TechStars Jumps on the Y Combinator bandwagon

As mentioned in an earlier post Paul Graham is "Selling our Children" there is a subtle beauty in this strategy. It seems the brilliance of the YC "recruitment" model has spawned similar programs. TechStars in Boulder Co is using the incubator model to fund 10 "flat broke" (M. Arrington's words not mine), entrepeneurs with a seed idea. It seems a good deal for both sides. The companies get exposure to a network of contacts and mentors not available otherwise and the investors receive valuable engineering assets that can be deployed into their other properties if the original idea doesn't pan out. Couple this with the hiring methods and world wide scope of Google and you have an interesting time for young emerging technologists.