Program · Other
Techstars Rising Stars
Techstars Rising Stars is Techstars' pre-seed fund offering early-stage capital and mentorship for underrepresented founders in the United States.
- Application state
- Not published
Overview
What Techstars Rising Stars offers
What Techstars Rising Stars is
Rising Stars is a pre-seed, pre-accelerator fund deployed by Techstars from 2022-2025 specifically designed to provide underrepresented founders in the United States with access to early-stage capital and mentorship. The program aims to support diverse startup ecosystems and enable founders to reach Series A-readiness.
Operational profile
Program status and context
Program status describes the program itself. Application availability and deadlines remain separate.
- Operational status
- Active
- Program type
- Other
- Host organization
- Techstars
- Last reviewed
- March 16, 2026
Terms and economics
Published program terms
- Investment
- $100,000
- Equity
- 7.5%
- Price
- Free
- Compensation
- Micro Fund
Compensation and economics
Participants receive a $100,000 capital deployment as part of the program, with no revenue requirement attached to the equity investment.
Focus and fit
Who the program is for
Program thesis
Rising Stars aims to remove capital barriers for underrepresented founders and build inclusive startup pipelines. The program focuses on supporting founders from disadvantaged communities and creating pathways to scaled capital and success.
Eligibility
The program specifically supports Black, Hispanic, Latino, Indigenous American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and other historically underrepresented groups.
Selection approach
The application process is currently unspecified, but the program focuses on supporting underrepresented founders.
- Stages
- Pre-seed
- Regions
- United States
Format and cadence
How participation works
- Presence
- Remote
- Main location
- United States
- Engagement
- Unknown
Delivery model
The program operates remotely, providing access to resources and mentorship without geographical constraints.
Availability and engagement
Application timing and route
- Application state
- Not published
- Admissions
- Unknown
Published timeline
The fund is fully deployed from 2022 to 2025, focusing on supporting existing portfolio companies.
Value and support
What participation may provide
Publicly described support is context, not a guarantee of current delivery or future benefit.
What participants may receive
Participants gain access to $100,000 in capital, mentorship from the Techstars network, business fundamentals training, pitch coaching, and introductions to investors.
Common questions
Program details at a glance
Techstars Rising Stars is published in Upseed as a other program hosted by Techstars. Upseed treats the Program and its host Organization as separate records so each can have its own status and sources.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 16, 2026
Known limits
Terms, deadlines, and application states can change. Confirm current details at the published destination before acting. Upseed does not yet classify every Program destination as official.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official representative of this program or its host.