FONDATION UNIT Competitors

Techstars helps founders scale their startups into world-changing businesses. Founded in 2006, Techstars is on a mission to invest in startups to enable more capital to flow to more entrepreneurs around the world in order to deliver exceptional returns to our investors. We do this by operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, as well as by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Our results show why Techstars is Better for Founders than any other global accelerator: On average, 74.5% of Techstars companies will raise money within 3 years of their program; 18.5% of Techstars portfolio companies have exited 5 years after their program and 31.1% after eight years. (PitchBook June 2023)

Approximately 36 years before Israel declared independence, a ceremony took place on the barren slopes of Mount Carmel near the Port of Haifa, which was then occupied by the Ottoman Empire. Unknown to the Haifa community witnessing the event, this would be a milestone in history. This first cornerstone embodied an implausible vision of creating a world-class institute of scientific and technological education in the Holy Land. The story of the “Technikum” – the original German name of the Technion – is a tale of the century. The second industrial revolution created the printing presses and communications infrastructure allowing Jews scattered around the globe to organize in face of rising anti-Semitism. As Jews were often barred from technical education, the establishment of a technical school was a first priority to rebuilding a Jewish homeland. The Technion was to become a unique worldwide university that would precede, create, shape, and protect a modern state. The cornerstone laid on April 11, 1912, set in motion a century of progress responding to national and global needs. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology would grow rapidly, becoming a global pioneer in fields such as biotechnology, stem cell research, space, computer science, nanotechnology, and energy. Four Technion professors have won Nobel Prizes. As it approaches its centennial in 2025 – 100 years after the first class took place – Technion City is a thriving world center of trailblazing excellence in research and teaching for the benefit of humanity, with 18 faculties, more than 14,000 students, 135 academic programs, and 60 research institutes. Since the Technion opened its doors, more than 90,000 Technion alumni have played a huge part in creating and leading the ‘Startup Nation,’ impacting the lives of millions of people worldwide.

École Polytechnique, also known as L’X, is the leading French institution combining top-level research, academics, and innovation at the cutting-edge of science and technology. Its various undergraduate and graduate-level programs – Bachelor of Science, Ingénieur Polytechnicien (Master’s level program), Master’s, and PhD – are highly selective and promote a culture of excellence with a strong emphasis on science, anchored in humanist traditions. As a widely internationalized university, École Polytechnique offers a variety of international programs and attracts a growing number of foreign students and researchers from around the globe (currently 40% of students and 40% of faculty members). École Polytechnique offers an exceptional education to prepare bright men and women to excel in top-level key positions and lead complex and innovative projects which meet the challenges of 21st century society, all while maintaining a keen sense of their civil and social responsibilities. With its 23 laboratories, 22 of which are joint research units with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), the École Polytechnique Research Center explores the frontiers of interdisciplinary knowledge to provide major contributions to science, technology, and society. École Polytechnique is a founding member of Institut Polytechnique de Paris.