It’s ‘the place that everyone wants to be’: Why Techstars could be back in KC for more than just hugs

Five years after Techstars left Kansas City, the global startup accelerator’s co-founder and CEO teased a comeback for the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“We’re going to try to figure out how to continue to be a part of the Kansas City startup community,” David Cohen told a crowd of founders, investors, advocates, and Techstars alumni Thursday at a Techstars x Firebrand Ventures Community Meetup.

“We’re working on something,” he continued. “I think that something’s going to be awesome, and I look forward to seeing you all again at many more events like this in the future.”

John Fein, managing partner at Firebrand Ventures and former managing director for Techstars Kansas City for three years, speaks during a Techstars reunion meetup; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

After launching a Kansas City program in 2014, Techstars — which has funded over 5,000 companies globally in 20 years — discontinued its local accelerator program in 2021.

When Cohen took over as CEO again a couple of years ago, he noted, he made it a goal to re-engage with past startup communities and recently reached out to John Fein — managing partner at Firebrand Ventures and former managing director for Techstars Kansas City for three years — about gathering for a reunion/community event.

“We care a lot about the communities that we’ve been a part of, and we’ve operated in, and one of my biggest regrets is when we have to leave a place and not operate there anymore,” he explained. “I want to continue bringing the community together around Techstars in Kansas City. I can tell y’all really wanted this. I feel like there’s so many hugs, there’s so many people reconnecting. Clearly, you guys need to do this more.”

“It’s really awesome to see so many old friends,” he added, “and you do look old, older than when we saw you before.”

Check out a photo gallery from the event below, then keep reading.

Keith Berets, a Kansas City native and partner at Boulder, Colorado-based Cooley, speaks during a Techstars x Firebrand Ventures Community Meetup; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Keith Berets — a Kansas City native and partner at Boulder, Colorado-based Cooley, a longtime partner of Techstars and sponsor of the event — said it’s great to see the startup community coming together. Attendance at the community meetup was expected to reach 300.

“Frankly, it’s been a challenge to get people kind of out of their little zones,” he continued. “That’s one of the things that we’re trying to do, one of the things that Techstars has been incredibly successful at doing, as well.”

Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, told the crowd that the meetup appeared to be the night’s premiere destination for the busy Thursday evening.

“This is actually modern economic development in an American city,” he continued. “It is creatives. It is startups. It is all of you and your connections. It’s our investors who are making sure that Kansas City will continue to grow with great ideas.”

“We want to keep growing,” he added.” We want to keep kicking ass. We want to make sure that we are the place that everyone wants to be.”

On top of founders and investors, attendees also included leaders from the University of Kansas School of Business, as the school sponsored the event and Firebrand has recently launched The Hill Fund, which is dedicated to investing in KU founders.

“We want to build relationships with this community,” said Jide Wintoki, dean of the KU Business School. “We want to do it intentionally. We want to do it deliberately. And we think that part of how we do this is by making connections with as many people within the entrepreneurial and venture community.”