The concept is simple. You Be the VC, is where old-school a venture capital meets pop-culture phemonenon, American Idol — mixed with dash of James Surowiecki’s, The Wisdom of the Crowds.
Entrepreneurs are invited pitch their ideas to the audience “of the world” via the Web. Three lucky winners—chosen in Idol-fashion by viewers on the website—will walk away with venture funding, and that sgtartup equivalent of a recoding deal: a team of business advisors, accountants, lawyers, and marketers to help them get their shop off the ground.
Mayer will play Paula Abdul to Curt Shilling‘s Simon Cowell. Yes, we mean, the baseball great; that Curt Shilling. (Or maybe it’s the other way around.) You can read about the rest of the professional judges, here.
You Be the VC’s first contest, launched in September, is limited to Web 2.0, Search (duh!) Enterprise 2.0 and Mobile application companies. You can “audition” your b-plan by signing up here.
6 comments so far
6:42 PM PT
Alex Checks calender, sees it is November 14, not April 1st.
Great scoop, this is the first I’ve heard of this.
I’m not a big fan of reality shows, so I don’t think I’ll be watching this. Let me know if it’s any good when it airs.
8:17 PM PT
The Wisdom of the Crowds was a book written by James Surowiecki, if you were implying that Malcom Galdwell was the author.
8:41 PM PT
wisdom of the crowds is written by surowiecki not gladwell
9:07 AM PT
Why are all the judges white? Technology start-ups are far, far, far from being all white…. this does make a difference.
12:04 PM PT
Thank you for the catch re: Gladwell/Surowiecki — and my apologies. Too easy to confuse which genius wrote what masterwork. Would that more of us had this problem…
2:23 PM PT
Too bad the contest is only available to U.S residents.
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