[wgerard]

I was part of Techstars Seattle in 2019, though we were mentored by Chris's counterpart at Founders' Co-op (Aviel). It was also a partnership with Amazon, and I really don't have enough good things to say about that experience even though our company ceased to exist less than a year later.

I'm only half-surprised.

I had a great experience, we learned a ton, and if anything was going to set us up for success it was our time there. Companies are mostly doomed to fail, but our time in Seattle was pretty transformative for me personally. It allowed us to refine our focus and dedicate ourselves wholly to building something people wanted (which, turns out, wasn't that many people obviously). The support and guidance we received from Aviel, our Amazon partners, and fellow cohort members were unparalleled. Say what you want about VCs or Amazon or startup founders (and yeah there are many things to be said), but I really have nothing but great things to say about all of the individuals from our time there. Admittedly, my opinion doesn't carry any particular importance.

On the other hand, I'm not surprised at all when I reflect on the actual Techstars program. Techstars, as an organization, seemed totally in the periphery for much of the program. The lion's share of valuable advice and resources came not from the organization itself, but from everyone else.

Echoing another's sentiments, the value of Techstars seems heavily influenced by location and the mentors involved. We were lucky to only be thinking about two great programs, Seattle and NYC. If we had ended up somewhere else maybe I'd be completely unsurprised.

[josh_carterPDX]

Very well said.

We went through Techstars Chicago in 2016 and found the network to be top-notch. We met so many incredible people who helped connect us to resources we could not have gotten otherwise.

I think Techstars' inability to pivot, go back to basics, and learn from their mistakes all contributed to their downfall. Now, I know they're not completely shutting down, but I don't know how they'll come back from this. They spent so many years touting that they were the anti-YC. Focusing on areas like the Bay Area means they're going to be competing with other programs and resources that have been part of that community for years. It's going to be an uphill climb for them and I don't think it's going to work.