If anyone asks what inspires me to continue to volunteer for @techstars @startupweekend #startupweek after 8 years and never miss an important gathering of the top community leaders, coworking space operators and facilitators like #TechstarsSummit? Here’s the secret sauce imho that makes this community one of the most unique and rewarding for me: 1) Mission driven - Techstars is mission driven to be the “Worldwide network that help entrepreneurs succeed”. So consistent is their communications that I can basically pitch Techstars to anyone that wants to know what it does in my sleep! 2) #Givefirst culture - Techstars can always been grounded on a culture of service before self that truly resonates with my Buddhist belief in positive karma. But beyond that, the culture permeates in every presentation and interaction with Techstars staff, whether it is David Brown, the CEO to the newest staff on the team. It is also acts like a social screening mechanism that repels the bad actors and people who are just doing it for the fame and $$$. You really know that people live their values and can be trusted for life when you see them with this amazing network for close to a decade. 3) Lifelong learning - Every Techstars event is centered around experiential learning especially from the peers which represent the top shelf experts in their ecosystem, whether it is from Hong Kong to Puerto Rico, Bhutan to Torino; casually at the bar, in round tables or as a keynote, there’s no shortage of stories and experiences for you to be reinspired and take copious notes down. 4) No talk, all action - This is not a network of talking heads and visionary. Actions are the currency for you to continue to be part of this amazing network. This keeps me and everyone on our toes but it also means there’s very little room for status seekers & politics. 5) Global connections - The ability to literally get plugged in, ask for help and have friends literally in every country and city on the planet is not any other network can offer and even if they did, most people are not engaged. The fact is that every continent in the world is represented is a testament in the power of the Techstars! (at OGR - Officine Grandi Riparazioni Torino) https://www.instagram.com/p/B29FTAOnylq/?igshid=dc1yyexqdk7m