Techstars Seattle Accelerator

Applications open six times a year, and stay open typically for 12 weeks. After applications close, we’ll review applications for about seven weeks, and spend time getting to know even more about your team, market, progress and idea. Our goal is to notify the final group of companies being accepted within eight weeks from the application closing date.

Like you, we’re entrepreneurs. We think that the value of the learning, networking, and mentoring provided by the program is of tremendous value. The Techstars program will provide you with the healthiest possible start and greatly improve your chances for success and sustainability. Once we invest, we’re motivated to help you succeed by introducing you to people who can help, assisting you with strategy, finding more investors, and generally helping you win all along your entrepreneurial journey. That’s a good deal for both of us.

Techstars wants to be viewed as a co-founder. We don’t want any special or controlling interests in your company. We won’t ask for a board seat or for any uncommon investor rights. You will still run the show.

We do require that you be primarily based on-site during the program, unless you are participating in one of our virtual programs. This benefits you because you can take advantage of the numerous learning opportunities, networking, and coaching that we provide. The amount of serendipity, unannounced drop-in mentors, and camaraderie that is developed during the program is staggering.

Techstars is a major commitment, and we expect you to be around most of the time. However, it’s your company, you call the shots, so traveling as necessary for business or family requirements is okay by us.

HOW IT WORKS

• Our Three-Month Program: We don’t tell you what to do or when. We create an environment that is conducive to helping your startup every day by surrounding you with people who will mentor, inspire, and challenge you.
• Grow Your Network: From a large pool of mentors, find your top 3-5 mentors who will be committed to helping you with product development, market fit, and who will also provide valuable introductions to help grow your company — fast.
• Gain Traction: Go deeper with your lead mentors, work with your Managing Director, gain traction and hit your milestones – whether that’s a prototype, building out the next phase of your product, finding your first customer or hitting $50M in revenue.
• Accelerate Your Business: Determine your fundraising strategy and prepare to meet with investors. Learn how to communicate your vision and prepare to meet with investors, partners and other key stakeholders who can help shape your future.
• Demo Day: The program culminates with a celebration at Demo Day! This is your chance to show the world how much progress you’ve made in just a few short months.
• Techstars for Life: While the program itself may be over, Techstars is for life. Leverage the network through Techstars BizDev Days, Techstars Investor Days, Techstars FounderCon, ongoing mentorship, monthly alumni events, and access to a deep well of resources.

Benefits

• Access to Techstars resources for life;

• Acceleration in a 90-day Techstars mentorship-driven accelerator program with personal mentorship and office space;

• Lifetime access to the Techstars worldwide network of entrepreneurs, including more than 10,000 mentors, 10,000 investors, 1,600 alumni companies, and over 200 staff members;

• Access to over $400k of cash equivalent hosting, accounting, and legal support—plus other credits and perks worth more than $1M;

• Demo Day exposure and other investor connections.

Historically, on average, Techstars companies go on to raise more than $2M of outside capital after the program.

With the exception of our virtual programs, we provide working and meeting spaces, as well as a nice lounge, all with super fast and reliable wireless Internet access. We just want you to focus on creating a great product while you’re here, and not have to worry about all this other stuff.