Diversity, Equity,
& Inclusion
In 2020, Techstars made a series of commitments around fostering a more inclusive team, portfolio, and network. Here, we share a few snapshots of our progress.
Building an Inclusive Ecosystem
“We all know it's important to give everyone a fair shot, right? At Techstars, we're not just talking about fairness — we're talking about unlocking a whole world of untapped potential. Imagine all those amazing ideas out there, just waiting to be heard. By breaking down the barriers that hold back so many talented people, we're not just doing the right thing, we're opening the door to a flood of new ideas and fresh perspectives that could make the world a better place for everyone and solve some of our biggest challenges. If we can reach out to those who haven't had the same opportunities, and create a space where they can be themselves, we can empower them to share their ideas, get the funding they need, and truly change the world together. Isn't that exciting?”
- David Cohen, Founder & CEO, Techstars
Founder Diversity Stats
2020
2023
2025
57% White
11% Black or African American
6% Hispanic or Latinx
14% Asian*
2% Prefer Not to Disclose
10% Other
33% White
22% Black or African American
14% Hispanic or Latinx
9% South Asian
14% Prefer Not to Disclose
8% Other
37% White
8% Black or African American
11% Hispanic or Latinx
10% South Asian
8% Prefer Not to Disclose
26% Other
*In 2022, Techstars began offering South Asian, East Asian, and South East Asian to reflect individual identifications beyond Asian.
**Race and ethnicity data are collected for US founders. The 2020 data has a less than 60% fill rate, and the 2023 data has a 90% fill rate.
**Data in 2020 and 2023 were collected through different methodologies, which may result in minor inconsistencies between data sets.
Techstars Employee Diversity
Here is a look at the ethnic and racial diversity of our U.S. employees:
2020
2023
2025
79% White
2% Black or African American
5% Asian
5% Hispanic or Latinx
3% Multiracial
6% Prefer not to disclose
62% White
8% Black or African American
10% Asian
10% Hispanic or Latinx
5% Multiracial
5% Prefer not to disclose
70% White
7% Black or African American
8.5% Asian
11% Hispanic or Latinx
2.5% Multiracial
1% Prefer not to disclose
Note: At present, this report only reflects data on our U.S. employees due to the varied restrictions and regulations about collecting personal data in the many non-U.S. markets in which we operate. Therefore, it excludes employees in other locations.
Current U.S. employees identified as racially or ethnically diverse: 29% (+13.7% compared to 2020).
U.S. Managing Directors: 33% identify as racially or ethnically diverse (+16% compared to 2020).
Global Gender Diversity: 58% of Techstars employees worldwide self-identify as women, and 40% as men. 2% didn't specify.