Techstars

Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.

Ethan Austin

MD of the Techstars Western Union Accelerator

Mark Tortorella

Advisor

Nathanial Zola

MD

Past deals in CleanTech

Ecolectro

Seed Round in 2022
Ecolectro makes materials that make clean fuels and chemicals. The company is commercializing a proprietary platform of novel polymers that are best in class, allowing its customers to produce devices that last longer and cost less. Ecolectro has defensible IP, state-of-the-art facilities, experienced personnel, and strong customer traction.

OndeCare

Pre Seed Round in 2021
OndeCare is an innovative marketplace that connects clients with professional caregivers for in-home care services. Designed for convenience, the platform allows users to book care quickly and efficiently, offering reliable, high-quality support for individuals of all ages and needs. OndeCare focuses on providing concierge-level assistance, ensuring that clients receive tailored services that fit their schedules and requirements. By facilitating these connections, the company not only addresses the caring needs of families but also generates meaningful job opportunities for local care, safety, and education professionals. The platform aims to make in-home care accessible and affordable, aligning its services with the costs of traditional home care solutions.

Carbon Limit

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Carbon Limit transforms CO2 pollution into carbon negative sustainable resources and products. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Khepra

Seed Round in 2021
Khepra uses proprietary technology and excess renewable electricity to break down plastics and agricultural waste. The company applies ultrasonic technology to breaking waste streams into drop-in fuels in a novel, completely electrified process. This process is used as a method to use excess solar and wind energy during curtailment and provide clean energy generation during times of low generation. The company is operating in San Francisco, California.

Cancrie

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Cancrie produces sustainable advanced material for energy storage devices. It transforms waste into quality advanced battery material that increases the efficiency of energy storage devices through a simple drop-in solution.

Carbon Origins

Funding Round in 2021
Carbon Origins is an aerospace startup company empowering people with the best tools to explore space.

AlgenAir

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
AlgenAir is a company focused on improving indoor air quality through the development of natural air purifiers that utilize algae. Their innovative filters are designed to effectively remove carbon dioxide from the environment while simultaneously producing oxygen, creating a healthier atmosphere for occupants. By harnessing the natural processes of algae, AlgenAir offers an organic solution for air purification, catering to those seeking sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives for enhancing air quality indoors.

Valyuu.com

Seed Round in 2021
Circular Economy Marketplace

Ecolectro

Funding Round in 2021
Ecolectro makes materials that make clean fuels and chemicals. The company is commercializing a proprietary platform of novel polymers that are best in class, allowing its customers to produce devices that last longer and cost less. Ecolectro has defensible IP, state-of-the-art facilities, experienced personnel, and strong customer traction.

Cnergreen

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Cnergreen is an enhanced oil recovery and CO2 storage efficiency via resilient nanoparticle-based foam technology.

Hyperion Global Energy

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Hyperion Global Energy is developing modular carbon capture & recycling technology at a breakthrough industrial scale.

Gales

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Smart PPE Footwear™ for Healthcare Workers and Medical Professionals with Infection Control Technology™

Applied Particle Technology

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Applied Particle Technology. Inc. develops sensors to detect the air quality. It offers air treatment systems in environments that require high efficiency removal of tiny particles. The company’s system operates without a media filter; and inactivates pathogens and remove toxic fumes/odors. It serves construction, industrial hygiene, mining, smart city, manufacturing, and healthcare and research industries. Applied Particle Technology. Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

neu

Pre Seed Round in 2020
As a managed marketplace, we leverage technology and 3rd parties to streamline service - the sweet spot between dated traditions and a modern approach. Currently, we connect vacation rental hosts with cleaners but inevitably we’ll disrupt the service industry by creating the world’s largest cleaning company.

Hydro Wind Energy

Seed Round in 2020
Hydro Wind Energy is focused on becoming a leading sustainable energy provider, dedicated to addressing the environmental crisis through the development of zero carbon emission technologies. The company aims to deliver low-cost clean electricity and grid-scale energy storage solutions. Additionally, Hydro Wind Energy is engaged in creating handheld seawater desalination devices intended for humanitarian use and the marine sector, thereby enhancing access to essential resources. Through these initiatives, the company seeks to make a significant positive impact on the global environment, economy, and overall welfare of humanity.

Tempus Energy

Seed Round in 2019
Tempus Energy is a clean-tech start-up, established to exploit a disruptive technology and business model. The company's technology uses AI and smart algorithms to control and optimize when flexible assets use energy. By predicting volatility in carbon intensity and market prices we allow customers to reduce their energy costs - while simultaneously enhancing their use of renewables. Tempus Energy has experience working with SME’s and large business customers to identify and unlock flexible assets. The company was founded in 2012.

Alkemy Environmental

Seed Round in 2019
Alkemy Environmental is a cleantech company that offers recycling services to its clients. The company recycles industrial waste streams into concrete aggregate. Its product portfolio consists of expandable lightweight aggregate, ultra lightweight aggregate, and high strength lightweight aggregate. Furthermore, it offers waste management services to its clients. Alkemy Environmental was founded in 2008 by Sofia Bethani and Peter Kombouras and is based in Massachusetts.

Twelve

Seed Round in 2019
Opus 12 captures carbon emissions where pollution is generated and turns the CO2 into chemicals like methane, ethylene, and ethanol. Their technology bolts onto any source of CO₂ emissions, and with only water and electricity as inputs, transforms that CO₂ into some of the world's most critical chemical products. The company plans to recycle CO2 emissions into liquid fuels and chemical precursors cost-competitively with petroleum-sourced products. It also develops a profitable solution to carbon emissions by recycling CO₂ into cost-competitive chemicals and fuels. It is based in Berkeley, California.

Leucine

Pre Seed Round in 2019
LeucineTech is a global provider of Pharmaceutical engineering & technology solutions to the regulated Life-sciences industry, focused on providing system integration (automation), qualification & validation of equipment’s / systems, clean utilities, 21 CFR Part-11 compliant technology development in GxP environment.

Troposphere

Pre Seed Round in 2018
Troposphere is environmental monitoring that lets users know what's in their air and water. The new GreenTech startup is rolling out air quality control stations that measure temperature, relative humidity, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide outside its home city, with an international launch in the works. It was founded in 2018 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland.