Techstars Launches First Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst: Uniting Founders and Communities Across Omaha & Sarajevo
Oct 01, 2025
Techstars announces the Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst Fall 2025 class. The launch of the first Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst program marks a defining moment in how Techstars supports early-stage founders and the communities they call home.
This isn’t just a cohort; it’s a new model for global collaboration. By uniting two very different startup communities — Omaha, Nebraska, and Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina — into one integrated class, we are creating a bridge that connects local communities to a global stage.
The 20 selected founders now have direct access to Techstars’ worldwide network of mentors, investors, and over 10,000 alumni, while their local communities gain visibility, knowledge, and momentum that will fuel long-term impact.
“What makes this program so powerful is that it goes beyond the founders themselves. Yes, we’ll be giving these 20 entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, and mentorship they need to grow and scale, but we’re also investing in their startup communities," said Zoe Evans, the Techtars Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst Program Lead. "Through our community track, we’re opening the doors for the Sarajevo and Omaha communities to engage directly with Techstars unicorn founders and our CEO. Our aim not only inspires local founders but also strengthens the fabric of the startup community around them. This is about building lasting capacity, not just for today’s cohort, but for every founder who comes after them."
Over the next 10 weeks, the 20 founders will dive into masterclasses hosted by Techstars managing directors, sharpen their operational edge through partner-led workshops, pressure-test their pitches, and work with a curated group of world-class mentors, all designed to help them move faster with clarity and confidence.
The program equips founders to refine their story, validate product–market fit, and accelerate toward growth and funding. Beyond the founders themselves, each city will host locally curated engagement opportunities, ensuring that entire startup communities — not just the cohort — come together to create stronger networks, deeper collaboration, and build momentum that sustains communities' growth long after the program ends.
"We are immensely proud of the selected founders and eagerly anticipate the transformative impact this program will have, not just on their startups, but on the entire startup ecosystem of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Bojan Lazic, the Sarajevo Community Partnership Program Director. "It took a community willing to step up, founders stepping out of their comfort zone, and a shift in mindset, believing that Bosnia and Herzegovina can be more than an outsourcing hub, and that they can be the ones to prove it. This country doesn’t need more people talking about change. It needs founders like this to make it happen. And in a few years, when Sarajevo has a thriving startup ecosystem, people will look back and say — it began here, with this."
“This first cohort represents the energy, vision, and talent that’s driving innovation in Nebraska,” said Laurel Oetken, Vice President of Operations for Open Range and Interim Techstars Community Partnership Program Director. “By supporting these founders, we’re not just fueling individual companies, we’re helping strengthen the entire startup and innovation communities.”
Meet the Fall 2025 Class
The 20 selected startups represent diverse industries from AI and spacetech to sustainability, commerce, and mobility.
A solar-powered AI crosswalk system that detects pedestrians in real time and alerts drivers, delivering low-cost, internet-free road safety for cities and rural areas alike.
A data platform that aggregates resale pricing from marketplaces, wholesalers, and auctions, helping independent phone resellers spot arbitrage opportunities and make smarter inventory decisions.
A gamified well-being app where daily practices like gratitude, mindfulness, and affirmations grow into a virtual garden, making mental health consistent, engaging, and accessible.
An AI and OCR tool that intakes referral packets, parses documents, and generates structured summaries directly into EMRs, saving physicians and staff hours of prep time.
A no-code data platform that lets finance, sales, and marketing teams build advanced analyses and dashboards without SQL or data team dependencies.
Health Inception
Developer of SoteriaX, a patented device for on-site sterilization and disposal of infectious medical waste, reducing costs, CO₂ emissions, and risks.
A personalized platform that unifies telehealth, fitness, and nutrition for women across life stages, with an AI-powered backend for care and client management.
An AI-powered platform for echocardiography that automates view detection, chamber measurements, and structured reporting, delivering faster, workflow-native cardiac insights.
An AI-driven mobile app that helps children with ADHD, autism, and anxiety build independence through personalized task management and self-regulation tools.
An on-demand laundry service with a mobile app for seamless pickup and delivery, using automation and AI to optimize operations and turnaround times.
A modern mission planning platform that replaces Excel workflows for satellite operators with automated scheduling, link analysis, and conflict detection in one web-based dashboard.
A SaaS platform that connects to distributors’ ERPs, cleans sales data, and delivers clear, actionable insights to boost margins without dashboards or consultants.
An edtech platform with a schedule generator and mobile app that streamlines timetable creation, real-time updates, and distribution for schools, teachers, and students.
Rigby AI
An AI-powered all-in-one support platform for B2B SaaS companies that improves hiring, onboarding, knowledge access, and long-term quality — beyond just ticketing.
An AI-powered platform that transforms service tickets into SEO and Answer Engine–ready content, giving service businesses omni-channel visibility and higher-value leads.
A childcare management platform that integrates attendance, billing, compliance, and parent communication into one affordable, intuitive app.
A smart tourism platform integrating eCommerce, AI-driven pricing, and system integrations to deliver seamless digital city passes and maximize destination revenue.
A computer vision platform that detects traffic incidents in real time and predicts delays, helping emergency services and navigation systems improve response and reduce congestion.
A strategy execution platform that unifies planning into one workspace with real-time dashboards, automated tracking, and clear ownership.
A SaaS platform that uses AI to optimize cooling, workload scheduling, and energy use in data centers, cutting costs and emissions without new hardware.
About Techstars
Techstars is the most active pre-seed investor in the world, having invested through its accelerators in more than 4,000 companies with a combined market cap of $127 billion. Founded in 2006, Techstars believes entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone and that great ideas can come from anywhere. Techstars operates accelerator programs and venture capital funds and connects startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities.
About Techstars Startup Community Partnerships
The Techstars Startup Community Partnership is a long-term model of a global initiative designed to accelerate the growth of startup communities. These partnerships connect local founders, mentors, investors, and community builders to the Techstars Network and provide access to proven community products, including Founder Catalyst, Startup Weekend, Startup Week, Community Development Lab, and Startup Digest. By combining visibility, global connections, and long-term support, Techstars Startup Community Partnerships help cities build thriving and sustainable startup communities.
About 38x Ventures: Sarajevo Partner
38x Ventures is on a mission to turn Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina into a launchpad for bold ideas, breakout startups and a new wave of regional innovation by empowering the growth of the local startup ecosystem. By connecting Sarajevo with globally recognized brands such as Slush, Techstars, and Google we’ve helped lay the foundation for a thriving local startup community. Alongside ecosystem building, we support founders directly helping them scale their ventures by bringing years of hands-on experience in launching, investing in, and mentoring startups and adapting proven venture models from around the world.
About Open Range: Omaha Partner
Open Range’s mission is to grow the Greater Omaha and Lincoln startup ecosystem and support the local founders and builders who are shaping what’s next. The organization connects founders, creatives, funders, and institutions to reduce friction, close gaps, and turn shared ideas into action. Its work spans three focus areas: expanding access to capital and mentorship, and other key resources, activating momentum through programs, partnerships, and community-driven support, and amplifying the region’s innovation stories to boost visibility and investment.
About Techstars Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst Fall 2025
The Startup Community Partnership Founder Catalyst Fall 2025 Program is a highly selective, part-time virtual pre-accelerator powered by Techstars. Running from September 24 to November 28, 2025, is a highly selective 10-week experience connecting early-stage founders to world-class masterclasses, tailored workshops, strategic partner sessions (with exclusive tools + credits), and hands-on 1:1s with the Techstars team and industry-leading mentors.