Family Offices are increasingly engaging with venture capital — not just as an asset class, but as a way to expose rising generations to innovation, build relationships with founders, and create long-term optionality inside their portfolios. At the same time, many families struggle to understand how venture actually works, how risk is managed, and how to distinguish signal from noise in early-stage investing.
Join Danielle Patterson, CEO of Family Office Access, for a candid conversation with two of the most influential builders in the global venture ecosystem:
• David Cohen — Co-Founder & CEO of Techstars
• Brad Feld — Co-Founder of Techstars and Foundry Group, and author of Venture Deals, Give First, and Startup Communities
For those less familiar, Techstars is one of the most successful accelerator platforms in the world, having helped launch more than 5,000 companies across 25 global programs. Collectively, Techstars companies have raised over $30B, represent more than $127B in market value, include 22 unicorns, and have produced 500+ exits.
David and Brad will draw on two decades of lived experience working with thousands of founders, investors, and LPs to demystify venture dynamics for Family Offices and rising generations.
Conversation Themes:
→ How David and Brad met and built Techstars
→ What working with 5,000+ startups teaches you about pattern recognition
→ How Family Offices can think about venture as education, not just allocation
→ Why volume, failure, and long time horizons matter in venture portfolios
→ The role of mentorship, generosity, and “Give First” in durable ecosystems
→ What founders consistently get wrong when approaching capital
→ How families and advisors can build effective relationships with venture managers
Why This Matters for Family Offices:
This session bridges two communities that increasingly overlap. Family Offices want access, understanding, and strategic frameworks for engaging with venture capital. Venture ecosystems benefit from long-term, values-aligned capital and thoughtful partners. This conversation helps both sides understand how to work together successfully.
Who Should Attend:
• Family Office principals and CIOs
• Next-generation family members exploring venture
• Advisors supporting venture, education, or governance strategies
• Founders and fund managers seeking to understand how families evaluate relationships
April 16th, 2026
Virtual