Three tips to landing in the Techstars KC accelerator

Techstars new local accelerator is on the lookout for ten tech companies to join the Kansas City accelerator’s inaugural class.

In an effort to cull suitable applicants, Techstars KC managing director Lesa Mitchell recently shared some of the top traits the program is looking for in companies.  

“The Techstars team in Kansas City is looking for founders who are solving big, complex problems,” Mitchell wrote in the Techstars blog. “To do this, we want the most promising minds to join this program.”

A Kansas City native, Mitchell has worked with entrepreneurs all across the world for many years. She believes that although the digital age has made it easier for entrepreneurs, the risk of failure is still far too high for many companies. Mitchell hopes to dismantle barriers to entry and pay it forward through the Techstars program.

The accelerator — which was previously affiliated with The Sprint Accelerator — is not looking for a specific vertical and all startups are encouraged to apply.

Here’s more on what she’s looking for.

Disintermediating markets
Mitchell is prioritizing companies that eliminate the middleman in various sectors, such as what Neighborly did to the municipal bond market and Classpass did to gym memberships. She believes that these types of firms have a positive impact in the marketplace.

Infrastructure
Expecting extreme growth in this particular market, Mitchell is particularly interested in companies that are developing sustainable building materials, sensors collecting new data, business models that reduce the cost and innovations that will improve the planet. She added that developed economies will rebuild old infrastructure to the point where in 20 years we may have replaced most current infrastructure.

Addressing talent
Mitchell is interested in closing the skills gap and ensuring that everyone is prepared for a 21st-century economy. Companies that bring solutions to this problem will be favored, Mitchell said.