> Unlike YC, most of the people starting copycat programs were not nerds, were not software developers, did not focus on encouraging programmers to start busine

> Unlike YC, most of the people starting copycat programs were not nerds, were not software developers, did not focus on encouraging programmers to start businesses, and most had not started their own startups despite having almost no business doing so But there are many programs started by people from the industry. Many who understand the nature of YC very well. IMO the problem here is inherent to copying. Do you copy the 2005 YC or the 2020 YC? If you copy the 2005 one how do you adjust for the fact that the world isn't the same anymore? If you copy the 2020 one how do you make up for the 15 years that never happened? As a copy how will you get the same deal flow, why would people apply to you over the real deal? If you're trying to create a YC in country/place X how do you adjust for the fact that it's different from America/Silicon Valley? What usually happens is the copier realizes how futile the endeavor is and introduces "changes" trying to mitigate the problems. Usually these changes only make everything worse. And you end up with a big mess.