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"Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will support entrepreneurship and spur job growth by creating a nat

by tc7 18y ago

"Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will support entrepreneurship and spur job growth by creating a national network of public-private business incubators. Business incubators facilitate the critical work of entrepreneurs in creating start-up companies. Obama and Biden will invest $250 million per year to increase the number and size of incubators in disadvantaged communities throughout the country." Does this mean incubators like yc? Obviously it isn't limited to hightech, but is that the sort of thing they speak of?

kirubakaran 18y ago
Obama & Biden create YC clone? I wonder if there will be news.change.gov for entrepreneurs to post links and hang out.
- davidw 18y ago
  I hope it doesn't get overrun by politics articles.
- fallentimes 18y ago
  Free market YC would absolutely destroy bureaucrat YC ...unless massive subsidies were involved :).
  - kirubakaran 18y ago
    > ...unless massive subsidies were involved ...unless they tax you to death ...unless they regulate your industry ...unless they make misguided statements in press conferences Actually, they got you by the balls. It is up to them to not crush them.
    - fallentimes 18y ago
      We'll move.
      - kirubakaran 18y ago
        They'll invade :-)
        fallentimes 18y ago
        Blast! You win.
        gruseom 18y ago
        That reminds me of Barry Crimmins' reply to the question, "If you don't like how things are in this country why don't you just leave?" "Because I don't want to be victimized by its foreign policy." Heh.
        kirubakaran 18y ago
        Yeah, thats the quote I was thinking of when I wrote that ;)
corentin 18y ago
Can someone here who happens to be enthusiastic about this idea enlighten us and explain why the federal government would be a better investor than private entities?
- dangoldin 18y ago
  Well for one the government can take a longer term view than a typical VC. As an example, imagine if the government focused on alternate energy years ago. Then when oil increased in price we'd be in better shape to make a transition. Also, a lot of technology comes as a by product of working on something for the long term. Just my 2 cents.
  - corentin 18y ago
    > As an example, imagine if the government focused on alternate energy years ago. You mean, things like biofuel subsidies? > Also, a lot of technology comes as a by product of working on something for the long term. Yes, whether it's funded by the government or not.
    - Prrometheus 18y ago
      It should be noted that pharmaceuticals being researched today by private corporations will not see market in the United States for 10 years.
      - palish 18y ago
        Why is that relevant? Is your implication that a government-funded pharmaceutical company would be more efficent? If so, why? Just curious.
        corentin 18y ago
        No, he's just saying that private companies can focus on the long term as well, if it's in their interest.
wumi 18y ago
Seeing as JG is part of Obama's tech team, it probably does. He's part of the crew behind launchbox digital.
palish 18y ago
YC is not an incubator, or at least not a traditional one. On a tangent... "Obama and Biden will invest $250 million per year". That's $250 million of our dollars, not theirs. Maybe it's just me, but that type of behavior makes me extremely nervous. I did vote for him, but we should all be wary of him going forward. I'd pesonally like to see the whitehouse take a hands-off approach to governing. At least one time.
- Retric 18y ago
  That's like 1/12000th the current federal budget and something a lot of state and local governments are already doing through the SBA. If you don't want government investments what level of spending are you comfortable with? Edit: I think we could cut 80% of the federal budget (over time) and keep 95% of I what I want but I don't see that happening. Let's cut the DoD to 100 billion a year and see if anything bad happens. (That should pay for around 500,000 people and a lot of tech.)
rms 18y ago
It means incubators more in the style of Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, most of the seed money is supplied by the state of Pennsylvania and invested via organizations like http://www.pittsburghlifesciences.com/ http://www.pittsburghlifesciences.com/ and http://www.innovationworks.org/ http://www.innovationworks.org/. These organizations effectively provide due diligence for the entire (small) VC community. What we will get is more available investment money in cities that need it. It is certainly arguable whether this is good for the overall entrepreneurship environment. I take the position that it is good.

by tc7 18y ago

kirubakaran 18y ago

Obama & Biden create YC clone? I wonder if there will be news.change.gov for entrepreneurs to post links and hang out.

davidw 18y ago
I hope it doesn't get overrun by politics articles.
fallentimes 18y ago
Free market YC would absolutely destroy bureaucrat YC ...unless massive subsidies were involved :).
- kirubakaran 18y ago
  > ...unless massive subsidies were involved ...unless they tax you to death ...unless they regulate your industry ...unless they make misguided statements in press conferences Actually, they got you by the balls. It is up to them to not crush them.
  - fallentimes 18y ago
    We'll move.
    - kirubakaran 18y ago
      They'll invade :-)
      - fallentimes 18y ago
        Blast! You win.
      - gruseom 18y ago
        That reminds me of Barry Crimmins' reply to the question, "If you don't like how things are in this country why don't you just leave?" "Because I don't want to be victimized by its foreign policy." Heh.
        kirubakaran 18y ago
        Yeah, thats the quote I was thinking of when I wrote that ;)

corentin 18y ago

Can someone here who happens to be enthusiastic about this idea enlighten us and explain why the federal government would be a better investor than private entities?

dangoldin 18y ago
Well for one the government can take a longer term view than a typical VC. As an example, imagine if the government focused on alternate energy years ago. Then when oil increased in price we'd be in better shape to make a transition. Also, a lot of technology comes as a by product of working on something for the long term. Just my 2 cents.
- corentin 18y ago
  > As an example, imagine if the government focused on alternate energy years ago. You mean, things like biofuel subsidies? > Also, a lot of technology comes as a by product of working on something for the long term. Yes, whether it's funded by the government or not.
  - Prrometheus 18y ago
    It should be noted that pharmaceuticals being researched today by private corporations will not see market in the United States for 10 years.
    - palish 18y ago
      Why is that relevant? Is your implication that a government-funded pharmaceutical company would be more efficent? If so, why? Just curious.
      - corentin 18y ago
        No, he's just saying that private companies can focus on the long term as well, if it's in their interest.

wumi 18y ago

Seeing as JG is part of Obama's tech team, it probably does. He's part of the crew behind launchbox digital.

palish 18y ago

YC is not an incubator, or at least not a traditional one. On a tangent... "Obama and Biden will invest $250 million per year". That's $250 million of our dollars, not theirs. Maybe it's just me, but that type of behavior makes me extremely nervous. I did vote for him, but we should all be wary of him going forward. I'd pesonally like to see the whitehouse take a hands-off approach to governing. At least one time.

Retric 18y ago
That's like 1/12000th the current federal budget and something a lot of state and local governments are already doing through the SBA. If you don't want government investments what level of spending are you comfortable with? Edit: I think we could cut 80% of the federal budget (over time) and keep 95% of I what I want but I don't see that happening. Let's cut the DoD to 100 billion a year and see if anything bad happens. (That should pay for around 500,000 people and a lot of tech.)

rms 18y ago

It means incubators more in the style of Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, most of the seed money is supplied by the state of Pennsylvania and invested via organizations like http://www.pittsburghlifesciences.com/ http://www.pittsburghlifesciences.com/ and http://www.innovationworks.org/ http://www.innovationworks.org/. These organizations effectively provide due diligence for the entire (small) VC community. What we will get is more available investment money in cities that need it. It is certainly arguable whether this is good for the overall entrepreneurship environment. I take the position that it is good.