David Cohen (entrepreneur)

Last updated
David G. Cohen
2022 - Venture Stage HM3 5355 (52474900424).jpg
Cohen in 2022
Born1968
DeLand, Florida
Occupation(s)Founder and co-CEO, Techstars

David Cohen (born 1968) is an American entrepreneur and the founder of Pinpoint Technologies, iContact.com, and Earfeeder. He is also an angel investor with a portfolio of more than 100 companies. [1] [2] Cohen is best known as the co-founder of Techstars, a mentorship-based startup accelerator. [3] [4]

Contents

He and Brad Feld co-authored Do More Faster: Techstars Lessons to Accelerate Your Startup. [5]

Early life and education

Cohen was born in 1968 in DeLand, FL.

Early career

Cohen began working as a software engineer in 1991 when he became the Director of Development for Automated Dispatch Services, Inc., where he worked until 1994. [4]

Cohen founded Pinpoint Technologies in 1993. He was its CTO and vice president of research and development.[ citation needed ] The company developed public safety and EMS dispatch vehicle software.[ citation needed ] Zoll Medical Corporation acquired Pinpoint Technologies in 1999.[ citation needed ] Cohen stayed with the company until 2004.[ citation needed ]

Cohen then founded iContact.com, a social networking service for mobile devices. It is now defunct.[ citation needed ] In 2006, Cohen founded the music service earFeeder.com. [6] SonicSwap bought earFeeder.com in 2006.[ citation needed ]

Techstars

Cohen is the founder and co-CEO of Techstars, a startup accelerator program [3] he found in 2006 with Brad Feld, [6] Jared Polis, and David Brown. The first program ran in 2007. [6] Cohen designed Techstars to improve the existing system of angel investing and to provide more support to startups. [6] [7] In a speech at the Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit, Cohen said that he was particularly interested in improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Techstars' launch city, Boulder, Colorado. [2] Now, Techstars has dozens of locations globally that accept new startups regularly.[ citation needed ]

The Techstars experience was turned into a reality TV show on Bloomberg TV.[ citation needed ] Techstars invests $118,000 in each of its program startups. The startups also receive mentorship and pitch opportunities during the program.[ citation needed ] Techstars accepts approximately 1% of applicants. [2] [8]

Works

Cohen is the co-author of Do More Faster with Brad Feld. [5] Do More Faster shares advice for first-time entrepreneurs from the Techstars program. It includes essays from other Techstars mentors and company founders. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Cohen, David; Feld, Brad. "Do More Faster Book".
  2. 1 2 3 "Entrepreneurs Unplugged: With David Cohen, Executive Director of Techstars". Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Techstars founder David Cohen turns "power angel" — raises $28M fund". Venturebeat.com. 7 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  4. 1 2 "How to get a Mentor for your Startup". Dormroomtycoon.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-28.
  5. 1 2 "Hear Techstars founder David Cohen at the Silicon Prairie Awards event". Silicon Prairie News. 16 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "How Techstars Founder David Cohen Turned A Passion For Technology Into An Incredible Career". Therisetothetop.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  7. ↑ "Techstars' Davi Cohen on transparency, growth and funding trends". Gigaom.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012.
  8. ↑ Markowitz, Eric. "Get Into a Start-up Incubator: Mastering the Video". Inc.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
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