jud@techstars.com

I'm getting back into the mix. It's been a creative, fun, enlightening, educational, expanding, and relaxing couple of years "off," but I want to re-engage with something operational again; I've joined Techstars as its CTO.

I'm jumping in for a few reasons.

First, the kids are ages 13 and 10, and in these particularly formative years I want to make sure they witness their father executing in real-time. I don't want them learning about career/work stuff via distant stories around the dinner table. I want them to see and hear and feel what it takes to build something as it's happening. Interestingly my motivations for jumping back in are very similar to my motivations back in 2006 when I left a big media/tech company to dive headlong into Boulder's burgeoning software startup scene.

Second, I have missed trying to solve big biz/tech challenges with smart people. Investing and advising has been rewarding, but without operational involvement, you're always just injecting perspective into a situation at a high-level with no actual responsibility or risk (other than the unemotional financial). Investing and advising are great, but insufficient for me. My commitment to "my founders" and "my companies" remains intact; if you're one of those, I'm still with you, don't worry (or perhaps... sorry... you're not getting rid of me yet).

Third, Techstars. I've watched this thing evolve since day-one. The people (turns out it is _all_ about the people), the mission, the progress, the market validation, and the overall community impact are phenomenal. Techstars has built an incredible operation around stoking the entrepreneurial fire that millions of people across Earth have burning inside them. At this time when so many macro economic assumptions are challenged, I'm excited to participate in something that is bringing a new way of thinking to the system. I get to learn from my colleagues, and contribute my background and experience back into what we're doing.

Through the years Techstars has built and acquired a fair amount of code and product. I consider Techstars' customers to be anyone that touches the ecosystem, whether you're a Startup Weekend attendee, a mentor in the program, or an investor, you're one of hundreds of thousands of people we're building product for. I'm now working to ensure your experience with us is a great one.