Brad Feld
Co-founder of Techstars and Foundry Group, longtime venture investor, and author of Give First. Boulder-based operator, writer, and mentor on startup communities and founder leadership.
Between Two COOs episodes featuring Brad Feld
About Brad Feld
Brad Feld is co-founder of Techstars, the global startup accelerator, and Foundry Group, the Boulder-based venture firm. He is one of the most prolific writers in venture capital, with books including Startup Communities, Venture Deals, Do More Faster, and most recently Give First, which expands on a philosophy he first articulated in a single paragraph of Startup Communities in 2012.
Feld frames Give First as a philosophy rather than a rule. He distinguishes it from pay-it-forward, which he views as transactional, and instead anchors it in non-transactional generosity, positive-sum thinking, and a long view of returns that may come back from anyone, at any time, in any form. He has been working with founders in Boulder since moving there in 1995 and has been a central figure in building that startup community.
His broader interest is the emotional operating systems of founders and leaders, how identity, mentorship, and meaning shape the way operators actually run their companies.
The COO's Execution Playbook
Frameworks, templates, and hard-won lessons from operators who've been in the chair. Every Tuesday.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.