Tuesday
Jan222013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 11:27PM David Cohen, Founder and CEO TechStars-TWiST #323
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On this episode of TWiST Jason sits down with David Cohen of TechStars. The two gentleman discuss the Series-A Crunch, what makes a good VC, and the future of TechStars.
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0:30 Hey Everybody, this is going to be a great episode, welcome David Cohen of TechStars stick with us!
4:15 Our next Live TWiST Event will be with Dave McClure 2/8 in San Francisco!
5:35 ShareFile by Citrix! Enter the code TWIST for a free 30 Day Trial!
7:30 How many programs does TechStars have now?
9:00 Did you think it would be this big when you started it?
9:20 How did you get the brand partners that you have today?
11:00 As a startup how do you balance the startup culture versus your massive brand partners?
13:45 What is the optimum size for a TechStars class?
15:00 What would you define the Series A-Crunch as?
15:40 If the quality of companies is better than it was 10 years ago, then why is there a Series A Crunch?
17:15: What does a startup have to show to get a VC's attention?
18:00: What is social proof? Unpack it.
19:50 What happens to the companies that graduate and don't receive additional funding?
21:00 Do you feel there is a sense of entitlement with startups to receive an A Round?
21:45 Are people gaming the metrics now?
22:30 Let's talk about valuations.
24:20 So optimizing for valuation may not be the best idea for the long run?
25:45 Let's thank our long term friends MailChimp! The free plan is always free!
29:20 How does it feel that you have helped you graduates pull in $200M in funding?
30:00 Why so much transparency with your companies?
31:10 In the last couple of years what is a company that you instantly now they were a winner by meeting the founder?
33:50 What's happening with GroupMe?
34:20 What is something a founder could say that would turn you off to that company forever?
35:15 Are you surprised how often you can tell if someone is dumb or stupid?
36:45 What is the toughest thing about being a founder?
38:30 What is the biggest mistake young founders make after they receive founding?
39:45 What is a party round?
41:20 How much does the stock market effect startups?
42:00 What impact has AngelList made?
45:40 Are acqui-hire deals scaring away Angel Investors?
50:45 Would you ever let Facebook into TechStars to take a look at the companies?
51:25 What do you think about Google in terms of M and A?
51:50 What do you think about Yahoo and Marissa?
52:50 Are there too many startups in the ecosystem now?
53:50 What is the biggest mistake you've made by not funding a company?
54:30 Why is Boulder so filled with superhumans?
56:25 What is about New York and Boston that have lead to an explosion in startups?
57:30 When you have a great company who do you take it to first?
57:45 What make Brad Feld such a great investor?58:25 What is it about those guys that sets them apart from the rest?
58:45 What is the right work that investors need to do?
59:20 Jeff, the superfan, how long have you been watching the program?
59:40 Who are your favorite guests?
60:00 What exactly do you do?
60:30 Do you envision a future where incubators become gatekeepers?
62:45 Does it worry you that a lot of people who run incubators are failed entrepreneurs?
65:45 Do you envision a time where you will open up in the Valley?
66:20 What are the next 2-3 cities you are considering?
68:00 What is the benchmark for success today?
71:45 Have you had companies come in with exact copies of existing companies?
82:40 Do you think the crowdfunding thing is going to work?
74:00 Do you think small companies will ever go public again?
75:30 What trends do you think we will see this year?
77:00 What's coming next from Nike?
77:35 What are the next couple of things we will know about our bodies?
79:50 David thanks so much for being on the show, continued success with TechStars!
80:50 Super fan how much have you learned from these interviews with these founders?
85:50 Thanks to Citrix's ShareFile and MailChimp! We'll see you next time on This Week in Startups!
4:15 Our next Live TWiST Event will be with Dave McClure 2/8 in San Francisco!
5:35 ShareFile by Citrix! Enter the code TWIST for a free 30 Day Trial!
7:30 How many programs does TechStars have now?
9:00 Did you think it would be this big when you started it?
9:20 How did you get the brand partners that you have today?
11:00 As a startup how do you balance the startup culture versus your massive brand partners?
13:45 What is the optimum size for a TechStars class?
15:00 What would you define the Series A-Crunch as?
15:40 If the quality of companies is better than it was 10 years ago, then why is there a Series A Crunch?
17:15: What does a startup have to show to get a VC's attention?
18:00: What is social proof? Unpack it.
19:50 What happens to the companies that graduate and don't receive additional funding?
21:00 Do you feel there is a sense of entitlement with startups to receive an A Round?
21:45 Are people gaming the metrics now?
22:30 Let's talk about valuations.
24:20 So optimizing for valuation may not be the best idea for the long run?
25:45 Let's thank our long term friends MailChimp! The free plan is always free!
29:20 How does it feel that you have helped you graduates pull in $200M in funding?
30:00 Why so much transparency with your companies?
31:10 In the last couple of years what is a company that you instantly now they were a winner by meeting the founder?
33:50 What's happening with GroupMe?
34:20 What is something a founder could say that would turn you off to that company forever?
35:15 Are you surprised how often you can tell if someone is dumb or stupid?
36:45 What is the toughest thing about being a founder?
38:30 What is the biggest mistake young founders make after they receive founding?
39:45 What is a party round?
41:20 How much does the stock market effect startups?
42:00 What impact has AngelList made?
45:40 Are acqui-hire deals scaring away Angel Investors?
50:45 Would you ever let Facebook into TechStars to take a look at the companies?
51:25 What do you think about Google in terms of M and A?
51:50 What do you think about Yahoo and Marissa?
52:50 Are there too many startups in the ecosystem now?
53:50 What is the biggest mistake you've made by not funding a company?
54:30 Why is Boulder so filled with superhumans?
56:25 What is about New York and Boston that have lead to an explosion in startups?
57:30 When you have a great company who do you take it to first?
57:45 What make Brad Feld such a great investor?58:25 What is it about those guys that sets them apart from the rest?
58:45 What is the right work that investors need to do?
59:20 Jeff, the superfan, how long have you been watching the program?
59:40 Who are your favorite guests?
60:00 What exactly do you do?
60:30 Do you envision a future where incubators become gatekeepers?
62:45 Does it worry you that a lot of people who run incubators are failed entrepreneurs?
65:45 Do you envision a time where you will open up in the Valley?
66:20 What are the next 2-3 cities you are considering?
68:00 What is the benchmark for success today?
71:45 Have you had companies come in with exact copies of existing companies?
82:40 Do you think the crowdfunding thing is going to work?
74:00 Do you think small companies will ever go public again?
75:30 What trends do you think we will see this year?
77:00 What's coming next from Nike?
77:35 What are the next couple of things we will know about our bodies?
79:50 David thanks so much for being on the show, continued success with TechStars!
80:50 Super fan how much have you learned from these interviews with these founders?
85:50 Thanks to Citrix's ShareFile and MailChimp! We'll see you next time on This Week in Startups!
==============
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David: @davidcohen
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Special thanks to the members of the TWiST Backchannel Program!
Executive Producers
- Louis-Eric Simard
- Benjamin Gifford
- Jacek Artymiak
- Octavian Mihai
- Will Paoletto
- Geoffrey Clapp
- Jeff Hoffer
- Austin Miller
- Rashaun Sourles
- Robb Kunz
- Greg Berry
- Sean Lynch
- Mary Ann Halford
- Jim Joyce
- Morgan Howard
- Margaret Johns
- Kyle M. Brown
- Paul Cole
- Nick Duncan
- Magnus Ingvarsson
- Amir Ayalon
- Carlos Zaidenweber
- Avery Keitt
- Joshua Shipsey
Producers
- Eli Coler
- Ted Inoue
- Radek Rybicki
- Hunter Owens
- Ildar Khakimov
- Matti Hallanoro
- Rodrigo Dauster
- Rodrigo Fuentes
- Anthony Ortenzi
- Daniel de la Cruz
- Michael Hofmann
- John Meneses
- Mike Sunyich
- Sami Rageb
- Michael Lustig
- Alex Deli
- John Davies
- Mark Burcher
- Morgan Howard
- Jeffrey Yan
Associate Producers
- Brad Pineau
- Kat Ganesan
- Nicholas Christian
- Mau Frontier
- Kyle Braatz
- Serena Ehrlich
- JD
- Alex Lotoczko
- James Kennedy
- Benoit Curdy
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- Mike Kaltschnee
- William Doom
- David Lee
- Jake Kerber
- Sarp Coskun
- Giuseppe Taibi
- Tyrone Rubin
- Keno Vigil
- Paul Peters
- Jamal Waring
- Nick Ostroff
- Alex Binkley
- John MP Knox
- Bryan McCormick
- Marcos Trinidad
- Allen Cordrey
- Daniel Mich
- Joshua Rosen
- Grant Carlile
- James Smith
- Christopher Rill
- Elliot Myhre
- Nihon Giga
- Nathan Gielis
- Greg Meadows
- Rick Cartwright
- Jacques Struwig
- Robert Ward
- Adam Gering
- Shelley Gaskin
- Jim Shute
Supporters
- Ryan Hoover
- Michael Cranston
- Josiah Thomas
- João Fernandes
- Petrus Theron
- Michael Wild
- Dale Emmons
- Tim de Jardine
- Alejandro Vasquez
- Milan Babuskov
- Chris Rowe
- Nelson Melo
- James Dawson
- Toddy Mladenov
- Daniel Torres
- Chris Macke
- Piotr Zuralski
- Armand Konan
- Brian Vogel
- Paul D
- Jennifer Sun
- David Kolb
- Sue Marrone
- Eugene Granovksy
- Will Blackton
- Ryan Dodds
- Brett Arp
- Jason Cresswell
- Edwin Orange
- Daniel Bradley
- Shawn Daniel
- Priidu Kull
- Patrick Desroches
- Alex Lam
- Paul Secor
- Ryan Urabe
- Madhu R.
- Paul Ardeleanu
- Ian Thomas
- Manny Alarcon
- Charlie Osmond
- Christopher Smitley
- Roshan H.
- Barcy Cordrey
- Matt Beaubien
- Matthew Smith
- Oscar Bueno
- Tim Hoyt
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- Dave Ferrara
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- Chris Mancil
- TR Ludwig
- Giles Thomas
- Jason Cartwright
- Michael Del Borrello
- Joshua Rosen
- David Karlberg
- Marcus Schappi
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- Mike Hauck
- Jess Bachman
- Isaac Hill
- Robert Haydock
- Dan Sfera
- Flaviu Simihaian
- Kiko Cherman
- Chandra Siva
- Kasper Andkjaer
- Zach Woodward
- Chris Galasso
- Chad Olsen
- Michael Grabham
- John Shiple
- Gregory Hoffman
- Chris Rickard
- Eskil Steenberg
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- Karim Sarkis
- Michael Davidovich
- Petru Marchidan
- Sam Drzymala