Program seeks applications for founders building an innovation economy where all belong.

Techstars, a global investment business providing access to capital, community, and customized programming for early-stage entrepreneurs, today announced the appointment of Adam H. Phillips as the new Managing Director of the Techstars Equitech Accelerator. Adam brings more than 20 years of legal, business, and investment experience to founders who will be selected for the Techstars Equitech Accelerator. 

The Techstars Equitech Accelerator was brought to Baltimore by UpSurge as part of its work to build the country’s first Equitech city, a phrase it coined. UpSurge is laser-focus on building an innovative startup community focused on entrepreneurs across a range of sectors, and on building on ramps into tech for Baltimoreans from across the city. This program provides opportunities for all of Baltimore’s citizens, and Adam brings his operational, legal, and investment expertise to the partnership.

“The future belongs to creative builders and smart risk-takers,” Adam said. “Baltimore is a city with real momentum and full of innovators. I look forward to leading Techstars Equitech to grow companies as part of this great community.”  

Adam has spent the last 15 years investing in and operating early stage businesses. He was one of the first five employees at a venture-backed Edtech startup and has been part of the founding team for multiple VC funded businesses. Adam has been a leader at several organizations in the investment ecosystem as a Venture Partner with Republic, 11Tribes Ventures, and the Managing Director at MoxE Venture Partners. He also spent several years of his professional life in the policy and regulatory sectors as a Senior Attorney and Director at the United States Department of Justice, the United States Congress, and the United States Department of Transportation. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with Adam in his role as Managing Director of the Techstars Equitech accelerator. Adam brings a deep knowledge of startups and investing and a passion for our mission. He has a builders-first mentality and we clicked immediately,” said Jamie McDonald, CEO of UpSurge.

With applications closing on September 28, the Techstars Equitech Accelerator will prioritize founders supporting UpSurge’s distinctive framework of ‘equitech.’ Equitech is an industry-agnostic framework focused on building an innovation economy where all belong. It’s a force-multiplier, building on the proven benefits of diverse teams, leaders, and perspectives. Equitech is a lens to attract, align, and support startups – not a filter to exclude them. Equitech companies include those grounded in the values of diversity, those led by underestimated founders, and those developing technologies that increase access and equity in society.

About Techstars

The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas—entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from, the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Techstars has invested in more than 3,100 companies with a combined market cap of more than $140B. www.techstars.com

About UpSurge

UpSurge Baltimore is trying to accomplish something that has not been done before: to build a dynamic innovation hub, an Equitech city, where rockstar companies led by diverse entrepreneurs are born and thrive, where the tech workforce of the future grows up in every neighborhood,, and where prosperity is shared across every Zip code. Over time, not only will entrepreneurs and investors around the world look to Baltimore as a launching pad for transformational companies, but more Baltimoreans will see the knowledge economy as a pathway for their own upwardly mobile futures. www.upsurgebaltimore.com

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