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

Max Kelly

Managing Director of Techstars London

Lesa Mitchell

Managing Director

Vijay Tirathrai

Managing Director

Mark Tortorella

Advisor

Nathanial Zola

MD

Past deals in Hungary

Volteum

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Developer of a data-driven platform designed to guide businesses through the complexities of fleet electrification, including vehicle selection, charging infrastructure setup, and cost analysis. The company's operations tool optimizes electric vehicle fleet management with advanced features for range simulation, route optimization, charging schedule optimization, and live monitoring, all aimed at enhancing efficiency, reducing operational costs, and addressing range anxiety, enabling companies to make confident decisions before, during, and after transitioning their vehicle fleets to electric.

Poliloop

Seed Round in 2020
Poliloop B.V., based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, specializes in converting non-biodegradable petroleum-based plastics into biodegradable products. The company has developed a microbial cocktail capable of degrading various types of single-use plastics, including PET, PP, LDPE, HDPE, PS, CPE, and EVA. This innovative process can function under suboptimal conditions and has been tested on both individual and mixed plastics, including those contaminated with food debris. Poliloop's method not only addresses the pressing issue of plastic waste but also produces valuable end-products such as bioplastics and biogas, contributing to a more sustainable and circular economy. The degradation process begins within two days, with complete breakdown of the polymers occurring over approximately two months.

Talk-A-Bot

Seed Round in 2018
Talk-A-Bot is an information technology company that provides a chatbot enterprise solution for corporate, company, and brand. The company specializes in messenger bot, online marketing, business development, and chat marketing. Talk-A-Bot was founded in 2016 and headquartered in Budapest, Hungary.