

Y Combinator Inspires Imitators - drm237
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/sep2007/sb20070926_620433.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+stories
Paul Graham's intensive workshop permits investors and startups to check each other out with a minimum of risk and a maximum of potential
======
ratsbane
That article didn't mention PARC's incubator program, although I think by
contrast PARC's program shows what YC can do right. Before you even read much
about PARC's deal you have to agree to a page of over-capitalized legalese:
<http://www.parc.com/about/startup/startup-form.php>

Compare that with YC's entry point - read discussions without any barriers,
then enter username, password, click create account - and start posting
comments which will help YC get to know you.

YC's Reddit-style forum is much more enticing than Seedcamp's old-school forum
(although Seedcamp's graphics are pretter.)

Is understanding of design and programming a predictor of good angel-ness?

~~~
Jd
<<Is understanding of design and programming a predictor of good angel-ness?>>

Yes, IMO.

------
rms
It's kind of funny seeing my name next to Paul Graham and Saul Klein. I'm a
little out of my league, but I just so happened to say exactly what she wanted
to publish. The only former Y Combinator startup founder I know that went on
to work for Google was one of the guys from flagr. Yes, I know that most Y
Combinator companies now are founded by college graduates.

My first mainstream media PR hit would've been a whole lot better if she would
have said "Kevin Fischer, founder of www.hivgene.com." instead of Kevin
Fischer, Y Combinator reject. Maybe next time.

(to anyone wondering, she saw some posts of mine on a thread comparing Y
Combinator to Techstars on the Techcrunch forums and emailed me for an
interview. 22 minutes on the phone.)

------
drm237
For more info on this right from the reddit Guys, check out
[http://reddit.blogspot.com/2007/09/posterboys-for-yc-
emphasi...](http://reddit.blogspot.com/2007/09/posterboys-for-yc-emphasis-on-
boys.html)

------
smock
The quote, "It's cheaper equity", seems like a bad p.r. move. I've never heard
that as a stated reason for YC's investment model, regardless of whether it is
one. I think it betrays one of the most significant differences between YC and
the imitators - a certain level of class. But, I'm sure the other incubators
provide great opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

~~~
rms
Yes, that wasn't a smart thing for David Cohen to say.

------
Shorel
"There already is a Y Combinator in your town: Y Combinator."

Bullshit. I live in South America. Show me the Y Combinator in Bogota.

~~~
drm237
The point is that anyone can apply to YC from anywhere. If you're accepted,
you'll still be required to move to where ever YC is that session, but it's
still open to you.

There's a reason they ask you to move to the bay area or Cambridge. You can't
just duplicate the atmosphere in a non-startup epicenter. This is probably the
best reason not to have YC programs everywhere. And what good would a YC
franchise be without the 4 partners? Unless the franchise owner can attract
the same kind of speakers, the experience would be significantly less
worthwhile.

~~~
rms
> Unless the franchise owner can attract the same kind of speakers, the
> experience would be significantly less worthwhile.

But as long as the franchise owner is of better caliber than the Y Europe guy,
it's a lot better than nothing. YC only funds 50 startups a year, there is a
lot of unmet demand for similar services.

~~~
drm237
Is it better? I read something from PG saying most people don't actually need
to the money; they come to YC for the learning experience and the
relationships develop. So if that portion can't be duplicated, having a
second-rate franchise is only marginally better then just using angel
investors.

~~~
shawndrost
Here's a list of what people get from yc, roughly in order of how important I
think they are:

1) pg/yc's advice and connections

2) other smart hackers' advice and connections

3) a complex package I'll call moral support. This includes the validation of
their plans, committment to working full-time, and some other less important
factors.

4) being able to say "I am funded by yc"

5) publicity

6) money

1), 4), and 5) are hard to replicate well, but I don't think it'd be hard to
do them better than an angel (depending on the angel). Angels are also useless
at 2, and they take more equity. I think there's a lot of value in even
mediocre yc knockoffs, and that we'll see a lot more of them in the coming
years.

------
yters
YCU

------
ideas101
Paul Graham should start thinking about franchising ... another business with
pay-day almost everyday :-) and I would be the first to take franchise (I'm
damm serious) ... anyway mushrooming clones will be good for new startups ...

~~~
davidw
I wouldn't be so quick to vote this down... pg has made comments in the past
(sorry, too lazy to dig for them) about YC "scaling up". I'll respectfully
disagree with him until I see it, but he seems to have some opinions on the
matter.

