TheFunded Founder Creates A Startup Camp For Young CEOs | Hacker News Reader

TheFunded Founder Creates A Startup Camp For Young CEOs

techcrunch.com

32 pointsthepanister14 comments

Teaching startup entrepreneurs how to create/run a business is a waste of time. Entrepreneurs only need to identify markets and build products they believe will generate interest, and can be monetize beyond the break even point.

What are you going to teach them? How to pitch?

The value of an incubator is not the lessons on how to incorporate or how to close a deal. The value is the network. Your incubator must be connected with VCs, the Media and more importantly Buyers.

Everything the entrepreneur will pick up as he goes. Also most of the things that apply to all startups (accounting, payroll, incorporation), they should simply outsource it and focus on building a product.

Bring me money. Bring me buyers. Bring me customers. Bring me Media attention. The rest we got it. Spending 8 hours a week learning how to create a great powerpoint presentation is not an entrepreneur's business. When you get to the point where you need to learn these things, you go hire yourself an MBA.

Just my 2 cents. That being said, I wish he helps startups launch.

I agree the network is extremely valuable, but Kiko was funded by YC before they had ready access to the best angels in Silicon Valley, and one of the most valuable things that Y Combinator gave us was just the affirmation that it is possible to go start a startup out of college. I didn't got to MIT or Stanford (not complaining, I went to Yale :P) so it was a bit of a leap to go try and start a tech startup right after graduation.

Here's what he is going to teach: http://topicki.heroku.com/projects/2

I think it means your feedback is welcome, by the way.

I agree with you that a lot of value is the network. If Adeo does his job well, he will select smart entrepreneurs. A smart crowd is a great friend to have.

Plus Adeo just put together a VC event, so I guess it answers your concerns about VC connections and possible "negativity". Doesn't seem to be a problem.

If I was cynical, I'd add that as soon as he comes up with a pool of interesting startups, VCs will be all over him to get early access.

Good points, but not everyone that can build a good product has the ability to position it, promote it, and sell it - a crash course could be of great value.

Further, paying in warrants for a class is much less expensive than hiring an MBA.

Well then let's hope it is the non-technical co-founder without a MBA who seats there.

This is great. The more of these seed camps the better, in my opinion.

agreed, any help is good.

So basically the offer is tuition for some dubiously useful courses in exchange for options on your future company.

ACT NOW!

The whole concept of not investing until after graduation has some merit...but I see 3 problems with this:

a) this guy has no pedigree...all he has going for him is that VC rating site

b) He has no practical experience, when he had a VC rating website, what did he learn about pitching to investors?

c) As a fresh startup...do you really want to start out with ties to someone who has negative relations with pretty much all VCs?

It just seems like he is an opportunist who is jumping on a bandwagon,

In response to 'a' and 'b':

http://www.adeoressi.com/about/

Upmodded for the most ass-kicking refutation I've seen here in a long time.

Edit: Maybe that's harsh, but one ought to be careful before saying that someone has "no pedigree".

Crunchbase fails me again: http://www.crunchbase.com/person/adeo-ressi

I agree with your point c...do you want to be associating yourself with someone who's legacy is a website that allows people to anonymously trash-talk their VCs?

...and therefore may help you avoid getting shafted?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com