Zombie VC Post – The Bug Report

http://www.daniellemorrill.com/2013/04/zombie-vc-post-the-bug-report/

by dmor • 13 years ago

40 11 13 years ago

mrwhy2k• 13 years ago

I don't think your first report was bugged, but just by using the TC data and showing the flaws should hopefully get people to keep it updated.

caseysoftware• 13 years ago

It's great to see you're iterating on this. I'd love to see where it goes.

I explored Angelist looking for the same data but they also get it from CrunchBase. :(

neurotech1• 13 years ago

She's right. I give Danielle full credit for fully acknowledging the limits of the Crunchbase data and inaccuracies resulting from that. Some so-called "journalists" would massage the data to support a sensational story, even if the raw data showed something completely different.

obviouslygreen2• 13 years ago

This index can be improved, but I will not stop publishing it monthly and even with flaws it helps entrepreneurs focus their efforts on the most active firms.

Translation: While I understand that this data is seriously flawed, and continues to be so, I will continue to ignore the fact that what I am attempting to achieve is impossible with flawed data (or any historical data taken out of context), and will continue to graciously offer my "help" to small business owners who do not understand that what I'm presenting them with is misleading at best and harmful at worst.

I've been neutral at best on this blog for as long as its posts have been showing up on HN, and while I'm sure it will continue to occasionally make interesting points, this is sensationalism at best and libel at worst. Posting this kind of data collation and labeling it very clearly as a list of firms to be ignored does a disservice to both entrepreneurs looking for sponsors and VC's looking to sponsor them, but not necessarily looking to sponsor every initiative that comes along, all the time.

It would not be unreasonable to conclude that this short-sighted effort actually punishes both entrepreneurs and careful investors. Look at how many massive successes come out of Silicon Valley. Is there at least one consistently every six months? That is, one that's such a big hit that the entire world hears about it? This attitude of "I know what the patterns are and anyone that doesn't follow them is somehow toxic" ignores the fact that those who succeed on large scales are not the ones that follow norms!

This is extremely frustrating to me, partially because the author persists in spreading this foolishness, partially because she doesn't understand why it's foolish, and finally because so many people fail to see that it is foolish. And destructive.

gyardley2• 13 years ago

Absolutely. If you base your actions on bad data, you'll get bad results - and that original list was painfully bad. I don't know Silicon Valley particularly well, I but I know that list told you to ignore some of the best, most helpful, and most active firms in the New York City area - including people I've raised from, had on my board, and would repeat the experience with in a second.

Entrepreneurs who just go by this instead of doing their own research (which really doesn't take that long) are doing themselves a massive disservice. Which is ironic, because this whole promotion was wrapped in a big bundle of 'rah rah, I'm helping entrepreneurs'. Not at all so.

dmor• 13 years ago

What sources would you suggest they use to do their research? This data was from Crunchbase which is the first place most entrepreneurs tell me they look, so I wonder if these New York firms are less motivated to update it. Is there some other place where they're announcing their deals and signaling to the community that they are active? I am researching this and would love to know what sites I should regularly crawl.

New York 500 Startups dude Shai Goldman has a good list going here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArI2sAC4lTszdGN...

SilconValleyVC• 13 years ago

Won't repeat prior post but I personally recommend not relying on crunchbase and paying for either PrivCo or DowJones VentureSource. They verify everything and as a wise man said nothing worse than no information except having bad information and thinking it's correct. http://www.dowjonesventuresource.com http://www.privco.com/investors

Zombie VC Post – The Bug Report

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