The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), through SHRMLabs, has announced a partnership with the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator to identify and support innovative technologies that will address the challenges of the labor market.
SHRMLabs is the workplace innovation hub and venture capital arm of SHRM.
“This partnership will allow SHRMLabs to bring together leading innovators and human resources technology experts with global investors and corporations,” said Guillermo Corea, SHRMLabs managing director.
Techstars is an investor and accelerator in early-stage technology companies, founded in Boulder, Colo. Taylor McLemore, managing director of the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator, spoke with SHRM Online about the program, how to identify winning startups, and the partnership with SHRM.
SHRM Online: What is the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator?
McLemore: The Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator is one of the many Techstars three-month accelerators operating around the world. This intensive program concept brings together and supports a group of startup founders to gain funding, access mentorship and join the Techstars network for life. Over 6,000 startup founders have participated in Techstars accelerators globally, building companies across industries from space to fintech to environmental sustainability.
Our workforce development accelerator specifically invests in startups that enable human potential through work. This includes education technology companies focusing on workforce education, job tech startups using technology to improve how job seekers connect with employers, and future-of-work ventures building employer solutions. Examples from our portfolio include Mentor Spaces, a community-driven mentorship platform designed to make it easier for companies to attract, hire and retain underrepresented talent; TiLT, a company revolutionizing employee leave in the workplace; and Honest Jobs, a venture that helps people impacted by the criminal justice system find employment fast.
SHRM Online: What are the key attributes you look for when choosing startups to work with?
McLemore: We focus on the founding team above all else. Our goal is to identify startup founders that are building ventures with the potential to be very valuable economically and inclusively generate value for a broad set of stakeholders. For example, if a startup founder is building a solution for employers, we look to see that they are balancing the value proposition to the employer with the agency of the employee. When we look at founding teams, conviction and tenacity are critical because it takes years to build a company that solves hard and important problems. These founders wake up energized by their mission. They exhibit a natural responsibility to manage the …….