We discussed a number of things including:

1. Melissa's entrepreneurial journey

2. The Techstar application process and its community

3. State of the funding and accelerator market  

4. Challenges and opportunities ahead

5. Future trends domestically and globally

Melissa is the Managing Director of Techstars Atlanta Powered by J.P. Morgan, startup operator, and early-stage investor. During her tenure as a startup operator, she has spent more than a decade scaling startups from pre-revenue through Series C growth, resulting in seven acquisitions.  

As an investor, Melissa focuses on startups that are building the future of Commerce, Consumer, and the Creator Economy.