Techstars, a global investment business that provides access to capital, one-on-one mentorship, and customized programming for early-stage entrepreneurs, is strengthening its commitment to the European startup ecosystem with the appointment of four tech-industry veterans as new managing directors to head Techstars programs in Europe. Joining the early-stage investment business are Raphaele Leyendecker for Techstars Paris, Martin Schilling for Techstars Berlin, Pete Townsend for Launchpool Techstars Web3 Techstars Accelerator, and Saalim Chowdhury for Techstars London.
Also Read: IBM Takes on the 5G Era with Acquisition of Sentaca
Through our unique pre-seed investment model and embedded approach to working with local ecosystems and networks, Techstars has the unique ability to profoundly impact entrepreneurs’ innovative ideas and businesses across the world,” said Chief Accelerator Investments Officer Rupa Athreya. “With these tenured tech leaders at the helm of our accelerators in Paris, Berlin, Dublin and London, Techstars will fund more than 100 early-stage founders across its eight European programs in 2022.”
Leading Techstars Paris, a new Techstars accelerator, Leyendecker is a two-time founder of renewable biomass supplier Agronergy, and online booking software Horseee. She joins Techstars from a corporate innovation startup studio where she served as Partner & COO working with Fortune 500 companies. As Managing Director, Raphaele will support 24 early-stage startups addressing societal and environmental challenges through technology solutions. In 2022 the program will operate two classes of 12 companies from April 4, 2022 through June 30, 2022 and Sept. 12, 2022 through Dec. 8, 2022.
Serial entrepreneur Schilling joins Techstars to lead Techstars Berlin as Managing Director. A previous McKinsey & Company consultant and Managing Director, angel investor and author, publishing The Builder’s Guide to the Tech Galaxy — 99 Practices to Scale Start-ups into Unicorn Companies in 2021, he most recently served as COO at N26 Group. In his role as Managing Director, Martin will support 12 early-stage startups in the areas of Fintech, climate tech and deep tech. The program will operate April 4, 2022 through June 30, 2022.