Techstars Update - April 2025

Apr 30, 2025
Featured

Capital + Programs + Connection = Opportunity

Techstars connects unstoppable founders, wherever they are, with capital, programs, and connections to open up opportunities. See what we were up to in April.

In review:

10 portfolio companies secured funding

2 portfolio companies were acquired

14 accelerator programs with applications open

10+ upcoming Techstars virtual events

Capital

Each year, we select hundreds of companies to join one of our 3-month, mentorship-driven accelerators, investing capital and providing hands-on mentorship and access to the Techstars network for life.

Portfolio Companies

Since 2006, Techstars has invested in 4,900+ companies. Our founder-first philosophy has connected us with startups across a range of verticals, linking them to a network of successful mentors and partners.

Partnerships

Our mission is to enable everyone to contribute to and benefit from entrepreneurs’ success. By connecting entrepreneurs with corporations and organizations around the globe, we can drive innovation and solve the world’s largest problems. Meet the newest organization supporting Techstars founders:

Techstars and Permanente Medicine Mid-Atlantic States Launch New Healthcare Innovation Accelerator

Techstars and the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (“Permanente Medicine Mid-Atlantic”) announced the launch of a new healthcare accelerator program designed to support early-stage companies focused on addressing critical healthcare challenges and improving patient outcomes.

Programs

Techstars accelerators have one goal: to help founders succeed. We believe that great founders and startups are everywhere, but opportunity is not evenly distributed, which is why we continue to launch programs worldwide.

During each three-month program, we surround companies with the best mentors and an unrivaled network of corporate partners, investors, and alumni. We provide funding and fundraising opportunities, workshops, and curated resources, not to mention countless moments where you can learn from your peers. It’s a proven model that has helped build thousands of successful companies.

Applications Open

Learn more about our 3-month accelerators where founders gain funding, mentorship, and access to the Techstars network. The following accelerator programs are currently accepting applications:

Apply by May 14:

Techstars Tokyo Accelerator

Apply by June 11:

ABN AMRO + Techstars Future of Finance Accelerator

Build in Tulsa Techstars Accelerator

Techstars AI Healthcare Baltimore powered by Johns Hopkins University and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield

Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator

Techstars Boston Accelerator

Techstars Columbus Powered by The Ohio State University

Techstars Economic Mobility Powered by Samvid Ventures

Techstars Future of Food Powered by Ecolab

Techstars Healthcare Accelerator powered by Permanente Medicine Mid-Atlantic States

Techstars New York City Accelerator

Techstars San Diego powered by San Diego State University

Techstars Space Accelerator

Techstars Tech Central Sydney powered by the NSW Government

Demo Days

Techstars accelerator programs culminate with a celebration at Demo Day. This is each company’s chance to show the world how much progress they’ve made in just a few short months. Investors can learn more about our latest investments and portfolio companies by registering for a Techstars program’s virtual or in-person Demo Day event. See our upcoming Demo Day events:

Techstars Transformative World Torino

May 22 | Torino

Techstars San Francisco

May 29 | San Francisco

Techstars Columbus Powered by The Ohio State University

June 5 | Virtual

USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program

June 5 | Los Angeles

Techstars AI Health Baltimore powered by Johns Hopkins University and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

June 5 | Baltimore

Connection

Events & Pre-Accelerator Activity

We believe that while people and ideas are equally distributed, opportunity and resources are not. That is why we are committed to increasing access to entrepreneurship — all over the world.

Founder Catalyst

Founder Catalyst is a pre-accelerator program providing early-stage entrepreneurs with invaluable startup education and mentorship. This part-time, primarily virtual experience is perfectly suited for founders looking to hone their entrepreneurial skills, better understand their target customers, and dig deeply into refining the solutions they are offering the world.

The following program has applications open:

USC and Techstars University Catalyst

Applications close on July 9, 2025.

To learn more about Founder Catalyst, click here.

Startup Weekend & Startup Week

Startup Weekend is a three-day program where aspiring entrepreneurs can experience startup life in hundreds of cities worldwide. Startup Week is a celebration of entrepreneurship and the people shaping the startup community in your city. See our May community events:

Techstars Startup Weekend Uni Tallinn

May 2-5, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Diversity & Inclusion New Orleans

May 16-19, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Évora

May 16-19, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Rome

May 16-19, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Uni Rimini

May 16-19, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Education São Bernardo do Campo

May 23-26, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Horizontina

May 23-26, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Boston

May 30-June 2, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend São Paulo

May 30-June 2, 2025

Techstars Startup Weekend Uni CALI

May 30-June 2, 2025

For a full list of upcoming Techstars events, click here.

Virtual Events

Techstars hosts a variety of virtual events throughout the year for entrepreneurs. View our upcoming events below:

Techstars Economic Mobility Powered by Samvid Ventures - Thought Leadership Panel

May 1 | 1 pm ET

​Learn more from some of our Thought Leaders about trends in economic mobility, Techstars' mentorship-driven accelerator approach, and the founder/mentor experience.

AMA: Techstars AI Health Baltimore powered by Johns Hopkins University and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

May 2 | 12 pm ET

​Join our Ask Me Anything to get all your questions answered about our flagship healthcare accelerator - Techstars AI Health Baltimore, powered by Johns Hopkins University and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

Inside Ecolab: What They Do, Who They Serve, and Why They Partner with Techstars

May 6 | 11:30 am ET

A virtual conversation with the Techstars Future of Food powered by Ecolab Accelerator team, designed to introduce startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs to Ecolab—an industry leader in water treatment, hygiene solutions, and sustainability-focused services across food, beverage, and industrial sectors.

Techstars Pitch Series

May 6, 13, 20 | 11 am ET

An exclusive 3-part pitch series event, designed to give you the knowledge and tools you need to successfully pitch your startup to investors. Led by industry experts, this series will provide you with insider tips on how to improve your pitch and put it into practice!

Techstars Healthcare powered by Permanente Medicine Mid-Atlantic States - Thought Leader Panel

May 8 | 4 pm ET

Learn more from some of Permanente Medicine’s thought leaders about trends in healthcare and how innovative startups can play a role in transforming care delivery, including within their own system.

Techstars Economic Mobility Powered by Samvid Ventures - Panel with Program Alumni

May 15 | 1 pm ET

​Learn more from some of our Economic Mobility program alums about their experience going through the accelerator, tips on the application process, their progress during the program, and leveraging the network post-program.

Bridging Tokyo and Silicon Valley: Techstars Global Startup Meetup

May 15 | 7 pm ET

An exclusive session connecting Tokyo and Silicon Valley with the Managing Directors of Techstars, Yuki Shirato from Techstars Tokyo, and Neal Sáles-Griffin from Techstars San Francisco! We'll kick off with a dynamic panel discussion between Yuki and Neal as they dive into the differences between Japan and Silicon Valley's startup ecosystems.

Startup Life Before (and After) Techstars

May 15 | 7:30 pm ET

​Building a startup requires vision, grit, and navigating the unknown. Join Misti Cain, Managing Director of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU, for a dynamic panel and candid conversations with founders from our 2023 and 2024 classes.

May Virtual Meet and Greet

May 27 | 2 pm ET

​​​​Techstars helps founders scale their startups into world-changing businesses. We have invested in more than 4,900 early-stage startups, our portfolio is as diversified as our 10,000+ founders are unique — from Healthtech and Fintech, to Web3 and CleanTech. Learn more about our Techstars mentorship-driven accelerators and receive updates on application open dates.

Pitch Breakdown with Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU

May 28 | 1 pm ET

​​​​If you've ever wanted to have an investor review your pitch deck or hear how investors think about pitch decks, this is your chance. Misti Cain, Managing Director of Techstars San Diego powered by SDSU, will break down the pitch decks of real startups in real time. You'll receive helpful tips to make your pitch "investor ready" along with common pitfalls to avoid.

For a full list of upcoming Techstars events, click here.

Opportunity

Techstars helps founders succeed. Check out the latest news from the Techstars portfolio.

Fundraising News

Venteur (Techstars 2021), a health startup helping companies provide personalized health insurance options to their employees, raises $20M in Series A funding.

Bloctopus, formerly LZero (Techstars 2024), raises $1M to supercharge dApp development.

SeafoodAI (Techstars 2024) secures investment from NEC X to enhance seafood sustainability.

illumicell AI (Techstars 2023) raises $2M to transform fluid-based diagnostics with real-time AI.

Simplifyber (Techstars 2021), a bio-based materials company, raises $12M in Series A funding.

beSirius (Techstars 2023), an AI-powered sustainability intelligence platform for metals, mining, and heavy industries, raises €3M.

Mexican identity verification startup Nufi (Techstars 2021) raises a $1.5M seed round.

Trust & Will (Techstars 2018), the industry leader in digital estate planning, announces a $4.5M investment.

RISE Robotics (Techstars 2012), an electrification and automation company, raises $1.5M in funding.

Chassy (Techstars 2023) raises a $1.2M pre-seed round.

Acquisition News

Gainsight acquires Seattle startup Skilljar (Techstars 2013) to bolster customer success platform.

DNSFilter (Techstars 2018), a cybersecurity leader in content and threat filtering at the DNS layer, announces its acquisition of Zorus, an innovative provider of endpoint-based web filtering and user behavior analytics.

Katalyst Space Technologies acquires Atomos Space (Techstars 2019), a move that combines two venture-funded startups focused on in-space servicing and orbital transfer vehicles.

Other News

TechCrunch: Techstars increases startup funding to $220,000

VNTR: How Techstars Invested in 5,000 Startups & 22 Unicorns | David Cohen, Founder of Techstars

Sure Shot Entrepreneur Podcast: Master Your Technical Edge, Solve the Right Problem, and Scale Big with Andrew Cleland

Hypepotamus: Your City, Your Startups: Techstars Atlanta Continues

Technical.ly: Techstars restarts its DC programming with a new health accelerator