Techstars vs Plug and Play Tech Center
How Techstars and Plug and Play Tech Center compare on investment, equity, format, stage and timing. Every figure comes from the programs' own sites, verified November 4, 2026.
| Techstars | Plug and Play Tech Center | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $220K | None |
| Equity | 5% | No equity |
| Deal terms | $220K: $20K for 5% common stock (post-money convertible equity agreement) + $200K uncapped MFN post-money SAFE | Equity-free program participation; optional separate investment via Plug and Play Ventures on negotiated terms |
| Format | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Headquarters | Boulder, United States | Sunnyvale, United States |
| Stage | pre-seed, seed | seed, series a, series b |
| Sectors | general, ai, health, fintech, climate | general, enterprise, fintech, health, mobility |
| Duration | 3 months | 3 months |
| Application cycle | Program-specific; multiple programs run spring and fall cohorts | Multiple vertical batches per year across locations |
| Next deadline | November 18, 2026 | Not published |
Investment is the full standard package; where part of it is an uncapped SAFE, the equity stake covers only the fixed part (see deal terms). Terms change; confirm on each official site before applying.
About
Techstars
Global pre-seed investor founded in Boulder in 2006, running three-month, mentorship-driven accelerators in cities including Boston, Boulder, Chicago, New York, London and Tokyo, plus the remote Techstars Anywhere and corporate-partnered themed programs. Since 2025 its standard deal is $220K, and some programs, such as New York, now run in a hybrid format.
Notable alumni: SendGrid, DigitalOcean, ClassPass, PillPack
About
Plug and Play Tech Center
Plug and Play is a Sunnyvale-based innovation platform and venture investor, founded in 2006 by Saeed Amidi, that runs industry-specific accelerator programs pairing startups with corporate partners in offices worldwide. Participation in its accelerator programs is equity-free; any investment comes separately from its venture arm on negotiated terms.
Notable alumni: PayPal, Dropbox, LendingClub, Honey
Key differences
Techstars or Plug and Play Tech Center?
- Does Techstars or Plug and Play Tech Center invest more?
- Techstars invests more: $220K against no investment from Plug and Play Tech Center.
- Which takes less equity, Techstars or Plug and Play Tech Center?
- Plug and Play Tech Center takes no equity, against 5% for Techstars.
- When are the next Techstars and Plug and Play Tech Center deadlines?
- Techstars' next published deadline is November 18, 2026. Plug and Play Tech Center has no upcoming deadline published (application cycle: Multiple vertical batches per year across locations).
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