Cox Enterprises is teaming with a nationally recognized boot camp for entrepreneurs to launch Techstars Atlanta.
The business accelerator, located in Ponce City Market, begins taking applications today through March 20 at http://www.techstars.com/programs/atlanta-program/.
Techstars, a for-profit venture, began in Boulder, Colo., in 2007. It has since started programs in New York, London, Boston, Austin and other cities. Start-up teams are selected to go through a three-month accelerator program under the tutelage of mentors.
In exchange for a small stake in the chosen ventures, the Techstars programs provide the entrepreneurial teams with intensive coaching, office space, funding, and a chance to pitch their ideas to an audience of would-be investors. Techstars and Cox say 75 percent of participants get follow-on funding and/or become profitable soon after completing the program.
Techstars Atlanta will choose 10 startups for its initial class, with a focus on ventures having to do with technological connections between people and businesses, such as social media, cloud-based data, predictive analytics and cyber security.
“As a technology company, Cox Enterprises is committed to driving and inspiring innovation,” said Alex Taylor, executive vice president at Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Techstars is a fantastic program,” said Taylor. “The mentorships help accelerate startups, while also injecting a strong dose of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit into the community.”
He said Cox Enterprises has launched a number of start-ups that have grown into big businesses, including Cox-owned Autotrader.
