Techstars KC on hiatus as Lesa Mitchell takes new role with Indianapolis accelerator

Techstars Kansas City is expected to “hit pause” on programming and is not returning for a 2019 cohort, said David Brown, noting the exact timing of the next program is still undecided.

David Brown, Techstars

“Our full intention is to continue in Kansas City,” said Brown, founder and co-CEO of the national accelerator network. “We love Kansas City and Kansas City startups. We’re excited to be a part of the community for a long time to come.”

Click here to read more about the Techstars KC 2018 cohort.

Lesa Mitchell, current Techstars KC managing director, is expected to take on a “special assignment” with the Indianapolis-based Techstars affiliate, Heritage Group Accelerator, throughout 2019, he added.

Mitchell will continue to be based in Kansas City and maintain her role at Techstars KC, though she is expected to also serve as the managing director for Heritage Group throughout 2019, Brown said.

“She was working with The Heritage Group at the end of her previous program and did a great job, and it was just hard to do two at once,” Brown said. “So, we’ll have another program in Kansas City — it will just come a little later.”

Lesa Mitchell and Alex Krause Matlack, Techstars KC

Mitchell and Alex Krause Matlack, Techstars KC program manager, declined to speak with Startland for this article.

Click here to read Startland’s 2018 KCultivator profile on Lesa Mitchell.

Techstars 2018

The postponement in Techstars KC programming is not expected to interfere with Techstars Startup Weekend, which is currently planned for September 2019, he added.

Mitchell is taking the helm at The Heritage Group to “work with founders looking to disrupt existing markets by pioneering the next generation of solutions across the spectrum,” according to a Techstars announcement published to its website.

“Working with a company like The Heritage Group provides startups the chance to work across multiple companies that could become customers, and obtain access to expertise that will help them scale,” Mitchell said on the Techstars site.

Click here to read the full announcement.

The Indianapolis accelerator is focused on specific areas of interest for its 2019 class, including: environmental and recycling, construction and materials, specialty chemicals and energy, and the industrial Internet of Things, according to Techstars.

The Heritage Group cohort is expected to have access to Techstars’ global networks and the Groups’ class of experts and entrepreneurs, as well as mentoring and aid from the accelerator’s venture arm, Heritage Ventures.

Click here to learn more about The Heritage Group Accelerator.