[wheels]

I have no idea what would make you say that. Their board includes the founder of Xing (German LinkedIn competitor that IPOed, #225 in global Alexa rankings and #15 in Germany) and StarOffice (which exited to Sun and became OpenOffice) and the other two are also founders that look like they have some credible experience. Those aren't exactly bureaucrats.

[BitStopper]

I'm not saying that they are bureaucrats, I was talking about the mindset. I know some guys from 'High Tech Gründerfond' (German state fond) and I really see no difference between them and HackFWD, only that they read something about YCombinator in 'Brand Eins' or on Techcrunch and now are trying to make a hyperbolic copycat of it...

Thanks for the lesson about Lars, not that I didn't knew it already ;)

[wheels]

That's not fair at all. If you look at the profile of the folks leading High Tech Gründerfonds one wouldn't assume that they are experienced in building companies (their backgrounds are in banking and consulting) and they also have a quota from the state to make a certain number of investments per year that they try to reach.

HackFwd doesn't look particularly similar to Y-Combinator and it's disingenuous to say that successful entrepreneurs (and active angel investors) are finding out about YC though Brand Eins. When I look at this I see it as a nice idea, with a competent team, with a couple of problems that look like they'll need adjustment along the way. I certainly wish them the best.

So, now, in like spirit, I'll write off your comments as the typical German nay-saying. ;-)

[BitStopper]

"I'll write off your comments as the typical German nay-saying."

Weels I can live with that. I usually keep my mouth shut about such things - it was just a little bit too funny to see it and as 'davidw' already said "...the more the merrier, and things will sort themselves out." :)