166. Techstars: What Worked, What Didn't, What's Next (David Cohen)

David Cohen of Techstars joins Nick to discuss Techstars: What Worked, What Didn't, What's Next. In this episode, we cover: "What was the original vision for Techstars, when you started? How has that vision changed and evolved to where it is now? Techstars Ventures-- any concern that it sends a bad signal for those cohort companies that the fund does not invest in? What does winning look like for Techstars? How do you measure success? Do you measure common VC fund metrics like TVPI, DPI, IRR, etc? Do you compare yourself against the other top accelerators? If so, where do you excel? Started Techstars Anywhere in 2017, first full class in '18... How does one run a remote accelerator w/ the same quality of an in person one? I'm going to put you on the spot here-- some founders do not have a positive experience going through Techstars or other accelerators for that matter. What type of founder is the program a great fit for and what is it a poor fit for? I've noticed a focus both from you and Techstars on Mental health and wellness-- what are your thoughts on this area as an opportunity for startup innovation? How about the Cannabis industry. You're based in Boulder-- what are your thoughts on the sector and opportunity for founders? Do More Faster is one of the must-have books for every founder. Super pragmatic, actionable insights. What lesson or piece of advice doesn't appear in the book that, now in 2018, you'd add as a critical item for founder's to appreciate as they go through their journey Techstars's FounderCon Europe 2018 was less than 2 weeks ago-- What would you say is the biggest difference you've found when working with European startups vs ones in the US? What do you think Techstars looks like in five years? How do you balance time spent between companies that are succeeding vs. those that are failing? If you were to do it all over again, what would you change? What have you learned most about yourself through your experience at Techstars?" To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.