Techstars Adds Startup Weekend To The Mix + More With UP Global Acquisition

Techstars UpGlobal

This morning Techstars announced their acquisition of UP Global, the parent organization to events like Startup Weekend, Startup Week, Startup Digest, and the list goes on. What these means for both organizations is a massive increase in the size and reach of both networks.

By joining forces with UP Global, Techstars can continue to accelerate the pace of innovation by strengthening the path for entrepreneurs, providing better support for entrepreneurial communities, and helping to grow the worldwide entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will also continue to collaborate with other accelerators in the UP Global network, as we believe this will benefit all startups, not just those that are part of Techstars. (Source – Techstars blog)

As a Techstars alum and the co-founder of a Techstars company I see this as a huge win for all of us. There’s a reason that Techstars is recognized as one of the top three startup accelerators in the US (and there are over 1,000 in total), and this will only strengthen a truly world-class organization.

The merger makes sense, since Startup Weekend brings aspiring entrepreneurs together for an intense, 54-hour experience in creating a company, while Techstars provides a three-month course designed to get those aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into going concerns. While the former is heavy on inspiration and excitement, the latter provides some cash and more concrete, practical help in getting startups off the ground. (Source – VentureBeat)

I couldn’t be more excited about the impact this will have and can’t wait to be a part of the continued growth of Techstars. Huge congrats to the entire team and Techstars and UP Global, these are exciting times!

Morgan Linton

Morgan Linton