5 ms·

I just launched a $2,500 scholarship for entrepreneurial ideas...please apply!

22 points by ramit 18y ago

motoko 18y ago
Ramit, Are there are positive criteria that would make an applicant less attractive for your scholarship? For example: * for profit * teams * a team including at least one person over 29 * progress (is this only for ideas?)
- ramit 18y ago
  Doesn't matter if it's for-profit, nonprofit, whatever. I'd rather be less restrictive and open the net widely to as many interesting people as possible. Progress means the MOST. An idea is cheap, but if you've shown you can execute, that means more than anything else.
rokhayakebe 18y ago
I applaud your effort but someone who has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence can easily find $2500. Still what else you can bring to the table?
- deleted 18y ago
  [deleted]
- steveplace 18y ago
  demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence Could have been in a non-profit. Or I'd argue that failing miserably starting a company could still be construed as excellent.
  - ramit 18y ago
    Agreed.
  - jacabado 18y ago
    Blame PG, he started it all.
polvi 18y ago
Would be great if the application was available via .pdf
- diN0bot 18y ago
  if it weren't for google docs i wouldn't be able to communicate with .doc or .xls
natch 18y ago
So we give you our brilliant ideas, you cherry pick them and go execute them and reap the profits, then pay one person $2,500 for what you get, while everyone else watches you laugh all the way to the bank? "Too clever by half" is a phrase that was invented for situations like this.
- diN0bot 18y ago
  this is exactly what i thought when i saw the title on hn's front page. the domain name smells of pyramid scheme. that said, when i went to the actual site it looks genuinely community oriented. this business guy seems both slick and businessy but also honest and genuinely interested in social good. i don't know what to think. i like grassroots and community efforts, so i want to support what he's doing. cynicism holds back progress. nonetheless, i can't shake the fishy smell. he wasn't very clear about what he's looking for--is he donating to a good cause or looking for business partners (see video) !? anyone else applying?
  - ramit 18y ago
    Guys, this is Ramit (the founder of the scholarship). No, it's not a scam, and no, I'm not looking for business partners. I want to give back to someone who is likely to achieve something meaningful. Maybe this person will do it, or maybe next year's winner will (when I give it out again). If you think I'm cherrypicking for ideas, then I'm sorry you're so cynical and this award isn't for you. But if you read through my site -- which I've been writing for the last 4 years -- you'll see what I'm about. Obviously, $2,500 isn't a huge amount of money. But for some people, that small amount AND the motivation from winning something public can make all the difference. The scholarship is aimed at people who can benefit from that. If $2,500 won't do anything for you, then no big deal! But for the 1 person who will really benefit from advice, a little money, and most importantly support, I hope they hear about this. Thanks.
    - auston 18y ago
      P.S. He's co-founder of PBWiki?
    - 18y ago
kailashbadu 18y ago
Ramit! do you really think that unavailability of $2,500 could be holding someone back from implementing his super-innovative entrepreneurial idea? I suggest that you mix a few more things with you bounty? something that an entrepreneur might actually need and want. $2,500 is way too down the list.
- maneesh 18y ago
  Honestly, isn't this identical to YCombinator, just without him taking 5-7% of the company? YCombinator gives like $10,000 to a single developer---not a huge amount of money, but enough to get started. $2500 is the same idea---you give a small amount of money for someone to create a project. I think it's an amazing idea. disclaimer: I'm Ramit's brother and I'm not qualified to apply :(
  - ajkirwin 18y ago
    There is a difference. The amount of money given is such that you have time to work on a product due to it. That amount of 'scholarship' is not enough to develop something fulltime and if you're only doing it in your free time, then, you probably have enough incentive anyway.
- puzzle-out 18y ago
  Such as contacts - introduction to social enterprise heavyweights as part of the award would build credibility and improve the success rate. The Y-C network is far more important than the start up money in the long run.
alaskamiller 18y ago
That's awesome, Ramit
lorenzsell 18y ago
i've known Ramit for four years and he's a very intelligent and upstanding person who's genuinely interested in helping people better manage their lives and implement their ideas. $2500 might not be a lot to someone who's got a well paying job and is well out of college, but for your average entrepreneurially inclined college student, it's great motivation to help them get started on something meaningful.

22 points by ramit 18y ago

Ramit, Are there are positive criteria that would make an applicant less attractive for your scholarship? For example: * for profit * teams * a team including at least one person over 29 * progress (is this only for ideas?)

ramit 18y ago
Doesn't matter if it's for-profit, nonprofit, whatever. I'd rather be less restrictive and open the net widely to as many interesting people as possible. Progress means the MOST. An idea is cheap, but if you've shown you can execute, that means more than anything else.

rokhayakebe 18y ago

I applaud your effort but someone who has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence can easily find $2500. Still what else you can bring to the table?

deleted 18y ago
[deleted]
steveplace 18y ago
demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence Could have been in a non-profit. Or I'd argue that failing miserably starting a company could still be construed as excellent.
- ramit 18y ago
  Agreed.
- jacabado 18y ago
  Blame PG, he started it all.

polvi 18y ago

Would be great if the application was available via .pdf

diN0bot 18y ago
if it weren't for google docs i wouldn't be able to communicate with .doc or .xls

natch 18y ago

So we give you our brilliant ideas, you cherry pick them and go execute them and reap the profits, then pay one person $2,500 for what you get, while everyone else watches you laugh all the way to the bank? "Too clever by half" is a phrase that was invented for situations like this.

diN0bot 18y ago
this is exactly what i thought when i saw the title on hn's front page. the domain name smells of pyramid scheme. that said, when i went to the actual site it looks genuinely community oriented. this business guy seems both slick and businessy but also honest and genuinely interested in social good. i don't know what to think. i like grassroots and community efforts, so i want to support what he's doing. cynicism holds back progress. nonetheless, i can't shake the fishy smell. he wasn't very clear about what he's looking for--is he donating to a good cause or looking for business partners (see video) !? anyone else applying?
- ramit 18y ago
  Guys, this is Ramit (the founder of the scholarship). No, it's not a scam, and no, I'm not looking for business partners. I want to give back to someone who is likely to achieve something meaningful. Maybe this person will do it, or maybe next year's winner will (when I give it out again). If you think I'm cherrypicking for ideas, then I'm sorry you're so cynical and this award isn't for you. But if you read through my site -- which I've been writing for the last 4 years -- you'll see what I'm about. Obviously, $2,500 isn't a huge amount of money. But for some people, that small amount AND the motivation from winning something public can make all the difference. The scholarship is aimed at people who can benefit from that. If $2,500 won't do anything for you, then no big deal! But for the 1 person who will really benefit from advice, a little money, and most importantly support, I hope they hear about this. Thanks.
  - auston 18y ago
    P.S. He's co-founder of PBWiki?
  - 18y ago

kailashbadu 18y ago

Ramit! do you really think that unavailability of $2,500 could be holding someone back from implementing his super-innovative entrepreneurial idea? I suggest that you mix a few more things with you bounty? something that an entrepreneur might actually need and want. $2,500 is way too down the list.

maneesh 18y ago
Honestly, isn't this identical to YCombinator, just without him taking 5-7% of the company? YCombinator gives like $10,000 to a single developer---not a huge amount of money, but enough to get started. $2500 is the same idea---you give a small amount of money for someone to create a project. I think it's an amazing idea. disclaimer: I'm Ramit's brother and I'm not qualified to apply :(
- ajkirwin 18y ago
  There is a difference. The amount of money given is such that you have time to work on a product due to it. That amount of 'scholarship' is not enough to develop something fulltime and if you're only doing it in your free time, then, you probably have enough incentive anyway.
puzzle-out 18y ago
Such as contacts - introduction to social enterprise heavyweights as part of the award would build credibility and improve the success rate. The Y-C network is far more important than the start up money in the long run.

alaskamiller 18y ago

That's awesome, Ramit

lorenzsell 18y ago

i've known Ramit for four years and he's a very intelligent and upstanding person who's genuinely interested in helping people better manage their lives and implement their ideas. $2500 might not be a lot to someone who's got a well paying job and is well out of college, but for your average entrepreneurially inclined college student, it's great motivation to help them get started on something meaningful.