Accelerator Program Manager, Techstars
Office located in Boulder, CO
Seed startup accelerator
Be an early applicant
Seed startup accelerator
501-1000 employees
Be an early applicant
Office located in Boulder, CO
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To invest in an unprecedented number of startups per year to enable more capital to flow to more entrepreneurs around the world in order to deliver exceptional returns to our investors.
Role
Who you are
- A genuine passion for technology and startups, an entrepreneurial mindset, and an insatiable desire to always be learning
- 3-5+ years of experience in fast-paced environments with a focus on event planning, business operations, and project management
- Good verbal and written communication skills in English
- Extraordinary ability for self-learning and learning by doing, with a demonstrated ability to learn from available documentation and quickly applying it with little direction
- Proven attention to detail through prior work or life experience
- Comfortable working in ambiguity but with high expectations
- Can anticipate the needs and requests of multiple stakeholders
- Systems thinker with an eye for things that do not scale and the capability to design new processes and systems for implementation across programs
- Advanced skills with Excel or Google Sheets, Docs, and Slides are a plus
- Experience working with automation tools like Airtable, Zapier, etc., is a plus
- Experience working in/with early-stage companies or other roles that demonstrate experience in the above responsibilities
- Strong interest in the discourse around technology, startups, entrepreneurship, and venture capital
- Strong emotional intelligence, active listening skills, and high level of empathy
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university
- We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet 100% of the qualifications
What the job involves
- The Program Manager (PM) is the operational backbone of the Accelerator program team
- The PM’s focus is program operations and execution of the Techstars playbook to deliver the best possible program experience for founders, mentors, partners, investors, and other stakeholders
- This position will support year-round programming for the Techstars Boulder program
- PMs are responsible for ensuring the operational success of the full accelerator cycle from company sourcing through Demo Day
- This includes event management, utilizing tools/developing processes to manage program data, building and scheduling the 3-month programming calendar, execution of Demo Day, and recruiting, hiring, training, and management of the seasonally hired Associate team
- For programs with a Corporate Partner, the Program Analyst is also responsible for collaborating closely with the corporate partner to support their goals within the accelerator
- Experience with operations and event planning is required and is a major part of this role
- Familiarity with the early-stage venture-backed company ecosystem is preferred but not required
- Throughout the year, PMs have the opportunity to work across the Techstars network, support cross-collaborative projects, focus on professional development and career growth, and work with colleagues from all around the world
- You will be both internally focused on working in support of the founders in-program and externally focused on behalf of our founders to the broader community of alumni, investors, and mentors
- You will provide oversight of the Techstars application process and the management of the program
- You’ll maintain strong bonds with the startups you bring into the program, acting as a resource and looking out for relevant opportunities to support their success
- Work with the team to develop the program plan and own the overall responsibility for the successful execution of both accelerator programs, including end of program celebrations and Demo Day
- Ensure the program is following best practices and executing upon outlined content and curriculum of the Techstars playbook
- Deliver the best possible accelerator experience to founders, mentors, partners, investors, and other stakeholders
- Manage the logistics for the program calendar, mentor schedules, investor meetups, demo day and ensure the founders, mentors, speakers, partners, and investors are fully informed about all program-facing activities
- Manage the logistics of the application, screening, and onboarding process
- Implement network events/programs to support founders and alumni both during program and outside of program
- Support relationship management with the Accelerator Corporate Partner (if applicable) and Techstars’ Global Network Partners
- Recruit, hire, and manage the seasonal Associate team
- Develop relationships with entrepreneurial support organizations, the Techstars perk network, and the cross Techstars network that can support our founders
- Share new best practices with the Techstars’ team globally as you identify areas for innovation and improvement
- Represent Techstars in the local community and ecosystem
- As time permits and as experience grows, source and evaluate potential investments related to the program themes, including market research, competitive analysis, and investment memo development
- Support the development of a strong pipeline of startups with diverse and underrepresented founders
Our take
Techstars runs a startup acceleration program that guides aspiring entrepreneurs in launching their startups successfully. Each year, Techstars selects a number of early-stage companies to participate in a 3-month accelerator programme, which includes $120K in funding, mentorship, and financial support.
In response to the rapid pace of technological innovation, generating numerous new ideas, Techstar recognises the potential of many promising concepts going unnoticed. By investing both financially and inspirationally in startups, Techstars aims to not only support these ventures but also generate significant returns through equity investments.
Due to funding difficulties, Techstars decided to close several of its European accelerator programmes in 2026, shifting its focus from quantity to quality. It still runs out of New York, Amsterdam and London, and despite global funding challenges, maintains its reputation as a leader in startup acceleration.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
24% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company HQ
Little Brazil, New York, NY
Leadership
David Cohen
(Co-Founder & CEO)Having studied at the University of Central Florida, they worked as a Software Engineer and spent 4 years at Automated Dispatch Services. They then founded ZOLL Data Systems, Pinpoint Technologies, and more.
Brad Feld
(Co-Founder)Previously a Managing Director at Softbank Technology Ventures, Mobius Venture Capital and Intensity Ventures.
David Brown
(Co-Founder & Board Member)Previously Founded iCentric Foundation and served as the President at Zoll. Currently, they are an Adjunct Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Partner at Zintinus.
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