[WarPaul]

Any serious entrepreneur should care about the money, every penny even, which is why MassChallenge offers no equity taken.

For a $199 entry fee (which is automatically reimbursed to the entrepreneur upon securing a few endorsements that help to validate that crazy idea of yours), an entrepreneur gets access to a growing network of top attorneys, investors, mentors and industry leading, seasoned entrepreneurs. Not a bad deal, BUT, it is up to the entrepreneur to make the most of this value by being proactive and engaged.

Just to be clear, MassChallenge had a YCombinator startup - embedly - make it to the finals in 2010, so you can apply to both..

[ivankirigin]

Why not just take applications and accept participants without charging? Preload the endorsements and use your own judgement.

If you want to help founders, this is what you should do. If you're trying to make money from conference fees, you're doing it wrong: no one reading this thread will apply.

[WarPaul]

I agree with you that this is another strategy and one the MC founders probably considered, however I think the purpose of the entry fee and endorsement process is to avoid a "Tragedy of the Commons" scenario and ensure that only the best startups make it into the competition.

Also, even with an entry fee last year, MC still saw 450 startups apply - imagine what that number would have been if it were free to all that apply? With such a small staff and the reliance on volunteerism for much of the operations, it would be very difficult to review thousands of applications and not let a few great ones slip through the cracks.

As a startup founder myself, I see the $199 fee as merely a cover fee to an awesome party with lots of brilliant, like minded, enthusiastic entrepreneurs and mentors.