Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator Announces Class of 2021
Dec 06, 2021
By Taylor McLemore, Managing Director of the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator.
Today we are excited to announce the 12 organizations that are participating in the 2021 Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator in partnership with ZOMALAB, Strada Education Network, and Colorado Thrives.
The truth is that the labor market is messy and education pathways to meaningful employment are unclear for too many Americans. We hold the conviction that entrepreneur-led, scalable workforce innovation is a necessary catalyst to make the workforce system work for more Americans as fast as possible.
We invest in startups and support founders that enable human potential through work. This year’s 12 founders, alongside our Workforce Development alumni startups, are working on innovations that our world needs. Each of this year’s class members, consisting of 10 for-profit startups and 2 nonprofits, all deliver on at least one of the key impact themes of our accelerator:
Career path discovery, navigation, and informed decision making
Innovative delivery of training
Innovative financing models for training and education
Credentials, competency and skill building platforms
Layers that connect credentialing and skill development to employment and economic opportunity
Workforce data intelligence
Social capital development
Support and wraparound interventions that directly change workforce outcomes for students and job seekers
Participants will receive mentor support from the Colorado startup community, the broader workforce development ecosystem, ZOMALAB, Strada Education Network, Colorado Thrives executives, and access to the companies’ market expertise and global connections.
The Class of 2021
The 2021 Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator roster, composed of 12 startups from across the United States and England, brings a diverse and innovative perspective to some of the workforce system’s greatest challenges. Each of the teams will share their progress when they pitch their organizations at Demo Day on February 24, 2022.
To our founders building the future of workforce, we can’t wait to see what you will accomplish!
Chamba
Westminster, CO
Chamba helps Latinx job-seekers residing in the USA find jobs through tech.
Clusiv
Pflugerville, TX
Clusiv is the creator of the world's first e-learning and accessible onboarding platform built for and by blind and visually impaired people.
Divercity
Los Angeles, CA
Divercity.io helps tech companies measure and track their diversity breakdown and helps them improve it by connecting them with qualified diverse talent.
Hireguide
San Francisco, CA
Plan and transcribe structured interviews with ease so you can hire the right person faster, fairer, and with certainty.
ion Learning
San Diego, CA
ion is a B2B SaaS enterprise peer-learning technology platform that scales and optimizes learning in small diverse groups
PeduL
Newark, NJ
PeduL helps corporations diversify their workforce with scholarship programs.
PitchMe
London, UK
PitchMe empowers candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities, allowing anyone with a relevant skill-set to apply for a position regardless of their age, gender, formal educational background and employment history.
Roleshare
London, UK
Roleshare helps people who need to work part time; connect, combine skills and apply for exciting full-time roles together.
ShiftUp
Detroit, MI
Learning gyms: Wraparound support & community for online learners.
Transition
Atlanta, GA
Transition bridges the disconnect between CNA schools and employers to better match students with jobs and career advancement.
Non-Profit Participants
Juntos2College
Denver, CO
A career planning platform for undocumented high school students so everyone has access to upward mobility.
https://www.juntos2college.com/
Watson Institute
Boulder, CO
The new university model for the world’s next entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and changemakers.
