Don't really understand on how much potential money you can get from this? You're saying a max of 250 k per class and each group will just get 2500 - 5000 max?
It's designed to be a very small round. Much like with other incubator concepts, the money is a formality. The nice thing about Dandelion is that applicants typically have a great day job that is paying their bills and living expenses, so 100% of dandelion's investment can go directly into the product.
How is the money a formality? I don't understand what Dandelion plans to add beyond the money. The pitch suggests that this is for people looking for 2.5-5k for design, marketing, etc. It makes no mention of mentorship or any other benefits.
How long do you expect the process from application->funding to be? If its longer than 8 weeks I would rather raise my 5k elsewhere(like with a credit card). Maybe set a time limit on how long a class can exist before it is considered full(even if its less than 100 companies).
Why 100 companies? Is it just a nice, round number or is there thought behind it?
Those are excellent questions. The best way for us to address them is to update more of the copy on the site. The biggest thing we help with is validation, but we also help create winning teams, early hires, etc.
The number 100 is intended to be large enough to make the investment truly diverse, large enough to attract a wide variety of talent and experience in each class, but small enough to be filled relatively easily. There is also no harm in applying multiple times or in scrapping a project and joining someone else's or submitting another idea. From the standpoint of the investor, it's an investment in people, and the specifics of the structure address the realities of risk aversion, talent acquisition, etc.