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Title:

The New Incubators: EPIC FAIL or Full of Win?

Your vote:
Yes No
Organizer:
Greg Cohn, Yahoo! Brickhouse
Description:
Startups are hard; survival is darwinian. Some say incubators are a great way to bootstrap. Bloggers shower them with love. Others think they're a lousy deal for the founders and they don't work anyway. Is there a pony here? What about corporate incubators -- can you fail your way to innovation through volume? You be the jury while our panelists trade opinions and battlefield experiences from all sides of this approach.
Questions
Answered:
  1. What is an incubator?
  2. How do they work; what are the different models?
  3. As an entrepreneur, why should I join one - is it a good deal or am I getting screwed?
  4. Do incubators work for investors? What's their real motivation?
  5. Do corporate incubators ever work?
  6. Let's hear the good, the bad, and the very very ugly.
  7. What great companies have ever come out of an incubator?
Level:
Intermediate
Category:
Business / Entrepreneurial
Type:
Panel
Event:
SXSW Interactive 2009
Richard Grieser
on 27/8/08
Full of win! (for certain)

Fred Wilson at USV has a good blog post from last week on just this subject:
http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2008/08/sometimes-you-j.html

My company, BuyPlayWin.com, is a TechStars 2008 portfolio company. Do you know that there were 400 start-ups that applied to TechStars? Only 10 actually get in. Did you know one of our teams pulls in close to $1 million revenue per year, before applying? It's mostly your team that gets you into the program, but some companies get in on their opportunity. I believe mine was one of them, but they won't tell us for a few years they say. Sounds like an easy way to protect your judgment if you ask me. There is no denying the fact that incubators like Ycombinator and TechStars are increasing the chances that a given startup is a good opportunity. They provide a good runway filled with a little capital to get by, and lots of high impact / high quality mentors from every tech background.

Most important to me if I was to assess the quality of these programs, is the simple fact that every one of these teams is filled with driven and intelligent people. If it is possible to succeed in their business they will find the way.
Samantha Murphy
on 27/8/08
Having just launched a startup of my own through an incubator program, this topic is critical. I'd love to hear varying thoughts on the subject. Hope this panel is chosen. If so, I'll be there!
Kevin Owocki
on 27/8/08
I'd love to hear more from this panel. Mentorship is critical, and incubators are the most accelerated mentorship available to start up companies today.
KRISTA PAUL
on 27/8/08
I think this is a great idea for a panel, particularly considering barriers to entry for web businesses are low, and survival is more dependent upon who young companies bring on as mentors/advisers as they evolve. Incubators, in my opinion, are the most effective way for companies to do this quickly and comprehensively.
Joe McVicker
on 28/8/08
There are definitely pros and cons. The trick is finding the right incubator, and then working it. This panel is a great way to help people find the right environment for their startup, and the right activities to make the most of the experience.
Lisa Williams
on 28/8/08
I'd attend this panel.
Greg Cohn
on 28/8/08
BTW, this will be a panel comprised of at least one prominent incubator leader, one entrepreneur who's been through the incubator process with interesting results, and 1-2 other folks with experience on the VC and corporate sides of this issue.

I have no doubt it will be a lively discussion!
Walker Fenton
on 28/8/08
Greg, you should talk to Brad Feld about this - he had a Mobius incubator for years. For those of us who got to use it, it was a great way to get off the ground. David Cohen of TechStars would also be a great resource...
Andrew Hyde
on 28/8/08
Would be fantastic.
Robert Goldberg
on 28/8/08
Greg, great idea. There has been a lot of debate about this over the years. A contemporary perspective about whats working and whats not will be quite interesting.
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Developed for SXSW by Lindsey Simon