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This is one of several significant conflicts of interest in this lecture series. I'm surprised it doesn't seem to bother people to see VC trying to play both si

This is one of several significant conflicts of interest in this lecture series. I'm surprised it doesn't seem to bother people to see VC trying to play both sides of the table. The optimal world for investors (a tiny proportion of huge successes) looks very different than the optimal world for startups (many moderate successes). And the idea of investors trying to coach founders on how best to enrich investors is just nuts.

AndrewKemendo 12y ago
This isn't for charity. In my opinion this startup school is intended to pump college students into the VC environment so that they (Private funds) can capture as many young, smart talents as possible to add to their portfolios. At the end of the day the "Startup" world is the world of finance, and I think the explosive crop of high risk private equity (Angel, VC, hedge) investors are trying to get as many "makers" into it as possible. Whether this is good for the new entrants or not is too early to tell. I think it probably is when compared to the alternatives, but my guess is that I am missing something.
- ISL 12y ago
  Is it an advertisement for YC? Absolutely. So is HN. It's also interesting. I don't think I'd have gotten much out of the class as an undergrad, but a decade later, I'm learning a lot from this lecture series. Among the things I've learned: I probably don't want to start a startup; I'd rather focus on great products and execution in my field. I view it as more in line with the Graham/Buffett school of giving back as you go. PG (not BG) has an academic bent, and academics like share what they've learned. Thank you, YC. It's a worthwhile course.
  - HeyLaughingBoy 12y ago
    Heh! Thanks for the clarification. I read Graham/Buffet to mean Ben Graham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Graham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Graham), not PG so I was a bit confused.
- hkmurakami 12y ago
  My reaction resembled that of yours. My reaction was, "well this isn't so different from the doctrine of investment banking recruiting, and that is seen as acceptable at the very least, right?"
applecore 12y ago
One massive success like Airbnb or Uber means vastly more to the world than even a thousand moderate ones. If your motivation as an entrepreneur is to change the world and not just to make money, your optimal world is one where the chances can be non-zero.

AndrewKemendo 12y ago

This isn't for charity. In my opinion this startup school is intended to pump college students into the VC environment so that they (Private funds) can capture as many young, smart talents as possible to add to their portfolios. At the end of the day the "Startup" world is the world of finance, and I think the explosive crop of high risk private equity (Angel, VC, hedge) investors are trying to get as many "makers" into it as possible. Whether this is good for the new entrants or not is too early to tell. I think it probably is when compared to the alternatives, but my guess is that I am missing something.

ISL 12y ago
Is it an advertisement for YC? Absolutely. So is HN. It's also interesting. I don't think I'd have gotten much out of the class as an undergrad, but a decade later, I'm learning a lot from this lecture series. Among the things I've learned: I probably don't want to start a startup; I'd rather focus on great products and execution in my field. I view it as more in line with the Graham/Buffett school of giving back as you go. PG (not BG) has an academic bent, and academics like share what they've learned. Thank you, YC. It's a worthwhile course.
- HeyLaughingBoy 12y ago
  Heh! Thanks for the clarification. I read Graham/Buffet to mean Ben Graham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Graham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Graham), not PG so I was a bit confused.
hkmurakami 12y ago
My reaction resembled that of yours. My reaction was, "well this isn't so different from the doctrine of investment banking recruiting, and that is seen as acceptable at the very least, right?"

applecore 12y ago

One massive success like Airbnb or Uber means vastly more to the world than even a thousand moderate ones. If your motivation as an entrepreneur is to change the world and not just to make money, your optimal world is one where the chances can be non-zero.