[ryandrake]

That strikes me as a very cynical view, and I consider myself to be a pretty cynical guy. You could also make the same argument about other market platforms:

"Ebay - Buy things real shoppers won't"

"Uber - Get a ride somewhere real taxis won't go"

"Monster.com - Hire people real employers won't"

Is it really that different?

[clock_tower]

I'd call the appraisal justified. At least from where I sit, I'd say that the equivalent to eBay or Uber would be listing stock from startups that also have VC funding, and selling actual shares in the company.

[justinlardinois]

eBay and Uber cater to the same folks that use competing services. No one on Sand Hill Road is going to use Republic.

As for Monster...that's a little too accurate.