TechStars Launches National Startup Accelerator Network As Part of White House StartUP America Program

Online, January 31, 2011 (Newswire.com) - TechStars, the leading startup accelerator program in the United States, has launched the TechStars Network, an alliance of independently owned and operated startup accelerator programs from dozens of cities across the United States and around the world. Based upon the mentorship-driven model pioneered by TechStars, these programs provide seed funding and mentorship to innovative entrepreneurs. The TechStars Network connects these organizations and provides best practices, professional development, networking opportunities and ongoing support for member organizations.

The TechStars Network will be part of The StartUP America Partnership, launched earlier today by President Obama. In partnership with the White House, the goal of the TechStars Network is to become an engine for job growth by ensuring that over the next four years, 5,000 experienced business leaders and investors will mentor and support 6,000 promising young entrepreneurs. The aim is to increase the success rate and sustainability of each program, and to ultimately create 25,000 new economy jobs by 2015.

"We've been flattered by more than one hundred organizations who have contacted us hoping to learn from our experiences at TechStars. We've always tried to be responsive and have helped many get started," said David Cohen, founder and CEO of TechStars. "The TechStars Network signals and formalizes our support for other credible mentorship-driven programs. We believe the proliferation of the mentorship-driven accelerator model is healthy for entrepreneurs. Through this network of independent organizations, we can help increase their impact dramatically and make entrepreneurial communities the real winners."

"At Tech Wildcatters, we believe collaboration across boundaries builds stronger communities. The TechStars Network will be the catalyst for a nationwide startup ecosystem, something our country desperately needs. With TechStars Network's rich set of strategic resources, we will build stronger companies faster that are better able to compete globally," said Gabriella Draney, co-founder of Tech Wildcatters, a TechStars Network member based in Dallas, Texas.

Currently there are 16 invitation-only TechStars Network member organizations in major cities across the United States and around the world. Today the network is open to all entrepreneurial thought leaders and organizations interested in building or enhancing mentorship-driven startup accelerator programs.

About the TechStars Network
The TechStars Network is a membership organization that ensures the sharing of resources and best practices between independently owned and operated mentorship-driven seed acceleration programs across the globe. Currently, the TechStars Network includes charter members in dozens of cities, including AlphaLab, Pittsburgh, PA; Arizona State University Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative, Scottsdale, AZ; Betaspring, Providence, RI; Blueprint Health, New York, NY; BoomStartup, Salt Lake City, UT; Excelerate Labs, Chicago, IL; Founders Co-op, Seattle, WA; Incubate Miami, Miami, FL; Joyful Frog Digital Incubator; Singapore; Jumpstart Foundry, Nashville, TN; LaunchPad Ignition, New Orleans, LA; Ryan Academy Propeller Seed Accelerator Program, Dublin, Ireland; Startupbootcamp, Copenhagen, Denmark and Madrid, Spain; TechStars Boston, MA, New York, NY, Boulder, CO and Seattle, WA; Tech Wildcatters, Dallas, TX; The Brandery, Cincinnati, OH; The Elevator, Tel Aviv, Israel. The TechStars Network is quickly expanding its membership. For more information, visit http://www.techstars.org/network.

Contact: John Metzger, [email protected], 303-641-1062.

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