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 Intellectual Property

SharpShark

Pre Seed Round in 2022
We’re promoting a blockchain-powered tool that helps to protect intellectual property — namely, all kinds of public content, — and monitor copyright violations. How it works Blockchain saves the timestamp and the IPFS saves the content, making the data immutable. On saving, the system delivers a digital certificate that becomes the piece of digital evidence of authorship. If somebody tries to save another writer's content, our AI won't allow them to do it: before saving, it would check the internet for reverse content. When saved, if the protected content gets published with no copyright, there'll be an alert. Also, we resolve blockchain-backed copyright issues.

PatentPlus

Funding Round in 2022
PatentPlus is a digital marketplace and analytics platform for patented technologies that connects pioneering research organizations with innovative corporations and investors across industries and geographies. PatentPlus uses a unique patent-based technology scouting methodology to identify the most relevant patent licensing, buying, and co-development opportunities. Additionally, PatentPlus partners directly with research organizations to provide a structured overview of relevant R&D partnerships, collaborations with inventors, and investments in deep-tech spin-offs. For any questions regarding the PatentPlus platform or the customizable technology scouting reports, feel free to write a message to info@patentplus.io.

Lawyerd!

Pre Seed Round in 2022
Lawyerd! is a fully automated system that gives the opportunity for clients to defend their intellectual property rights without any legal help from third parties. Our clients will cut the costs of legal services and defend intellectual property rights effectively 15 times faster. Our ultimate aim to become the world's first fully automated commercial platform for the protection of intellectual property rights on the Internet and to establish a clear associative connection for every Internet user, between the Lawyerd! brand and protection of intellectual property rights on the Internet!

Music Tech Works

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Music Tech Works help video production companies find out who owns the rights to the songs they want to use in their productions. They are creating a system to make this part of producing songs less frustrating, and expensive. The first product from Music Tech works is RightsHolder.io, a music copyright search platform that connects those who want to license music, with the rights holders that can grant them a license.

JAAK

Seed Round in 2017
At JAAK, they're building a blockchain network that will allow the music and media industries to collaborate on a global view of content ownership and rights. Common infrastructure enables a new approach: simplifying content licensing on the web, unlocking a world of new content experiences, and revealing previously untapped opportunities for the content industries - they call it Smart Content.

JAAK

Seed Round in 2017
At JAAK, they're building a blockchain network that will allow the music and media industries to collaborate on a global view of content ownership and rights. Common infrastructure enables a new approach: simplifying content licensing on the web, unlocking a world of new content experiences, and revealing previously untapped opportunities for the content industries - they call it Smart Content.