Nicole Glaros

Nicole Glaros is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and the CEO and founder of Phos, which invests in early-stage technology-based startups. Additionally, she is the co-founder of ForDenverFC, an effort to launch a women’s professional soccer team in Colorado.

Prior to Phos, Glaros was Chief Investment Strategy Officer at Techstars, a global network and investor in early-stage web software startups. One of the original employees, she was instrumental in the company's growth from one office in Boulder, Colorado to an international powerhouse, with over 50 programs worldwide, events in over 500+ cities, and a market cap of over $77B with nearly $1B assets under management.

Glaros got her entrepreneurial start in the fourth grade, orchestrating cousins into theatrical plays and charging neighbors admission. While earning a master’s degree in sport psychology at the University of Florida, Glaros co-founded a tech startup that retailed products to the property management industry. It was there she developed her lifelong passion for entrepreneurship, technology, performance coaching, and seed-stage investing.

Glaros sits on the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Denver Branch, One Way Ventures, Greater Colorado Venture Fund, and the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. She was named one of the "Coolest People in New York Tech" by Business Insider, one of the "Most 7 Powerful Women to Watch" by Entrepreneur magazine, and one of Marie Claire's "NewGuard." She has been featured on CNBC, Inc.com, and Huffington Post, and her talks have been featured at SXSW, TEDx, WebSummit, Pioneers Festival, Arctic15, the University of Colorado, Real Leaders, @WomenatForbes Mentoring Moments, and many more.

Glaros blends the strategic with the tactical and loves pushing her own limits and the limits of those around her. She has been a competitive swimmer, triathlete, and boxer. She has summited Mt. Rainer, is a NOLS graduate, has guided adventure travel trips, and loves traveling to places radically different than home. She lives the mantra #GiveFirst and does one philanthropic thing every year, and is always looking for new ways to learn, grow, and help others.