I was part of the first Excelerate class with FeeFighters (acquired by Groupon in 2012) and was an EIR with TechStars Chicago a few summers ago. I thought this

I was part of the first Excelerate class with FeeFighters (acquired by Groupon in 2012) and was an EIR with TechStars Chicago a few summers ago. I thought this post was well balanced and obviously everyone should make their own decisions based on their startup's particular situation...incubators, just like financing, are not a panacea that guarantee success. Troy, Sam, Steve and all the folks involved in Techstars Chicago all do TS because they are extremely passionate about developing startups and building the types of outcomes YC has produced. One of the stark realities of the Chicago startup ecosystem is the capital available to tech startups is really tiny compared to other places. As a startup founder, I've both raised money and failed at raising money...one of the biggest challenges of being a founder here are the sheer financing odds you have to beat which are necessary to even have a chance to achieve YC outcomes. That's why 1871 looks the way it does- it's meant to attract entrepreneurs but it's also meant to attract money. It's a symbol of the growing tech community in Chicago and a way for potential investors who have not invested in tech previously to see tangible proof of a burgeoning ecosystem. That's the truth...while office space is cheaper in Chicago, 1871 provides the connections and "accelerated serendipity" early stage founders might need. Again- I worked out of there for a year and left because it was too distracting...it was the right place for the right phase of business. When it comes to Troy, he is just about the most founder friendly person I know. I'm sure if the founder had spoken to Troy about his discomfort with the exploding LOI, I can't speak for Troy, but it's hard to imagine him not understanding. I look forward to seeing the big outcomes- GiveForward, SpotHero, SimpleRelevance, SocialCrunch, etc. in the future.