Word got out earlier this year that Techstars Boston’s Katie Rae had plans to step down from her role as director. Friday, Techstars officially tapped prominent local angel investor Semyon Dukach to take the reins of the heralded Boston accelerator.
Techstars Demo Day, scheduled for April 29th, will be Rae’s last day as director, and her first working full-time on her early-stage venture fund, Project 11. The Boston Globe reported last August that the fund, co-founded by fellow Techstars Director Reed Sturtevant, will make investments in the $10,000 to $50,000 range in Internet-enabled businesses.
Until then, however, Dukach will be working closely with Rae and the Techstars team to learn the ropes.
Dukach has long been involved with Techstars as an investor and mentor to the program’s companies. This comes as a natural, and exciting, next step for the local thought leader:
I think Katie was passionate about helping the entrepreneurs and empowering them … and I think I bring the same thing Katie brought: that true interest. I really care about the founders, and I’m driven and motivated by the ability to make an impact on their lives, and become a friend and really help.
Over the past 20 years, Dukach has invested in a number of local companies, including Codeship, CoachUp, Krash, Dashbell, CO Everywhere and many more. Interestingly, Dukach is also an investor in Rae’s new fund.
“The more I made myself focus on just helping people, the more success I had. I’m constantly trying to avoid thinking about making money,” Dukach said. “I told myself I wasn’t going to worry about that, and instead pick founders who are really passionate about their customers.”
Prior to becoming a full-time angel investor, Dukach co-founded several companies including Fast Engines (acquired by Adero in 2000). He is also the Chairman of Nasdaq-listed SMTP, and the founder of the Troublemaker Award, which gifts $10,000 to a teen catalyzing big changes and progress in the world. He’s also known for leading one of the MIT’s infamous card-counting blackjack teams in the 90s.
Said Dukach:
The entrepreneurs are my customers … Give first. What better way to spend your time than helping others, and if you’re an angel investor, what better way to spend your money?
Image via YouTube
