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Interesting. I worked in the .edu space before my current company–including working with Blackboard a bit when they were young. I still think there's a ton of
by callmeed 18y ago
Interesting. I worked in the .edu space before my current company–including working with Blackboard a bit when they were young.
I still think there's a ton of room for new startups in this space–these companies (Angel and BB) are still, as far as I know, very mired in old/web1.0 technologies and methodologies.
The biggest problem is the sales cycle in education is painfully long. It takes months to get a deal started, approved and then paid.
I'm not sure if the solution is to go with a cheaper SaaS solution that requires less approval, but I definitely hope to see some YC companies in this space soon (I have an idea for one but no time at the moment).
- blogimus 18y agoI agree that the sales cycle is long, but that could only be the start of bigger problems. From what I've seen in the news and discussions on e-learning, the biggest problem facing startups is being sued by blackboard http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/08/blackboard_lawsuits_wikis_oh_m.html http://www.pbs.org/teachers/learning.now/2006/08/blackboard_... just for fun: http://www.google.com/search?q=blackboard+patent+suits http://www.google.com/search?q=blackboard+patent+suits. Please show me otherwise if I'm wrong.
- callmeed 18y agoNo, you're definitely not wrong ... I'm curious what PG's thoughts are on this. Does YC consider things like potential patent litigation when choosing startups? Have they ever faced issues like this after funding a startup?
- altano 18y agoPG's thoughts _were_ that this is a bad idea because 90% of the problems being solved in this area of software aren't technical but rather bureaucratic. At least, that's what he said to me and my co-applicant to explain our rejection in the first YC round back in the day. Perhaps he was just being nice, though.