David Cohen Reappointed as CEO of Techstars After Maëlle Gavet Resigns

David Cohen, co-founder of Techstars has announced his return as the Chief Executive Officer of the accelerator. This is after the announced exit of CEO, Maëlle Gavet at the end of the month owing to health reasons. 

She will be replaced by David Cohen, co-founder and board chairman of Techstars. 

She said, “I will be rooting for all of you from the sidelines and will remain a supporter of #Techstarsforlife.”

David Cohen Replaces Maëlle As CEO 

In a LinkedIn post, Ms. Gavet revealed a personal history of thyroid cancer. 

She said, “Eleven years ago, I underwent surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid. While daily medication and regular checkups allowed me to manage the condition, recent tests indicated new nodules on my remaining thyroid.”

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In an email announcement, David expressed confidence in Maëlle leadership. “Over the past three and a half years, we have accomplished a great deal under Maëlle’s leadership,” he mentioned in the post. And, he expressed.

The announcement marks the end of a challenging period for Techstars under her leadership. Besides, her tenure has been characterized by significant controversies and operational difficulties.

David Cohen Announcement Highlights Maëlle’s Journey In Techstars

Gavet’s leadership style was unique, however, several employees and managing directors accused her of enabling a high-stress work environment. 

This climate reportedly led to a significant resignation of staff members. This impacted the company’s morale and operational stability.

Also, Techstars struggled to strike a balance between its aggressive growth ambitions and the imperative for profitability.

However, David Cohen acknowledged the difficulties of Gavet’s tenure while also recognizing her efforts to address them. He said, “She built a great team, made many tough decisions, and bravely enacted complex changes that were sorely needed,” Cohen stated. 

Finally, he emphasized that Gavet’s departure was primarily motivated by health concerns and expressed the collective goodwill of the company toward her as she focused on her well-being. 

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