Techstars + Cardano Founder Catalyst

2025 - Virtual Program

About the Program

Click here to let us know that you’re interested in the Techstars + Cardano Founder Catalyst program. A member of our team will follow up with you.

Who’s This Program For?

Have you identified a significant problem or gap in the world that you want to solve? Are you enthralled with the possibilities of blockchain technology and the web 3 space to bring innovative solutions to life? Are you an early-stage company building a project on Cardano or working on a project that promotes interoperability, expands current and future markets, enhances speed and efficiency, improves UI/UX, or promotes the overall adoption of Cardano? Then this program is for you.

Join Techstars for a 10-week pre-accelerator program to hone your entrepreneurial skills, grow your knowledge base, meet one-on-one with incredible mentors, and connect to stakeholders eager to help you level up your business.

Techstars, Founders, and Web 3 + Blockchain:

Techstars is excited to support talented founders through a variety of programs and initiatives, including Startup Weekends, Founder Catalyst pre-accelerators, our Startup Community Partnerships, and Techstars Accelerator programs. We support emerging technology innovation across a number of vertical networks. We’ve done this in fintech, healthcare, AI, and a number of other industries. An important vertical for us the past few years has been blockchain and web 3.

We strive to be Better for Founders. Broadly, we’ve seen companies like Trading View, Data Robot, Remitly, ClassPass, DigitalOcean, SendGrid, and Zapier see great success after coming through a Techstars program. In regard to blockchain / blockchain-adjacent companies, teams like Chainalysis, Arweave, DFNS, and Natix have all come through Techstars.

We’re thankful that we’ve been able to support so many founders and companies with great results. Building a business is hard, but you don’t have to go it alone. Techstars is here to help.

FAQs

What is the Techstars + Cardano Founder Catalyst Program? 

The program is a pre-accelerator focused on web 3, blockchain, and the Cardano ecosystem. Over the 10-week virtual program, selected startups will gain access to a curriculum designed to help propel their businesses forward, receive pitch coaching, and get connection opportunities with speakers, mentors, and each other. This will provide valuable entrepreneurial education and a community of supporters that are excited to help participants succeed. 

Why should founders participate in this program?

Founders will gain access to specific resources designed to help prepare them for the next big step for their early-stage company. These resources include live, virtual, instruction with subject-matter experts, access to thought leadership, and coaching from experienced entrepreneurs, business professionals, and Techstars team members. Founders receive exclusive access to the Founder Catalyst mentor pool and can book one on one meetings with subject matter experts as helpful. Finally, founders have the opportunity to develop professional relationships with other participants in the program, growing their network and working to build lasting relationships with a supportive community.  

Who is eligible for this program?

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be early-stage companies who have raised less than one million dollars in dilutive funding.

• Applicants must be building in the web 3 / blockchain space on the Cardano blockchain or working on a Cardano adjacent project that will benefit the industry, ecosystem, and or adoption of Cardano as a whole in alignment with the program overview above.

• Applicants must be building for profit companies. Non-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.

• Applicants must be willing to commit to attend and engage in the fundamental elements of the program including masterclasses, mentor meetings, peer groups, and final pitch.

• Applicants must be willing to complete due diligence and adhere to Techstars Code of Conduct if they accept an invitation to join the program.

• This is a virtual program delivered in English. Applicants must have access to the internet and at least one key team member who is able to engage in English.

• This is a global program, but Techstars is not able to accept applications from founders doing business in the following countries at this time: Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela, or the Crimea, Donetsk, or Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

What type of sessions will take place during the program?

During the program, participants will gain access to weekly masterclasses on a variety of business concepts critical for startup success such as customer discovery/validation, minimum viable product, brand voice, introduction to venture, and more. The program will also include pitch coaching, peer support, and one on one mentor sessions with business subject matter experts and professionals who can help founders navigate some of the unique challenges faced by web 3 and blockchain founders. 

Where will the program be based?

This program is completely virtual. 

How many startups will be selected?

Typically 15-20 companies will be selected. If the applicant pool is exceptional, we may choose to increase the number of participant companies, not to exceed 30.

When do Masterclasses and pitch practices take place? Is there an attendance requirement?

Masterclasses and pitch practice sessions will generally take place Tuesdays and Thursdays between noon - 1:30pm Eastern time. As this is a global applicant pool, we may choose to shift the time frame if we find it beneficial to the majority of participants. A time change is not expected or guaranteed, and, even if one occurs, curriculum sessions will still fall within a reasonable time frame on Tuesdays and Thursdays within the Eastern time zone (New York, New York). Selected founders are expected to attend at least 70% of the masterclasses, engage with program mentors and their cohort peers, and submit a full pitch for the End of Program Showcase to be considered a graduate of the program.

What is your evaluation criteria (how will you choose which startups to accept)?

We will evaluate applications and any interviews based on the quality of the team, traction to date, the market/business opportunity, and the idea/product. We also consider other factors such as the program need / the impact this program will have on the company if selected, the quality of any pitch deck submitted, the overall quality of the narratives submitted in the application form, and, for finalists selected, their interview with us.

Here is a bit more detail on what we look for:

Team - Does the team have a deep understanding of the problem and their customer? Do they have the background and experience to tackle the problem? Are they coachable? Curious? Humble? Resilient? Problem solvers? Can they get things done in spite of challenges? Can they see both the big picture and zoom into the necessary details? If there are co-founders on the team, is there a sense of trust, care, and equanimity between them? These are some of the aspects we look for in a great team.

Idea / Product - Is technology being used in an innovative and effective way to solve a real problem or desire? Is the idea for a solution unique? Does it provide a significant improvement over current solutions? How much progress has been made on developing the product, MVP, or prototype?

Market Size / Business Opportunity - Is the market large (and potentially growing)? Is the TAM large enough to support multiple billion dollar companies? Can the company target and capture a significant portion or sector of the market? Does the company have a sound business model in mind to make money?

Traction - Has the company spoken with potential customers to gain insight and validate assumptions? Can the founders point to anything that indicates early market demand for their product? Some examples of early traction could be: user growth, waitlist sign-ups, social media followers or community engagement, thought leadership publication, revenue, retention, awards, partnerships or any other metrics or KPIs that indicate others are excited about the company’s solution?

Program Benefit - Are there indicators that lead Techstars to believe that if the founders were invited to participate they would benefit from the curriculum, structure, and resources associated with the program?

Please note, we will only evaluate applications where applicants have met our basic eligibility requirements listed above (i.e. founders who have raised less than $1M, for-profit companies, companies building on Cardano or working on a Cardano adjacent project, etc.).

Do you have to be building a company in a particular industry?

Yes. Your company should be a web 3 / blockchain / crypto company or company building for advancement and adoption in those verticals. This program is focused on the Cardano blockchain and ecosystem. Applicants should be using web 3 / blockchain / crypto to solve problems in some area or industry, but there isn’t a limitation as to which industries qualify. Applicants could be solving a problem in finance, healthcare, real estate, enterprise solutions, marketplaces, or any other industry where these technologies may be applied for innovation and improvement.

At what stage should a company be to apply?

Companies should have invested time in customer discovery, have some initial traction, and be moving toward product-market fit, but they don't need to have raised any funding or achieved any specific level of sales. We are looking for companies that have raised less than $1M.

Will completing a Founder Catalyst program help me in applying for a Techstars Accelerator at a later date?

We are especially interested in companies that may eventually be excited about applying for a Techstars Accelerator program following acceptance into Founder Catalyst. While there is no guarantee that founders will receive an invitation to a Techstars Accelerator, there is a higher acceptance rate for Founder Catalyst participants who apply for a Techstars Accelerator versus the general public.   

Who is running the program?

The program is led by a Founder Catalyst team at Techstars with support from the Techstars network and other entities via a Project Catalyst challenge. Throughout the program, participants will gain access to team members from Techstars, subject matter experts from the Techstars network, and stakeholders from the Cardano community.

Does the program cost anything? Will there be any requirement to exchange equity?

There is no cost to participate in this Techstars Founder Catalyst program. The Founder Catalyst program is distinct from the Techstars Accelerator and involves no direct investment or equity exchange. These programs are run free of charge to selected participants.

What is the time commitment?

We ask founders to commit to approximately 8-12 hours per week for ten weeks. This varies depending on how many mentor meetings founders book each week. For example, two-four mentor meetings per week is common. Founders will also spend three hours in weekly masterclasses or curriculum sessions. Additionally, participants may spend an hour per week meeting with our Entrepreneur in Residence and one hour meeting with other founders in their cohort. Some participants in the cohort will be working on their company part-time. For others, it will be a full-time endeavor. Participants are welcome to work more hours if feasible, but 8-12 hours per week is the general expectation.

How does someone apply? How can interested founders reach out to indicate interest? 

Applications will open in June of 2025. In the meantime, founders who have interest in the program may fill out our Founder Interest Form, and a member of our team will follow up with you.

Opportunities to Learn More:

Stay tuned for future opportunities to learn more about this program.

The Team

What Our Founder Catalyst Alumni Are Saying

”It changed my life essentially. When this opportunity presented itself, it was way too good to pass up. I went from the Founder Catalyst Program to now the Accelerator and everything has changed from my business model, to the way I discuss my business, to my pitching, so I’m totally grateful.”

- Terrence Nickelson, Founder of Goby Homes

“The Founder Catalyst program helped put us in touch with a community that understood us in a way that our own network never could. Founding a company is a lonely place and you're constantly putting out fires. A community that understands that is invaluable to the lifeline of a founder.”

- Pratik Desai, Founder of 1 to 1

”Founder Catalyst helped us move at a velocity to better meet the needs of our customers. We were better prepared to apply for and make the most of Techstars New York because of the coaching, mentorship, and support we received as part of the Founder Catalyst program.”

- Katy Schuck, Co-founder of Reelist

“The most impactful aspect was the intense, hands-on mentorship. Each week brought deep-dive sessions with experienced entrepreneurs who didn't just offer advice, but challenged me to critically examine every aspect of my business model. They pushed me to validate assumptions, refine my value proposition, and think strategically about scaling.”

- Claudius Taylor, Founder of Gambix

“The Techstars Founder Catalyst Program has been instrumental in propelling our business through mentorship and networking opportunities. Techstars has also helped us find a community of founders, refine our business model, and translate highly technical information to diverse audiences. This has enabled us to navigate challenges, strengthen business strategies, and position our technology as a game-changer in the tech space.”

- Paige Shelborne, Co-founder of Slip Signal Technologies