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What I've come to realize is that the "B-level" folks are really close to A-level, and if you look at the incubators not as a replacement for VC-fundable compan

What I've come to realize is that the "B-level" folks are really close to A-level, and if you look at the incubators not as a replacement for VC-fundable companies, but as a training system for YC/TechStars/Fundable startups then they are a huge success. For example, Founders Institute isn't the same level as TechStars or YCombinator overall, but the progress the individuals make over 12 weeks is STUNNING. Like really STUNNING. I look at this 500 accelerators as a training program for the top 25! In other words, go the Founders Institute and then apply to techstars. Thanks for pointing out my change of heart... I put myself out there and 50% of what i say is wrong.... then i get fact-checked and smarten up! :-p

kirinkalia 16y ago
In the research process we also found an interesting program called FastTrac from the Kauffman Foundation (http://fasttrac.org/ http://fasttrac.org/), known for its dedication to entrepreneurship. The program has been around since the late 1980s/early 1990s. Now, there is a cost ($700 to $1200), but FastTrac is available in 49 states and Puerto Rico, making it a much more realistic option for folks of all ages who want to get their own business launched. The FastTrac TechVenture program, which started in 2006 and is meant for tech and science-oriented businesses, is in 25 states. FastTrac President Alana Muller shared the following in an email to me: <<FastTrac TechVenture is not a competitor to incubators/accelerators. Instead, it is complementary to incubators/accelerators and provides the requisite ecosystem – information, resources, networking contacts, frameworks, etc. that an entrepreneur needs in order to know how to get a business started.>>