TechStar Report

Reflections on Techstars: Was It Worth It?

Since completing the Techstars Healthcare accelerator program in June, Dr. Conor McGinn, cofounder and CEO of Akara, continues to be asked one important question: Would he recommend Techstars to other founders?

For McGinn, the decision to join Techstars came down to the support he’d receive tackling two major challenges: breaking into the U.S. market as a European company and navigating the fundraising process.

As McGinn puts it, “For founders willing to commit and put in the work, Techstars can be a game-changer.” The program provided the mentorship, network, and strategies Akara needed to tackle their biggest challenges head-on.

Read the full post for McGinn’s candid advice and key takeaways for founders considering Techstars.

Fundraising News

Ecolectro, a green hydrogen electrolyzer company using readily available, recyclable and eco-friendly materials, secures a $10.5M Series A.

Kardome, a spatial hearing software company, raises $10M in Series A funding.

MOLG wins a $5M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to improve the circularity of consumer laptops and batteries.

LendAPI, a company that enables the launch of financial products in minutes, raises a $3.2M seed round.

Cloverleaf AI secures $2.8M to help government tech suppliers uncover leads earlier.

How to Get Started as an Entrepreneur

Have startup questions? Get insights and advice from Techstars managing directors, mentors, and founders in our new video series tackling the biggest questions in entrepreneurship.

In this video, we dive into the essentials of getting started as an entrepreneur. Emma Bates, cofounder and CEO of Diem, shares advice she wishes she’d known earlier:

"If you’re not embarrassed by your first product then you’ve waited too long."

Approveit cofounders Serge Gusev and Dmitry Matveev know firsthand how challenging — and rewarding — the entrepreneurial journey can be.

Reflecting on their experience building a startup and joining Techstars, they share advice that every founder should know:

"Launch early and not overthink it — just get your product out there and start learning from real users. Also, don't rush to hire a salesperson too soon. In the early days, focus on talking to users yourself. You'll learn so much about what they actually need, which will help you refine your product and your pitch."

Ready to dive deeper into Serge and Dmitry’s journey and their actionable insights for founders?

Common Mistakes Founders Overlook

Techstars Mentor-in-Residence Steve Walsh breaks down 10 common fundraising mistakes founders make and shares practical tips to avoid them.

From building relationships early to mastering your pitch, these insights will help you prepare, stand out, and secure the capital your startup needs to thrive.

A Healthier Planet, One Prescription at a Time

What if your prescription came with a side of sustainability?

Cabinet Health is leading the charge in transforming the pharmaceutical industry — and they’ve just earned a spot on Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2024 list.

Cabinet Health offers medications in child-resistant, refillable glass containers with compostable packaging, tackling the billions of unrecyclable plastic bottles produced annually.

With partnerships with CVS and Target, their scalable solution is setting a new standard for sustainable healthcare innovation.

The best place to find a job at a Techstars portfolio company or at Techstars:

• Vice President of Marketing, Deep 6 AI (Remote, United States)
• Senior Back-End Engineer, Preply (London, England)
• GenAI / Data Pipeline Intern, Wscripted (Remote, Canada)
• Medical Operations Manager, OpenLoop (Remote)
• Social Media Intern, Wise Assistant (Remote, United States)
• VP Marketplace, Healthie (New York, United States)

Explore all Techstars portfolio company openings

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