Alex Sukhanov’s Post

Techstars is changing, and with change comes drama. But let's take a step back and see the bigger picture. What's Happening at Techstars? Techstars has consistently been a powerhouse in the startup scene, marked by: → A portfolio of 4,100+ companies. → With a market value of $100+ billion. → Operating 50+ accelerators around the world → And employing 300+ people. This puts Techstars as one of the top 3 most successful accelerators in the world. But last week, an announcement signaled a new era: - Cutting flagship accelerators (e.g. Boulder & Seattle) - Relocating HQ from Boulder, CO to NYC. - 7% Layoffs & cutting entire departments Obviously, these changes have ignited widespread drama and concerns. Most articles have come out putting a lot of heat on Techstars… But I have a different take. Having been deeply involved with Techstars… → Applying for my first Techstars accelerator in 2012 → Participating in the original Boulder accelerator in 2018 → Deploying $150M+ over 3 years as the portfolio manager from 2019 until 2021 → Mentoring 30+ companies over the years → Holding board seats at companies within the techstars network → Running Colorado Alumni Chapter as President for 3.5 years → And working at Techstars before & after Maelle take over as CEO I’ve uniquely seen Techstars grow up over 10+ years… And to these changes, I boldly say…  It's about time!! → Am I sad that many of our flagship locations are not operating anymore? Yes! → Could the sweeping changes have been positioned better? Yes! → Does Techstars have challenges serving multiple customers? Yes! But it’s about time Techstars made more than just personnel changes and repositioned itself as the best worldwide accelerator. The way I see it…. Techstars has had an incredible run led by David Brown & David Cohen. That said, from my vantage point, Techstars was → developing products in house that should have been off the shelf → we had no real internal metrics → it was hard to understand how certain departments made an impact on the bottom line → we also started focusing more on founders because of their background Instead of merit (thanks to the Diversity & Inclusion craze that went through VC). Since then, Maelle has… → established KPIs across the company → cut departments that didn’t meet new north star metrics → brought in her new executive suite → and kept Techstars P&L & Balance sheet relatively stable during a few years of economics turmoil I know Techstars isn't perfect, but I'm really excited about where it's headed. With these changes, Techstars is repositioning itself to be the best accelerator in the world. Alright, I’ll get off my soapbox now. What’s your take on what’s happening at Techstars? Let me know in the comments! 👇 PS - Has Techstars made a difference in your life? Let me know if you’ve been touched by techstars by commenting below: #Techstars4Life 

An old article here (excuse the pun) about the average age of successful founders. The results run counter to conventional wisdom: “…the likelihood of success as a founder increases with age until the age of 60. The older you get, the more likely your chances of success. A 50-year-old founder is twice as likely to build a thriving enterprise that has either an IPO or a successful acquisition as a 30-year-old founder." In other words, for every Zuckerberg there are a handful of ‘old hands’ starting Unicorns. Here's the age of founders when they started their companies: Zoom (41), E-Trade (54), Netflix (37), Intel (41), Geico (50) and Workday (65). The list goes on… It seems there may be hope for us old farts yet:) For an industry that prides itself on being 'numbers-driven' Silicon Valley seems unable - or unwilling - to acknowledge this truth (perhaps because only 6% of the entire workforce of Google, FB and Meta is over 40?). For more on how Eve is leading the way in #agetech visit her at www.iameve.ai or call her on 640 600 8319. #aarp #aging #seniorcare #olderadults #ageism https://lnkd.in/echeSj_T

The Techstars viewpoint below truly astonishes me with its lack of awareness and bias towards DEI efforts in the venture capital space. From a member of their team: “we also started focusing more on founders because of their background Instead of merit (thanks to the Diversity & Inclusion craze that went through VC).” Brooooooooooooo! 1.) To suggest that diversity-focused investments disregard merit is not only deeply offensive but also fundamentally incorrect. The implication undermines the exceptional talent and potential within diverse groups, promoting a dangerous and unfounded narrative. 2.) DEI is far from a fleeting craze; it is a critical response to a longstanding market oversight. The traditional market approach has frequently overlooked innovative ideas, concepts, and founders, due to a lack of diversity. By addressing these gaps, DEI initiatives aim to rectify systemic biases and unlock a wealth of untapped potential. 3.) For those seeking to deepen their understanding of the systemic issues that necessitate DEI, I recommend exploring Isabel Wilkerson's 'Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.' For a more visual digest, Ava DuVernay's documentary 'Origin' provides an insightful perspective into the roots and impacts of systemic inequality. It's in my top 5 films of all time. The journey towards a more inclusive and equitable business landscape is complex and challenging, but it is also necessary and rewarding. Dismissing DEI as a trend or questioning the merit of diverse investments not only misrepresents the movement but also hinders progress towards a more just and innovative future.

🚀 Inside the Startup Trenches: The Reality Behind the Glamour 💼 Early Days at Facebook: Andrew "Boz" Bosworth spills the beans on the gritty truth behind the startup culture during his time at Facebook. 🌟 Tremendous Camaraderie: Bosworth reminisces about the tight-knit community and unforgettable memories forged among Facebook's early pioneers. 🔥 The Sacrifices: Behind the scenes, Bosworth reveals the harsh reality of sacrificing social life and personal pleasures to pursue the startup dream. 💡 Romanticized Success Stories: Bosworth busts the myth of glamorous startup life, shedding light on the untold sacrifices made for success. 💪 Unrelenting Dedication: Working 120-hour weeks, surviving on minimal sleep, and battling constant challenges—Bosworth's journey is a testament to unwavering determination. 🛠️ The Lone Warrior: With no experts to lean on, Bosworth navigated uncharted territory, solving problems single-handedly and shaping his own path. 🌈 From Struggle to Success: Despite the hardships, Bosworth's perseverance paid off, propelling him to the top echelons of the tech world. 🌟 Reality Check: While startup enthusiasm is contagious, Bosworth reminds us that the road to success is paved with immense sacrifice and perseverance. #StartupLife #TechJourney #Sacrifice #SuccessStory #Dedication #Motivation #Grit #EntrepreneurialSpirit #BusinessInsider #Meta #AndrewBosworth #Inspiration #RealityCheck #KeepPushing 🚀 #businessowner #trendingpost #trendingupdates #bizzsaganews

When founders start their companies, they’re usually not thinking about how the journey will end. In the military, generals always talk about the “end-state” of a mission, but as founding CEOs, that’s not really on our radar in the early days. We see stories like Mark Zuckerberg staying the CEO of Facebook post-IPO as it becomes a multi-billion dollar giant, but that’s the exception. Most founders face a very different (and more complicated) end-state. For instance, I recently shut down my company, Trevr, which was one kind of CEO end-state. With another startup, Promoboxx, I stepped aside and brought in a new CEO after we scaled, but our growth slowed. Then there’s the acquisition end-state, where a founding CEO might transition to a mid-level role within the acquiring organization, only to quickly leave when they realize the company is no longer theirs. No matter how it happens, “letting go” challenges everything we thought being a CEO was about. Many of us get attached to our companies—it becomes part of our identity. That makes stepping away feel like stepping away from a piece of ourselves. But for your company to succeed long-term, it’s crucial to set it up so it can thrive without you. We often talk about CEOs needing to “fire themselves” from certain roles, but I think the biggest challenge is figuring out how to fire yourself from the whole organization. Even if, like Zuck, this never happens, you'll put yourself in a more resilient position and create a proper distance between you and your creation. If you don’t start thinking about this early on, and your company grows, someone else—whether it’s investors or a board—might make that call for you. I’m thinking more about the end-state for founding CEOs and want to help. If you’re in a spot where you’re navigating that transition, or you’re just starting to realize your company isn’t really yours anymore as you raise capital, let’s chat. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Two founders I know have recently called it quits - a testament to the harsh reality of "doing more with less." The startup mentality has been pushed heavily in tech lately, even by major corporations after the heavy layoffs. It's no secret that the consequences of this mentality are very real, especially for the IC crowd. Check out this article on founder mental health to learn more. #startupmentality #mentalhealth #founders #technews

I recently stumbled upon a thought-provoking post-mortem of the Seattle Techstars and it got me thinking about the startup culture here in Seattle. As someone who moved here to be a part of this exciting and energetic community, I've come to realize that there's a lot of emphasis on raising VC money for a startup rather than developing a founder's talent in a small business. But what's the difference between the two? And does it really matter which one we pursue? For me, the risks are the same - unemployment and self-employment feel identical when no money is coming in. However, I believe that running a small business in Seattle (or anywhere, really) may have a higher success rate than trying to secure millions of dollars to grow a startup. At The Company School, our goal is to help people discover new career paths and by that measure, we've already achieved success. But I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you think there's a big enough difference between startups and small businesses to focus on supporting one over the other? Share your thoughts in the comments below as I take this time to reflect. Check out the post-mortem here: https://lnkd.in/gDcvdKGh

Thanks Google for Startups for kicking off this important program. It was truly inspiring to witness women-led startups taking centre stage in the #AI revolution, tackling crucial challenges across different sectors. As active investors in AI, Systemanova.vc is proud to participate as a VC partner of this Cohort. Our own GP, Farid Haque, shared his invaluable experience as both a founder and investor, exchanging valuable industry insights with these remarkable founders. #AcceleratedWithGoogle #SupportingInnovation #AI #womenfounder #womenledstartups #womenangelinvestor #womeninvestor Stephane Mardel Matthew Holding 강마태 Christian Kutscher Zoe (Ziyue) LI AstraNova

Hello LinkedIn Friends - After an amazing run of almost 8 years, I left Y Combinator last week.  When I joined YC, it was celebrating a milestone – funding ~1,000 startups in its first decade. Fast forward to today, and we’ve funded over 3,000 additional startups, building the infrastructure to support that scale and learning a lot along the way. Most importantly, I had the good fortune to work with incredible people. Some of those people are of course YC’s exceptionally talented founders. I always saw a big part of my job as GC at YC to be derisking the legal aspects of a startup, so founders can focus on the stuff that really matters. That means providing founders with the tools and education necessary to form a company, get funding, and get right back to business. It also means, at  times, serving as a sounding board or sanity check for founders when things get tough, which inevitably happens at some point in the life of a startup. To all of you, it’s been a privilege. I'm also grateful to all of the startup lawyers, immigration lawyers, the great team at Clerky, and everyone else in the ecosystem who we’ve forged connections with over the years to improve the legal landscape for founders starting companies. And last but not least, a huge thank you to everyone at YC, and especially the legal team. When I first started, everything felt relatively straightforward. However, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Today, YC supports founders from all corners of the globe, at a scale that’s unprecedented. Naturally, the legal team had to evolve alongside YC's growth. We’ve really built something special, and I have every confidence in this team for the future. YC founders are tackling real-world problems and building companies that create significant opportunities and jobs. It’s been an immense privilege to advance that mission and have the opportunity to work with so many of you along the way. As for what’s next for me: I’ll be taking some time to plot my next adventure!

“We could’ve done better” My cofounder and I didn’t do a good job in letting the world know what we do best. We’ve quietly brute force ourselves into helping hire 14k+ people in 5 countries over the last 5 years (bootstrapped!), for some of the most ambitious companies, from seed to IPO like Canva, Grab and other 60 other unicorns. Today is the day. We’re taking the plunge. We’ll be sharing some tactical tips, insights that we’ve learned and we have yet to learn from working with some of the most ambitious companies and founders. My promise, we’ll go deep! We’ll go beyond the typical “I’m honored and “I’m thrilled” posts that you see here on LinkedIn. It’s been an incredible 5+ years which we owe to the companies who believed in our team, who willingly shared their faith & trust to bridge. So, whether you do business with bridge or not. I’m sure you’d find something that could be useful to your journey. That could likely affect how you make decisions around your hiring. You’ve been awesome and you’re what keeps us going. So giddy up, LFG!! If you’d like, you can follow along for the ride! 🫶🏼 See you on the other side? *** Oh, re-introducing BridgeMe: a full-stack talent subscription for startups.