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David Cohen (entrepreneur)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David G. Cohen
Cohen in 2022
Born1968
Occupation(s)Founder and co-CEO, Techstars

David Cohen (born 1968) is a serial 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]

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

Early life and education

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Cohen was born in 1968 in DeLand, FL.

Early career

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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

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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

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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

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