Comments on: Is this the next Google? http://metarand.com/2007/08/31/is-this-the-next-google/ meta musings on tech, innovation, gadgets, lifestyle and the media arena Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:29:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: metarand http://metarand.com/2007/08/31/is-this-the-next-google/#comment-961 metarand Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:10:59 +0000 http://metarand.com/?p=71#comment-961 John & Chris, It's an interesting question. I previously ran an early stage venture firm that was focused across Australia and some of our best performing portfolio companies were "regional" rather than Sydney-based. That said the intensity of the initial 3 month program does require proximity - at least for the duration of this phase. We expect to run the program across the entire Asia Pacific region and I'm sure there will be tweaks to take into account what works best in this part of the world. John & Chris,

It’s an interesting question. I previously ran an early stage venture firm that was focused across Australia and some of our best performing portfolio companies were “regional” rather than Sydney-based.

That said the intensity of the initial 3 month program does require proximity - at least for the duration of this phase.

We expect to run the program across the entire Asia Pacific region and I’m sure there will be tweaks to take into account what works best in this part of the world.

]]> By: Chris Ledden http://metarand.com/2007/08/31/is-this-the-next-google/#comment-960 Chris Ledden Thu, 06 Sep 2007 04:12:11 +0000 http://metarand.com/?p=71#comment-960 Yeah I agree with John; Being forced to relocate is a limiting factor, and would cull the potential companies immediately. Surely with all the communication and connectivity options these days, physical location shouldn't be an issue. I think Australia would produce some good quality startups, due the fact that we have entrepreneurial influences from US, but also we understand what it's like to be a non-US country for lots of these services. Simple features like internationalisation and reduced bandwidth requirements come to mind. Rand, maybe you're the one to bring it to Oz. Yeah I agree with John; Being forced to relocate is a limiting factor, and would cull the potential companies immediately. Surely with all the communication and connectivity options these days, physical location shouldn’t be an issue.

I think Australia would produce some good quality startups, due the fact that we have entrepreneurial influences from US, but also we understand what it’s like to be a non-US country for lots of these services. Simple features like internationalisation and reduced bandwidth requirements come to mind.

Rand, maybe you’re the one to bring it to Oz.

]]> By: John Dalton http://metarand.com/2007/08/31/is-this-the-next-google/#comment-954 John Dalton Fri, 31 Aug 2007 05:24:17 +0000 http://metarand.com/?p=71#comment-954 One of the criticisms of the Y Combinator approach has been the focus on requiring startups to relocate as part of the program. I think they have valid reasons for doing this (and they can certainly afford to be picky), but I'm wondering if you're planning a similar approach? It does pretty much limit your potential pool of startup founders to young single people, and perhaps in Australia (with our smaller and more distributed population) we can't afford to be as picky as Paul Graham can. One of the criticisms of the Y Combinator approach has been the focus on requiring startups to relocate as part of the program. I think they have valid reasons for doing this (and they can certainly afford to be picky), but I’m wondering if you’re planning a similar approach?

It does pretty much limit your potential pool of startup founders to young single people, and perhaps in Australia (with our smaller and more distributed population) we can’t afford to be as picky as Paul Graham can.

]]>