstars Launches Six New Accelerator Program Locations

New programs include a partnership with Target and expansion into Israel and South Africa.

2015 - Startup Week Spans Continents

Startup Week goes overseas, expanding to Europe, Africa, and Asia.

2015 - Techstars Acquires UP Global

Techstars acquires UP Global, the organization behind Startup Weekend, Startup Week, and Startup Digest, to join forces in helping founders succeed.

2016 - Eight More Programs Begin

Techstars opens new accelerator program locations in Germany and the U.S.

2016 - Startup Week's Exponential Growth

By 2016, there are 47 Startup Weeks worldwide with 83,000+ attendees.

2017 - Techstars Accelerators Continue to Go Global

Techstars continues to expand, opening accelerators in Australia, France, UAE, and Norway.

2017 - Joint Venture with ANSR to Create Techstars India

Techstars announces a joint venture with ANSR, a leader in Global In-House Centers, to further expand Techstars' network in India.

2017 - First Techstars Anywhere Class

Techstars Anywhere Accelerator launches to create an accessible Techstars accelerator experience for great founders, anywhere.

2020 - A New Look for Techstars

Techstars shares a new, simplified brand identity for a more unified way to tell our story.

2021 - Founder Catalyst Begins

Techstars runs the first Founder Catalyst pre-accelerator program.

2022 - Techstars and J.P. Morgan Partner to Invest in Diverse Founders

Techstars announces new accelerator programs powered by J.P. Morgan that invest more than $80 million in diverse founders across the U.S.

2023 - World’s Most Active Pre-Seed Investor Again

Crunchbase names Techstars as the world’s most active pre-seed investor two years in a row.

2024 - 10,000+ Founders Supported

Techstars surpasses supporting more than 10,000 founders through its global accelerator programs.

2025 - 22 Unicorns in the Portfolio

Techstars announces 22 portfolio companies have reached unicorn status.

2026 - Techstars and Global Brain Formalize Strategic Partnership

Techstars and Global Brain announce a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in Japan and globally.

The Next 20 Years

Twenty years ago, a single email sparked an idea that became a global movement. The problems worth solving are only getting bigger, and the founders tackling them are more determined than ever.

The next chapter of Techstars will be written by the founders who are building right now and the founders who haven't yet taken the leap. If that's you, we're ready. Apply to a Techstars accelerator program. The network is here, and it starts with Give First.