I'm pleasantly surprised. I think this batch is as good as the most recent YC batch, at least from the perspective of business ideas...I don't know if they've executed as well. I kinda thought TechStars would fizzle out as an also-ran, but they seem to be hitting their stride. I still find it a little more than obnoxious that they're so focused on YC: They schedule their demo day for the same day as YC (I guess...YC's Valley Demo Day is today, I think...and the Valley Demo Day is the real one...the one in Boston last week is for practice...nobody ever gets funded in Boston), and they make their companies make a decision about acceptance a few days before YC makes their decision.
If TechStars wants to be a serious long-term contender they need to focus more on their customers and less on their competitors.
On a different note, I'm pretty sure Jamie and I chatted with one group of founders in this batch that also applied to YC. I guess they took the TechStar bird in the hand rather than the YC birds in the bush. We liked them, and I'm pretty sure pg and Co. at least gave them an interview.
Hey, we actually got funded by someone who found us at a Boston demo day. I'm pretty sure we're the only ones ever to do so though.
You're right about their cheesy sibling rivalry thing (which doesn't stop at demo day scheduling). I guess what else would you expect given that they straight up lifted their application from YC.
i met the disqus guys at boston demo day. i prefer boston demo day to sf demo day. but that's probably the east coast superiority complex coming out in me
I've always granted you honorary membership among the ranks of the bold Silicon Valley investors, Fred (you're also smart and good looking, and I bet you can cook, too). But I'm glad to hear that some (at least two) YC companies are getting funded in Boston, since pg doesn't seem interested in moving the SFP to the valley.
If TechStars wants to be a serious long-term contender they need to focus more on their customers and less on their competitors.
On a different note, I'm pretty sure Jamie and I chatted with one group of founders in this batch that also applied to YC. I guess they took the TechStar bird in the hand rather than the YC birds in the bush. We liked them, and I'm pretty sure pg and Co. at least gave them an interview.