Join Silicon Flatirons on Friday, October 3, for a lively noon-hour conversation between Brad Feld (Managing Director, Foundry Group; Techstars co-founder; and author of Give First) and Brad Bernthal (Executive Director of Silicon Flatirons and Associate Professor at Colorado Law).
Feld’s latest book, Give First, traces how a deceptively simple idea born in Boulder – i.e., that entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors would freely give their time, expertise, and connections without predefined terms of exchange – grew into a global startup norm.
At a time when many institutions struggle to maintain trust and connection, Give First offers a hopeful blueprint for building communities that are both innovative and generous. The philosophy centers on creating and sustaining social capital, through mentorship and support without expectation of direct return, precisely when such capital is diminishing in many parts of society. This program blends personal stories, practical takeaways, and a candid exploration of how startup culture can model new ways of working together.
Feld will share insights from the Boulder ecosystem that fostered Give First, as well as lessons from building and scaling Techstars’ norms around the globe. Bernthal, an early Techstars mentor and academic researcher on mentorship systems, will offer his perspective on the sociology, sustainability, and limits of the approach. Finally, the two Brads will look ahead to Give First’s future evolution and offer their thoughts about how the practice may be adapted in an era of distributed teams and digital-first communities.
Sessions
Discussion
@ Wolf Law Bldg, Wittemyer Courtroom
Executive Director & Entrepreneurship Initiative Director, Silicon Flatirons
Partner and Co-founder, Foundry
Lunch and Book Signing
@ Wolf Law Bldg, Boettcher Hall