Video Interview with TechStars Co-Founder & Exec. Director David Cohen

Written by Jolie O'Dell / June 27, 2009 12:40 AM / 12 Comments

This post is part of our ReadWriteStart channel, which is a resource and guide for first-time entrepreneurs and startups. The channel is sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark. To sign up for BizSpark, click here.

Three years ago, David Cohen and three friends started a summer program for startups.

The idea was that over three months, around ten startups would get enough money to survive and enough guidance to build great ideas into viable companies. Today, TechStars boasts a remarkable roster of startup mentors and an equally impressive stable of program alumni. At the TechStars Boulder headquarters, we sat down with Cohen to talk about how and why the program works.

TechStars' many success stories include BrightKite, which has become a leader in location-based social apps, and SocialThing, a lifestreaming service which sold to AOL last year.

A Boston branch of TechStars debuted this year; its inaugural class includes nine startup companies.

Microsoft BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. Click here to apply.

Comments

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The girl is hot :-)

Posted by: convert | June 27, 2009 7:37 AM

If someone wants to pick dirty on nice phrases according to his personality and amaze friends and relatives in times when it is most needed, http://www.dirtymouthapp.com/ is the site he should go to.

Posted by: Road Runner | June 27, 2009 7:41 AM

How do people who have nothing more intelligent to say than "the girl is hot" even find their way to a site like ReadWriteWeb? Jolie is a very attractive young woman, but that is certainly not the focus of this piece. I just don't understand how people don't realize how stupid they look when their greatest contributions to the internet are neanderthal-era comments and yet another currency conversion tool, flooded with five unique occurrences of Google Ads. Well played, convert. Intelligence FTW.

Jolie, great interview as always. Your articles/videos on startups are some of my favorite pieces you've done.

Posted by: Mark Pannell | June 27, 2009 9:13 AM

This is an awesome interview. Cheers

Posted by: Webmaster Forum | June 27, 2009 9:13 AM

This is an awesome interview. Cheers

Posted by: Webmaster Forum | June 27, 2009 9:13 AM

hey mark,

julie is the only reason i read readwriteweb, get over it

Posted by: bob | June 27, 2009 10:00 AM

@Mark Thanks, as always, fro stopping by! Can't WAIT to get to Toledo, I'm actually thinking about a long-term video project re: the startup scene-that-may-one-day-be there. =D

@Bob Well, how do you do, but my name is Jolie. With an O. Have a super day!

Posted by: Jolie O'Dell | June 27, 2009 10:18 AM

This is great interview. Thanks

Posted by: India Tax | June 27, 2009 11:45 AM

TechStars looks to be doing well, but it's a little early to tell.

Jolie, though, you need your own podcast-- or convince RWW to put you in pretty much every one of their interviews. Your charisma is undeniable, especially after you get into the groove. Nice work.

Posted by: Matthew | June 27, 2009 5:42 PM

Great interview Jolie! Fun to meet you in Boulder. Keep in touch.
-Natty

Posted by: Natty | June 27, 2009 8:57 PM

I think this interview idea is a really cool thing. I'd like to see plenty more like this in the future. Good job Jolie with an 'o'.

Posted by: Free Online Speed Reading Test | June 28, 2009 11:04 AM