Techstars Seattle is shutting down as accelerator shifts focus to cities with more VC activity

Techstars Seattle, one of the first accelerators to emerge from the Techstars program and a longstanding institution within Seattle’s tech ecosystem, is shutting down. Techstars will focus on markets “with the most robust venture capital communities,” according to a memo sent Wednesday by Techstars Seattle, obtained independently by GeekWire. “As of Fall of 2024, Techstars will be doubling down on accelerators in cities with the highest concentration of VC activity and other startups to maximize our impact (SF, NY, Boston, LA),” the memo reads (see in full below). A spokesperson for Techstars confirmed the shutdown. “We’ve found that entrepreneurs want to attend accelerators in the most robust venture ecosystems with the greatest access to venture dollars and talent, surrounded by other startups, and where they are most likely to succeed, which is why Techstars is refocusing its footprint to those hubs with the highest concentration of VC activity,” the spokesperson said in a statement.