I think it's a natural part of the current startup hype/over-enthusiasm/bubble and subscribe to Eric Ries's thoughts in his recent post: 'Winter is coming'
--> http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2011/08/winter-is-coming.html Some quotes below: "Those people working to nurture and support new startup hubs may see all of their hard work destroyed. I am especially worried about the burgeoning scene in places like New York. [aka Australia] Will Union Square become another Silicon Alley? I hope not. We need to be thinking about this now. The endless networking groups that thrive on hype and sizzle will suddenly wither. Do we have enough groups that are focused on the nuts-and-bolts of real entrepreneurship to keep those ecosystems vibrant? Which kind of group are you investing your time and energy into right now? I expect that a shocking number of the current crop of incubators, accelerators, and other startup-support programs will suddenly disappear. In summer, it's all-too-easy to have your program look like a success, because there is an endless supply of talented people becoming first-time entrepreneurs and an endless supply of investment dollars chasing them when they graduate. It's hard to know, in summer, which of these programs actually add value and which are glorified admissions officers. Winter will tell. If you depend on one of these program for support, be ready." --- I know, it's quite drastic but it's also beautifully pragmatic. Also, I saw an article the other day on StartupSmart that listed the top 10 incubators worldwide. It included some of the recent ones in Australia, and while it's obvious that these are fantastic initiatives for the community, we should be cautious about patting ourselves on the back and saying job well done. Most of these haven't released actual startups yet, let alone failures or successes, so only time will tell regarding their ongoing place. Link: --> http://www.startupsmart.com.au/funding/top-10-start-up-incubators.html I still think the best stuff happening comes from independent people with their heads down doing and less with the continual collaboration and conversation. That said, assistance always helps nurture. Cheers, Kate -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Vist http://siliconbeachaustralia.org for more Forum rules 1) No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. 2) No jobs postings. You can use http://siliconbeachaustralia.org/jobs To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en
