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Techstars

4 resources from Techstars we point founders to, and the questions each answers.

📄 Article
✓ Link checked India Free Intermediate

Why we picked it A globally-branded accelerator with an India-based program, giving founders a clear, concrete reference point for the classic 'cash for equity' model and its terms. Comparing Techstars' offer against government incubators and 100X.VC is the clearest way to understand what the equity actually buys.

Techstars Bangalore Accelerator

From Techstars by Techstars Program page

  • Companies typically receive $220,000 for ~6% common stock, a benchmark for evaluating any equity accelerator's terms.
  • A three-month, three-phase program: mentorship (weeks 1-4), growth (weeks 5-9), and investment/demo day (weeks 10-13).
  • Highly selective, roughly 1-2% of applicants are accepted, around a dozen companies per cohort.
  • Value is the mentor network, US-market access and follow-on investor connections, not just the cheque.
Open techstars.com
📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Beginner

Why we picked it A clean, practical checklist from an accelerator that has seen thousands of teams: how to run the split conversation, why equal is often right, and why vesting is non negotiable. Good as the first thing you read to frame the discussion. It keeps you from overcomplicating a decision that mostly rewards honesty and generosity.

How to Split Co-Founder Equity (The Right Way)

From Techstars 9 min read

  • Have the split conversation openly and early, before resentment forms
  • Equal or near equal is the common right answer for true co-founders
  • Vesting protects the team no matter how you divide the shares
Open techstars.com
📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Beginner

Why we picked it This frames founder-market fit as a team question and lists what a strong founding team should be able to answer together about skills coverage and market insight. It is a quick checklist to confirm that between you and your co-founder there is no gaping hole in insight, building, or selling. Written from the perspective of what an early investor actually probes.

High Performing Founding Teams: The Five Questions Every Rockstar Founding Team Can Answer

From Techstars by Martin Schilling and Brian Daly ~8 min read

  • Founder-market fit is assessed across the team, not one person
  • Strong teams can name who covers each critical skill
  • Investors back complementary coverage over a lone expert
Open techstars.com
📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Beginner

Why we picked it A useful counterweight, written specifically to slow founders down before they hire. It names the false signals, feeling tired of selling, wanting to look grown up, that push founders to hire before the motion is actually proven.

Founders: Your First Sales Hire Is Probably a Mistake

From Techstars 8 min read

  • Feeling burnt out on sales is not the same as having a repeatable process.
  • A sales hire cannot substitute for product market fit.
  • Wanting to delegate is not a strategy; a documented playbook is.
Open techstars.com
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