Cintrifuse CEO joins world's largest startup accelerator board

In a move that could have national implications for Cincinnati’s tech scene, Cintrifuse CEO Wendy Lea will join the board of directors for Denver-based Techstars, the world’s largest tech startup accelerator network.

Lea’s involvement with Techstars can be traced back to the accelerator’s founding in Boulder, Colo., in 2006. She became CEO of Cintrifuse in 2014 and worked in 2016 to establish Cincinnati as a host for FounderCon, an annual gathering of Techstars alumni.
 
“As a Techstars mentor since 2007, Wendy understands the value of our mission,” says Techstars co-founder and co-CEO David Cohen. “In 2016, she was instrumental in bringing the most recent Techstars founder event, FounderCon, to Cincinnati, an emerging startup hub in the Midwest. We plan to lean on Wendy for strategies that make this a win-win for founders, startup communities and corporations with a desire for innovation.”
 
In addition to growing entrepreneurial endeavors, Techstars is a philanthropic foundation. Lea will help steer the organization as one of seven directors.
 
To date, more than 1100 entrepreneurs — including a few Cincinnati companies — have completed the Techstars accelerator program.
 
Cincinnati leaders like CincyTech president Mike Venerable hope that Lea’s addition to the Techstars board will mean opportunities for Cincinnati and growth for our tech scene.
 
"Wendy's energy and experience have already had a great impact here, capped by her work to bring Techstars' FounderCon to Cincinnati late last year," Venerable says. "Her seat on the Techstars board gives our region the collected wisdom and learnings of the Techstars global community and connections that are unmatched in the startup space."