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 Kenya

Nyungu Afrika

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Nyungu Afrika is a circular economy using agricultural waste, pineapple leaves, and corn husk fibers. They offer services for agricultural waste like pineapple and corn husk fibers.

Duhqa

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Duhqa operates a supply chain and distribution technology platform that connects manufacturers, retailers, and individuals. The platform facilitates online ordering and real-time tracking, enhancing the efficiency of the ordering and delivery processes. Additionally, it provides access to short-term financing, allowing retailers to improve their inventory management and potentially lower costs related to fragmented supply chains. By streamlining these connections, Duhqa enables its users to shop and manage distribution more effectively.

Mobius Motors

Series A in 2018
Mobius Motors Ltd. is a Kenyan company established in 2011, focused on designing, manufacturing, and selling vehicles tailored for the African mass market. The company specializes in producing affordable vehicles that cater to the unique needs of developing world consumers, particularly for transporting heavy cargo and facilitating public transport across rough and degraded terrains. By providing practical transportation solutions, Mobius Motors aims to enhance mobility in rural Africa, contributing to improved connectivity and prosperity in the region. The company is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

HydroIQ

Seed Round in 2017
Hydrologistics Africa is a Technology company providing innovative water distribution network connecting Water Utilities companies and Water Consumers via Online platform increasing efficiency in Water use,Quality,Consumption, leakage detection with sensors relaying information through Data Analytics enabling real-time water information and Mobile money payments.

Flexpay

Seed Round in 2017
Flexpay Technologies is a company that offers an automated platform to enable merchants and their customers manage flexible payments for both goods and services across mobile money and bank transfer platforms. Flexpay helps you break down your payments for purchases into smaller chunks that you can pay over a period of time.

iNuka Pap

Seed Round in 2016
iNuka Pap Limited operates a mobile platform that partners with savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) in Africa to provide members access to instant loans. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Bamba

Seed Round in 2016
Bamba Corp. is an online data collection platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2012. The company specializes in facilitating data gathering for various sectors, including market research, education, health, government, infrastructure, and retail. Bamba allows organizations to conduct surveys and collect insights from users worldwide through its cloud-based platform, which can be accessed easily via web browsers. This innovative approach addresses the inefficiencies of traditional paper-based data collection methods, which are often costly and time-consuming. Bamba enhances response rates by incentivizing participants with mobile airtime, available in 122 countries. By leveraging data from SMS, web, and social media, Bamba provides businesses with cost-effective and high-quality consumer insights, enabling them to better understand and reach their target markets.

Mobius Motors

Pre Seed Round in 2013
Mobius Motors Ltd. is a Kenyan company established in 2011, focused on designing, manufacturing, and selling vehicles tailored for the African mass market. The company specializes in producing affordable vehicles that cater to the unique needs of developing world consumers, particularly for transporting heavy cargo and facilitating public transport across rough and degraded terrains. By providing practical transportation solutions, Mobius Motors aims to enhance mobility in rural Africa, contributing to improved connectivity and prosperity in the region. The company is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.