Crash Dev - Latest Comments

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Abdulmalik Badamasi — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 22:14:03 -0000

I totally agree with you, perhaps women just don't fancy the industry as much.

Forcing women into STEM isn'r solving this problem as we can see

Re: For fundraising success, forget the firm + focus on founder / partner fit

Sara — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 09:48:21 -0000

Completely agree, most of what we do in life is relationship building and seeking to understand where there’s commonality in viewpoints

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Marcelo Calbucci — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 04:20:18 -0000

Congrats, Chris. I really admire how you owned this mistake and started a process to fix it!

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Chris DeVore — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 17:35:43 -0000

Thanks Cassie + agree - it's a hard pattern to break out of but hopeful that a small change now will lead to progressively bigger improvements over time, as long as we do right by those who took the early leap of faith.

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Cassie Wallender — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 17:25:28 -0000

That is interesting, thank you for sharing. I really appreciate your transparency in this pursuit, and shared learnings can and will help others.

The idea of being able to seeing yourself in something, being able to imagine yourself there because you have a role model that you can relate to, really resonates with me. It's one reason I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, because I want little girls to know software can realistically be a future for them. (Also a reason I loved the film "Hidden Figures"!)

If people were not applying before because they didn't think they matched a type you were looking for, having more diverse cohorts will start to change that and encourage even more people to apply in. In other words, I believe your efforts will lead to a positive-impact snowball, if you will. I'm excited for Techstars Seattle!

Everyone should feel welcome. Thank you for being purposeful. :-)

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Chris DeVore — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:49:29 -0000

Thanks, Cassie - the most interesting / surprising learning for me was how many people from our most under-represented communities were actively choosing not to apply because they didn't see themselves in our brand, leadership or alumni. That was hard to hear, but it started a real conversation about our efforts and intentions that started to build trust, to the point that those leaders were willing to refer us into their networks as people worthy of trust (at least until proven otherwise).

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Chris DeVore — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:46:33 -0000

Thank you, Farrah!

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Cassie Wallender — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:41:01 -0000

Congratulations on the new class.

How did you get the gains you made? Was it mostly a matter of asking the community for more and broader introductions?

Re: Techstars Seattle 2018 Diversity Update: Getting Better, With Your Help

Farrah — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 13:46:02 -0000

Chris, your devotion to bettering diversity in your program is commendable. I just want you to know that I appreciate you and all of your efforts.

Re: For fundraising success, forget the firm + focus on founder / partner fit

Chris DeVore — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 09:34:17 -0000

Thanks Hunter!

Re: Investment Thesis: Why do we say no (and yes) at Founders’ Co-op?

Mike Chittick — Fri, 19 May 2017 15:38:46 -0000

Great post, even if it's a few years old! I assume all of the information is still relevant. I look forward to starting this fundraising journey with our own tech startup. Thanks!

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Slaggggg — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 16:31:58 -0000

If all of this effort to promote women in tech has produced such lackluster results ... is it possible that perhaps most women simply aren't interested? We are now at a point where women have considerable advantages over men in tech -- many companies encourage hiring of women over men, there are women-only coding groups, women-only mentorship programs ... even your whole post advantages women over men. If women have so much encouragement and so many advantages but are not responding, then maybe you are just pushing up a hill you can't climb?

And why sole the focus from you on women in tech? Are you equally concerned about other male-dominated fields? Why aren't there more women working in construction jobs, for instance? Or the flip side ... I have noticed that many waitresses, nurses, ballet dancers, and social workers all tend to be women. Would you advocate as passionately for more men to enter those fields? If not, why not? Why do you only care about one industry?

As much as it feels good to say you are for women, maybe there is just something about the makeup of human beings that makes some people pursue one profession and others different ones. Perhaps people have different values than you, or get rewards from different things than you. Maybe that's OK.

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Chris DeVore — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 16:55:13 -0000

Liz - thanks for the detailed roadmap + those are awesome results. I've definitely been aware of the blind screen as an approach but haven't tried it yet; will review with the Techstars pipeline team to see if we can apply that in our process (even if just an A/B to start) to see how it impacts our top-of-funnel metrics. Huge thanks for the smart ideas + examples!

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Liz Roberts — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 16:42:26 -0000

Chris - I just found this post via yesterday’s ICIC Blog post. Thank you for raising this issue and all you are doing. I wrote and organized signers of the DACPledge.org Megan is referencing. At ValleyVentureMentors.org we created a unique selection process that is founder blind for the first two phases with goal of rewarding entrepreneur aptitude and startup merit and are seeing some surprising results.

Our current 2017 Accelerator Cohort of 36 startups are 65% women led companies and 50% people of color led companies.

Processing large numbers of applications fairly(mindful of implicit and explicit bias) is incredibly difficult. We are still learning and optimizing our process but pasting below in case helpful.

At the heart of VVM’s unique process is:

Founder-Blind Peer Selection - Applicants must read, score, and provide “Lovingly Critical” feedback to 25 of their fellow applicants. The documents they review only contain information about the business idea. No information about the entrepreneurs (such as name, age, gender, race, etc) is included. This leads to a founder-blind, merit-based, initial screening based on 25 points of data versus a handful of judges/reviewers. It also tests for each applicant's follow through, how they give feedback and genuine interest in our program.

Screening Parties - Roughly 100 VVM Mentors come together for a fun, fast-paced event where they get to meet and interview the top tier of companies (50 - 60) that make it through the peer selection process. Here each team is interviewed/scored by at least 12 judges.

Results:

Diverse - VVM has no quotas. Yet, we have one of the most diverse accelerators in the world (2016 Accelerator of 35 startups were 50% women-led and 36% led by people of color).

Fair - These systems also provide enough judges for each startup that any one fluke will not kill an entrepreneur’s chances of getting into the program.

Scalable - These systems allow VVM to process hundreds of applications while achieving the fairness and diversity results we are so proud of.

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Chris DeVore — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 19:08:37 -0000

Thanks for the note + encouragement, Lisa - will read + circle back

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

lisa chick — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 12:02:39 -0000

Love that you're leading on this, Chris! And that you're admitting failure, but not defeat. Just read this interview with the awesome Jane Park and thought it had some relevant points. http://www.elle.com/beauty/... We thought a lot about inclusivity and diversity at City Year, and it's one of the most diverse workplaces in the country - there may or may not be transferable lessons for your work, but happy to chat if that's of interest. Thanks for fighting the good fight!

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Kathleen Urbanic — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:15:00 -0000

I enjoyed reading your analysis. I have worked for an early-stage startup in an incubator, but the most entrepreneurial people I know are experienced software/tech professionals (of all different backgrounds, orientations, gender..) who consult. It isn't that they are not capable of pitching an idea or developing a business plan as a startup founder. They find self-sufficiency more enticing. For women, it allows them to return after a break in employment yet still bill at a a decent rate. I don't have data, but I'm wondering if the diverse group of entrepreneurs are hard at work consulting..

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

RF — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 14:24:15 -0000

I am an hispanic male who founded a startup along with 2 female co-founders. Our company attended a fairly prestigious accelerator several years ago. Based upon my experience, I would neither form nor recommend that any minorties who have not attended prestigious colleges attempt to start a company that requires outside investment. Fixing a prestigious accelerator is a laudible goal but the biases in the VC ecosystem will still present seemingly insurmountable hurdles to overcome.

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Steven Gonzalez — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 14:06:06 -0000

Will do!

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Chris DeVore — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 14:01:04 -0000

Hi Steven - thanks for the note and I completely understand your perspective; the truth is that entrepreneurship isn't the right choice for most people, no matter their gender, ethnicity or cultural background. Our goal isn't to turn people into founders who don't want to be, but to be sure our doors and hearts are open to founders from any background to pursue their dreams as part of our network. Where we're failing right now is in reaching founders from under-represented communities and making them feel welcomed in our community. My only request of you is to share that intent with anyone you know who might want that life for themselves - Latino or otherwise - so they understand how serious we are about building an open and inclusive community of founders from all backgrounds.

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Steven Gonzalez — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 13:46:34 -0000

Hi Chris, first, thanks to you and all of Techstars for being committed to expanding opportunities for women and underrepresented minority entrepreneurs. I do not have a good understanding of the Seattle culture, but I am a 39 yr old Hispanic male (Feels weird saying that) living in the Boulder, CO area so I can just give you my thoughts. Having read a little of the “Startup Life” by Brad Feld, I quickly learned that I cannot live this life. My upbringing, and this is just me, is that family is very important, and I need to work and provide for my family. Sure I can work a job and be in a startup at night, but I need to be a part of my family. Being with my family is very important to me. I think this may be just one hurdle that you may need to resolve if you want to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities. I’d love to help you, so if would like to talk more, just let me know.

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Chris DeVore — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 13:43:33 -0000

Thanks Laure - we don't explicitly track age data, and often have to fight the perception that we're focused on recent college grads. Most of the founders in our program are actually experienced founders or business leaders, not kids right out of school. I think we need to work harder to communicate that not just to women, but to applicants from all communities - more to do on that front!

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Laure — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 13:33:34 -0000

Some great suggestions here. Curious if you also track age as a factor in diversity? My suspicion is that women often feel more need to get experience and expertise before founding a company, and on the other hand a lot of startup resources are focused on young people. The senior ranks of many tech companies probably are an untapped source of great leadership and ideas that don't make it into "startup culture."

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Daniel Mumby — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 20:08:09 -0000

Brad, we've spent the last 4 years thinking about these challenges Downunder, & iterating a series of offerings that address these challenges. Keen to chat when you come back, though as you mentioned 2 weeks ago when you were here, you aren't sure when that would be. Skype?
Daniel

Re: Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help

Chris DeVore — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 19:18:23 -0000

Thanks for the note of support - I know it's long game but Techstars' motto is "Do More Faster" and I'd like that to be true on our diversity efforts just as much as with our startups!