How to Apply to Techstars: Choosing a Program, the Deal and the Questions

Techstars isn't one accelerator — it's a network of dozens of programs around the world, organised by city and by industry, from fintech to healthcare to climate. They share one application platform and a reputation for being mentor-driven: Techstars famously bets on teams over ideas. This guide covers the deal, how to choose a program, and how to answer the questions that decide your application.

Every question on the current form is listed on our Techstars program page.

The Techstars deal

Techstars' standard investment for most programs is $220,000, made of two pieces:

• $20,000 on a convertible equity agreement for 5% of your company's common stock (post-money).
• $200,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE, which converts on the best terms you give other SAFE investors before your priced round.

Both convert when you raise a priced round. Some regional and partner programs use different terms, so always check the page for the specific program you're applying to. If the mechanics are new to you, see our guide to SAFEs and accelerator deal terms.

Step 1: pick the right program

This is the decision that matters most, and most founders rush it. Each Techstars program has its own managing director, its own mentors and often a corporate partner. A fintech startup applying to a fintech program backed by a bank has a much better shot — and gets much more out of the program — than one applying to a generalist program in a city it has no reason to be in.

Ask:

• Industry fit. Is there a program focused on my sector, with partners who could become customers?
• Market fit. Does the city put me close to my customers or investors?
• Timing. When does the program start, and can the team relocate for three months?

Step 2: get a warm signal

Techstars is more relationship-driven than most programs. Reaching out to the managing director of your target program before applying is common and welcomed — a short note with your one-liner and traction. Introductions from Techstars mentors and alumni carry real weight.

Step 3: answer the questions

The form covers the classic accelerator questions. These are the ones that carry the most weight.

"What makes your team a winning team?"

This is the heart of a Techstars application. Show:

• Complementary skills — who builds, who sells, who runs operations.
• History — how long you've worked together and what you've shipped.
• Execution speed — what you achieved in the last 90 days.

Avoid listing CVs. Tell them why this team, for this problem.

"What problem is your company looking to solve?" and "What is your company going to make?"

Keep the problem concrete and customer-centred: who has it, how often, and what it costs them. Then describe the product as what a user does and what happens.

Traction, revenue and funding

Techstars asks for these separately. Give each as numbers: active users, paying customers, monthly revenue, growth rate, money raised and from whom. "Pre-revenue" is a perfectly good answer early on — vagueness isn't.

"Who are your competitors?" and "What is your competitive advantage?"

Name direct competitors and the workaround customers use today. Then make your advantage specific: proprietary data, distribution, a technical insight, a regulatory head start — not "better UX".

"Why is now the right time for your startup?"

Name a concrete change: a new regulation, a cost that collapsed, a platform shift, a change in customer behaviour. "The market is growing" doesn't count.

Customer acquisition and next milestones

Show you know how you'll get the next 100 customers, and list the milestones you'll hit in the next three to six months. Programs love concrete, measurable goals they can help you reach.

The videos and deck

Techstars asks for a product demo video, a pitch deck and a team introduction video. Keep the team video short and genuine — it's there to show the people, not production value.

What happens after you apply

The Techstars process usually runs over several weeks:

1. Application review by the program's team.
2. Calls with the managing director and program team for shortlisted companies.
3. Further interviews, often including mentors or partners from the program's network.
4. Offer, followed by the program itself: about three months of mentorship, workshops and partner introductions, ending in a demo day.

Use the gap between application and calls to keep shipping. Many managing directors ask what's changed since you applied — momentum is one of the clearest signals you can give.

Example: a strong team answer (fictional)

Weak:

Our CEO has an MBA and 10 years in banking. Our CTO is a senior software engineer. We are passionate and hard-working.

Strong:

Ana led SME lending operations at a regional bank for six years and personally underwrote 1,200 small-business loans — she knows exactly where the process breaks. Tom was the second engineer at a payments startup and built its reconciliation engine. They've worked together for 14 months, shipped our product in 10 weeks, and closed our first three bank pilots themselves.

The strong version explains why these people fit this problem, shows they've worked together, and ends with execution.

Which Techstars program should you pick?

A quick way to shortlist:

• Industry programs (fintech, health, climate, mobility and others) when your customers are big companies in that sector — partners can become pilots.
• City programs when your market or your investors are concentrated in that city.
• Remote or "anywhere" programs when relocating isn't possible.

Compare Techstars with its closest alternatives on our Techstars vs 500 Global and Techstars vs Plug and Play pages.

Common mistakes on Techstars applications

• Applying to the wrong program, or to many programs with the same generic answers.
• Treating the team question as a list of CVs.
• Skipping outreach to the managing director.
• Leaving traction vague.

Apply widely

Techstars acceptance is low — estimates sit around 1%. Most founders who get into an accelerator applied to several. The questions above overlap heavily with Y Combinator, 500 Global and Plug and Play, which is why we built Applyseed: one startup profile, drafted into each program's own questions and limits.