Episode 8

Startups, Summit FC: Nicole Glaros on Techstar Boulder's Next Chapter

Published on: 12th November, 2025

Wednesday, November 12

Host: Shay Castle

Guest Host: Jeff Rozic

Guest: Nicole Glaros (Matchstick Ventures; former Techstars exec; Denver Summit FC catalyst)

Headlines

Elections wrap: Boulder County voters approved all tax measures, including a first-of-its-kind mental-health sales tax. Incumbents largely held city council seats countywide; Lauren Folkerts lost re-election in Boulder (first incumbent loss since 2017), replaced by Rob Kaplan. In Lafayette, two incumbents plus an affordable-housing advocate won; Longmont elected two at-large candidates focused on housing/affordability; BVSD District E: teacher Deann Bucher edged Jeffrey Lowe Anderson. Turnout 50% (vs. 52.5% in 2023). Full results: electionresults.bouldercounty.gov.

Mayor Onyx 🐾 (Niwot): A sheepadoodle named Onyx is Niwot’s newly elected mayor. Link below.

State champs: Niwot High Girls Cross Country are Colorado state champions. Link below.

New Boulder fees:
Transportation Maintenance Fee (6–3 vote): projected $6M+/yr; homeowners & businesses pay based on trip generation (~$11–$160/yr).
“Pop-the-top” Housing Fee: $11/sq ft on additions >500 sq ft or new homes replacing smaller ones (7–2 vote), projected $1.2M/yr for affordable housing.
Coverage via Daily Camera and Boulder Reporting Lab (links below).

Film premiere: Come See Me in the Good Light — about Colorado Poet Laureate Andrea Gibson — premieres on Apple TV Friday, Nov 14; BIFF streaming early 2026.

Feature — Nicole Glaros on Boulder’s Next Chapter

She sits at the intersection of Boulder’s tech DNA and Colorado women’s pro sports: longtime Techstars leader, now Matchstick Ventures partner, and an early mover behind Denver Summit FC (NWSL), launching March 28 at Empower Field.

Highlights

Techstars → Boulder reboot: After Techstars pulled back, Glaros and collaborators worked to fill the gap; with David Cohen returning as CEO, Boulder is back on the roadmap with local Shay Har-Noy. Expect a founder-first accelerator with deep community mentorship.

Matchstick Ventures (Fund IV): Investing pre-seed/seed “between the coasts,” optimizing the craft of early-stage backing and mentor networks.

Founders > everything: Nicole frames entrepreneurs as artists whose medium is business — risk, reputation, family time, and capital on the line — and why Boulder’s talent + support stack keeps maturing.

Denver Summit FC (NWSL): From “why not here?” to 70k-seat dreams: the economics and community momentum behind Colorado’s first women’s pro team — and why filling the stadium at kickoff will set national records and change the local sports economy.

Calls to action:
Summit FC: Get opening-day tickets; help open the upper bowl at Empower.
Techstars Boulder: Founders who want an intensive mentor-driven program should apply.