Entrepreneur, VC, and storyteller. I invest in early-stage startups worldwide, share candid lessons from 20+ years in tech, and spotlight founders shaping the future. Join 100,000+ readers each week.
Better, Not Bigger
Published about 13 hours ago • 1 min read
🎙️ My Podcast with David Cohen (CEO & Co‑Founder of Techstars)
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This conversation is about what still matters when “building” becomes cheap: founder motivation, mentorship quality, networks, and the long game of startup communities.
AI can build a prototype by lunchtime. That’s the good news.
The bad news: it’s also never been easier to look like you can build a company—without actually understanding the business underneath.
In my latest Startup Istanbul episode, David Cohen (CEO & Co‑Founder of Techstars) breaks down what matters in 2026 when demos are cheap, hype is loud, and everyone has a “fantasy.xls” model.
1) Techstars’ reset:​ Techstars recommitted to three things: help founders succeed, embrace startup communities, and prioritize quality over volume—even if it means funding fewer companies.
2) The mentor test (use this immediately):​ Bad mentors prescribe: “This is always right.”​ Great mentors ask questions: Socratic, curious, experience-driven—without ego.
3) How Techstars uses AI:​ They treat AI as smarter software—useful for summarization, matching, and challenging decisions—but not as a replacement for the human work.
4) What makes pre-seed fundable:​ David looks for a big idea, a great storyteller, real momentum, and some kind of permission/insight/relationships that make the win feel plausible.
5) The one thing AI can’t automate:​ ​Human relationships.​ Trust, introductions, networks, alumni customers buying from alumni—this is still the compounding advantage.
The weekly question David wants every founder to ask
What can I stop doing?​ ​What can I automate?
If you’re building (or investing) in 2026, this conversation will sharpen your filters.
Techstars CEO & co-founder David Cohen joins Burak Büyükdemir on Startup Istanbul from Boulder, Colorado—where Techstars began—to break down what actually matters for founders and investors in 2026: “Better isn’t bigger—better is better.”
We talk about Techstars’ shift to funding fewer companies with better terms, how to spot good vs bad mentorship fast (Socratic questions vs rigid prescriptions), and how Techstars is using AI as “smarter software”—including an AI voice that challenges the investment committee—without trying to replace the human parts that compound: trust, relationships, and network effects.
I’m Burak Buyukdemir, GP at Startupist Ventures. I invest in early-stage startups globally. I’ve spent 20+ years helping founders, building communities, and sharing lessons from the entrepreneurial journey. Daily reality checks on linkedin​
Entrepreneur, VC, and storyteller. I invest in early-stage startups worldwide, share candid lessons from 20+ years in tech, and spotlight founders shaping the future. Join 100,000+ readers each week.
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