From the sample leaderboard, this seems more like "which startup has the most employees voting for it?" (case in point, dmor: http://valleyball.co/company/mattermark?cheat=1) instead of "which startup is most likely to succeed?"
The problem with a fantasy startup league is the time horizon. No user is going to pay attention for years for an event to occur, whereas in fantasy sports there's an event every day/week.
Relatedly, there's no good explicit definition for when a startup fails. (case in point, Yo has been dead for a month but this webpage pretends it isn't)
Also wanted to point to a similar project we're building called Sand Hill Exchange (http://sandhill.exchange/ ). By offering a fluid marketplace with real-time changes in price, we provide the daily feedback startup junkies crave.
Once in a while I think "hey, wouldn't it be great if people in the bay area loved building great products more than they love raising money and selling companies?"
It's obviously a total pipe dream, but wow, maybe we could actually make the world a better place.
I think the real effect you are observing is that people who love raising money and selling companies are more likely to raise money and sell companies.
11 comments
[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 38.6 ms ] threadThe problem with a fantasy startup league is the time horizon. No user is going to pay attention for years for an event to occur, whereas in fantasy sports there's an event every day/week.
Relatedly, there's no good explicit definition for when a startup fails. (case in point, Yo has been dead for a month but this webpage pretends it isn't)
Are you sure? They released an update for their iOS app yesterday: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/yo./id834335592
That first spike in overall ratings was the result of an advertising campaign where Yo literally gave away free car rides, and no one wanted it: http://valleywag.gawker.com/gimmick-app-yo-offered-gimmick-c...
So they tried to give away free Moto 360s, which was a PR disaster: http://9to5google.com/2014/08/28/motorolas-yo-based-moto-360...
Neither expensive PR stunt could stop Yo's descent into obsolesce. What would organic usage do?
Also wanted to point to a similar project we're building called Sand Hill Exchange (http://sandhill.exchange/ ). By offering a fluid marketplace with real-time changes in price, we provide the daily feedback startup junkies crave.
It's obviously a total pipe dream, but wow, maybe we could actually make the world a better place.