Software engineer and founder with a background in finance and tech. Currently building aVenture.vc, a platform for researching private companies. Based in San Francisco.
Techstars is a big name in the accelerator world, known for backing thousands of companies since 2006. Having watched them from a distance since their documentary series on Bloomberg circa ~2011 2, 3, 4, I'd argue they're the second most important accelerator in the world still, after Y Combinator.
I went through Techstars NYC myself in Winter 2023/Spring 2024 with aVenture.vc, so I've seen the process up close. Below is a breakdown of how the Techstars investment has evolved, based on various sources over the years.
Both for my work at aVenture regarding Techstars along with analyzing my own investment from Techstars, I had to search for this data a few times and found it hard to come by, so I thought I'd share it here.
| Program Period | Investment | Breakdown | Equity Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | $220,0001 | $200k uncapped MFN SAFE $20k CEA | 5% common (CEA) + SAFE conversion | Uncapped MFN SAFE, CEA for 5% common |
| 2011–2024 | $120,0005 | $100k SAFE + $20k CEA | 6% common (CEA) + SAFE conversion | SAFE cap typically $10M; 20% discount |
| 2011 | $118,0006,7 | $100k convertible note + $18k direct equity | ~6% common (equity) + note conversion | Note converts at next priced round |
| 2006–2010 | $6,000–$18,0005 | direct funding | ~6% common (equity) | Varies by year and location |
