Feedback : I would like to know the team behind "I am starting" before I can trust you with my ideas. It's exactly as you say : "people & ideas, in that order". First, I need to know who you are, and then whether "I am starting" is for me or not.
2. $(document).ready() twice in the same document. Use only one.
3. id='pagewidth'. Use id='about'.
My intention is not to point technical problems for the sake of it. But you should seriously treat this site itself as a little startup, invest your seed fund (your lowest band of 50k is enough. I know can do it for that amount :) into it and then start attracting other techies to join you. As part of knowing more about you, first thing any potential startupper will do in a browser (at least me) is press ctrl+u.
Seriously? It doesn't mention who you actually are, there's spelling problems all over the place, and the header looks like you're pitching kindergartners. You should take down the site, nuke this thread, get your stuff together, and relaunch in six months.
Alright no more criticism about designing although I am a web designer.
Now over to serious stuff. The background of the people behind this endeavor should be the main selling point. I am more likely to share my idea with someone who has had similar experience, that is of starting and managing a startup.
Money is important and I do find your investment range will go an extra mile in India but give some reasons to the entrepreneur to believe in you guys.
Just one advice: Put some more info about this venture and the people behind this.
Given that you are already in News.YC, I take that you know about YCombinator and why it is different from other similar firms. (Hint: PG & team) As others have suggested, having a brief profile of people behind this venture would greatly help.
It's good that someone is trying a YC like format in India and I hope you don't have crappy rules like iaccelerator. However, you seriously don't inspire any confidence or trust with that website and I would never take funding from someone who can't get me to trust him.
You do, actually. It is one of the core skills in building B2C websites, since a) you'll typically want your user to take some action that requires trusting you, like putting in their private information or paying you money and b) at B2C scales, one-on-one human interaction with all users is typically neither possible nor really desired. If the website doesn't inspire trust, the business is pretty much doomed.
For example, for my site, I take pains to make sure the language I use matches the language my customers use, that the graphical design communicates professionalism, etc. If I don't do this, they'll lump me in with all the "scam artists and viruses on the Internet."
This fundamental truth might be a good thing to learn prior to investing in or advising Internet businesses. Just my two cents from a very, very small B2C business.
i understand you don't want feedback on the design, and i like the relaxed approach, but the inconsistent indentation on the third title (Finally...) really bugs me. i'd suggest moving it to the right to match the other two (and "What..." could go left a few pixels too).
also, it's "you can be A student, ..." and "we reply TO all our...". and it's easier to read if you have "corporate-like, so" (with hyphen and comma).
Basically seems like a new pseudo-VC who's roped in a bunch of rich civilians into this great-YC-idea-you-know-small-stakes-small-investments-but-BIG-returns Fund.
This is one of the cases where 'Launch Now, Fix later' doesn't really work out at all with your target audience.
It may be good to add some more detail to the "Who we are" section.
The names and expertise are fine, but perhaps something on the projects/companies these people have worked with. How much experience they have in the respective fields. E.g who is into economics, who is into technology etc.
If you have founded (or funded) any startups, perhaps that can be mentioned. It would make you seem more accessible.
In case of YC, PGs views and history where well understood and respected. You may want to highlight what value you bring to the table (other than the money).
This is 2010. How come you think image/brand is not important and expect someone to take you seriously if you don't invest a few dollars in some professional graphic design?
Your about section doesn't even have a link who is backing up this.
My company's profitable and I'm American, not your audience.
You aren't a gift, you're a business- your business is making entrepreneurs think you can further their business. Your website is unprofessional and doesn't mention who you are, and who you are is the most important.
TechStars and YC aren't about the 15k- most of the companies who get accepted these days don't need it. TechStars and YC help people build successful products because the people behind both programs have a background of launching successful products, with rolodexes to match.
Right now you're some guy with a website. No one cares. To make them care, you have to show why you're someone they should care about. That's marketing, and right now you aren't marketing. That's why, in your current incarnation, you're fucked.
Rethink, redesign, relaunch, and then hopefully you can get this off the ground.
Don't sweat over it. It's all because of an attitude which is typical to Indian pseudo-VCs. They think they are doing startup-ists[sic] a big favour by investing in them.
So @Chirag is not too queer if he thinks that he can pull off a YC in India by putting up a stupid website with crappy content, bad design and some random names of totally unknown people.
First, a bunch of jokers attempt a YC clone with IAccelerator and now another bunch of jokers manage to do it even worse.
"You aren't a gift, you're a business- your business is making entrepreneurs think you can further their business. Your website is unprofessional and doesn't mention who you are, and who you are is the most important."
Engrave this on a wall and read it aloud every day.
"It's all because of an attitude which is typical to Indian pseudo-VCs. They think they are doing startup-ists[sic] a big favour by investing in them."
Amen! And we wonder why the world laughs at us. I am an Indian developer and all I can say to this "venture firm" is .. I wouldn't be caught dead within a 100 miles of you.
I would love to see who would, really.
YC works because of PG and his team, not the 20 k $ (or whatever the amount is these days) that they invest in a startup. Unless you have a fraction of the credibility he brings to the table, you have no business being a YC "inspired" firm.
first the "founders" should go and read "how to start silicon valley" post by PG. most of india cannot be that. well, lots of places in US and other countries can't be silicon valley. so just a bunch of folks who think they are doing the greatest favor to entrepreneurs in india by offering 50k. if these entrepreneurs are the kind ycombinator finds, then it will probably be one month's paycheck of one of the founders. so a 21 yr old can take up a cushy job on campus that will help him raise money in 2 months and do things on his own.
so the question remains, who are these guys, what have they done, and how can they help beyond the "gift".
my guess is none of them have ever founded a startup or worked in one. it is interesting that social search for any of the mentioned names isn't bringing up anything that indicates that they are VC material.
