Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications • Hacker News Board

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#51

Post by cemerdem » Sun, Apr 03, 2011, 7:43 PM UTC

japherwocky wrote: post #49

crawdad1313 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It actually is "a thing" now...or at least it is for us (Project Skyway). We definitely questioned ourselves as to why we might want to include something like this. In the end, we feel it is a proxy for one's dedication to develop one's network. Certainly it is not the only measure by which one could reasonably judge someone's ability to have become involved in a community and it may not even be the right one, but so…

With all due respect, consider that I am a tech guy with business sense, trying to get seed level funding solo in the Midwest. LinkedIn represents all the bullshit I wish I could skip in the startup scene. LinkedIn is all the corporate politics and multi-tiered organizational madness I am trying to escape from by launching a startup. So on the one hand, I feel like I am the prime demographic you should be trying to a…

I don't know the roots of your strong emotional reaction against Linkedin but at the end of the day we all have our own opinions. Project Skyway can't be everything to everyone. Wish you the best. And I mean it.

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#52

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Apr 03, 2011, 9:46 PM UTC

bugsy wrote: post #50

crawdad1313 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bugsy, First point: Then don't apply. Second point - Read... Then read some more. Do a little research on what you get when you are accepted by an accelerator. We are not fortunate enough to have a benefactor like Yuri Milner who is blind betting on an entire system (yet), but then neither are the companies we will fund. We fall directly in line with what most other accelerators invest. Third and most important point…

Regarding applying, I run my own business and I am sure I make more than all you guys combined. My comments are because this is posted on HN not on your web site and I have a right to comment. Maybe some kids will read my comments and realize how bizarre a $6000 offer is all things considered. Sure, I understand that you are claiming to provide all sorts of introductions to power players, politicians and the illumina…

[deleted]

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#53

Post by bugsy » Sun, Apr 03, 2011, 10:36 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #52

bugsy wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regarding applying, I run my own business and I am sure I make more than all you guys combined. My comments are because this is posted on HN not on your web site and I have a right to comment. Maybe some kids will read my comments and realize how bizarre a $6000 offer is all things considered. Sure, I understand that you are claiming to provide all sorts of introductions to power players, politicians and the illumina…

[deleted]

I love it when people dig through old unrelated comments to try and drag out things in a reputation attack. Gosh the next stage is surely the criminal background check so one can triumphantly proclaim: "Bugsy was cited for drug paraphenalia possession in 1983!" It shows how weak the party's position is to resort to such attacks.

You should definitely spend a few days digging through all my comments. Feel free to drag out every thing I ever said and put it on parade in this thread in your counter attack. It's a great distraction from the points at hand and panders to the People magazine crowd much more effectively than than presenting a well thought response. It's fantastic, I love it. Good luck to you in your activities, parasitical and otherwise.

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#54

Post by japherwocky » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 1:36 AM UTC

cemerdem wrote: post #51

japherwocky wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With all due respect, consider that I am a tech guy with business sense, trying to get seed level funding solo in the Midwest. LinkedIn represents all the bullshit I wish I could skip in the startup scene. LinkedIn is all the corporate politics and multi-tiered organizational madness I am trying to escape from by launching a startup. So on the one hand, I feel like I am the prime demographic you should be trying to a…

I don't know the roots of your strong emotional reaction against Linkedin but at the end of the day we all have our own opinions. Project Skyway can't be everything to everyone. Wish you the best. And I mean it.

You're saying that you are a "tech accelerator" who values social networking more highly than technical skills. I'm just kind of baffled by the implications of that.

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#55

Post by lanerapp » Mon, Apr 04, 2011, 2:06 AM UTC

shii wrote: post #6

crawdad1313 wrote: post #4

This is a long time coming. Project Skyway has the coolest selection process ever for an accelerator plus they don't require a technical co-founder because they are providing every single team 2 full-time developers.

This smells strongly of 1999. What equity stake do the ancillary developers get? Sorry, but all this news of late of tons of startup accelerators and incubators popping up everywhere is a little unnerving. What is the rational of all these? Did all the RoR startups that will shake up the world have so much trouble finding funding that they need a new one every week?

There will always be a demand for good mentors. Accelerators imply that more than funding can help talent get their business to market ASAP. Like 1999 these times certainly smell like ASAP whether fortune or bust is the end result.

Re: Minnesota’s First Tech Accelerator Now Taking Applications

#56

Post by trmite » Tue, Apr 05, 2011, 12:44 AM UTC

mattbauer wrote: post #48

crawdad1313 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey Matt, It seems like you are getting more worked up about this than is warranted. Nobody is trying to pick a fight with you. In fact, we all admire what you are doing with PedalBrain and we all wish you nothing but complete success. We feel like every startup in Minnesota that "makes it" puts us one step closer to our goal. Now, to answer your question: I am not an investor right now. I hope to be able to do that…

I'm not worked up. I'm seeking clarity for those applying to Project Skyway. They're new, naive and easily taken advantage of. I'm asking the questions I would hope they would ask. If you haven't made enough on your exits to angel invest, then you built lifestyle companies which I understand Project Skyway doesn't want. Additionally, you're providing advice to entrepreneurs on how to create something which you haven'…

Isn't it little presumptuous of you to claim that their applicants are "new, naive and easily taken advantage of"? If you have something to say, say it for yourself instead of claiming to talk on behalf of others.