Startup School

Man, why do I always miss these things (Startup School) and why aren't there more? Also why aren't there more things like the Y Combinator? (Startup School was put on by the Y Combinator)

Basically Y Combinator is an idea of Paul Graham's. He decided to pay $6,000 each to a number of small groups who had ideas for companies. The $6,000 was to be used to pay for living expenses in Cambridge for 3 months, during which time each group would develop a product for a potential startup.

I think this is a fantastic idea. The founders don't give up too much ownership (5% - 7%) and they benefit greatly. I am currently trying to develop a product in my spare time and I can tell you that it is enormously challenging. If I had had 3 months to just work on CommunityWalk with a partner or two I can only imagine how much farther along the product would be!

The Startup School was an offshoot of this effort where he brought a number of high profile people in the startup world together to give a free conference to budding entrepreneurs. I've heard great things about and only wish I had learned about it earlier so that I could have flown home to Boston to check it out!