Does the UK need a YC clone?
barry-cotter: Good god yes. Never mind the UK, Europe needs a proper YC clone, and if one gets significant traction anywhere in the EU/EFTA it'll have the same kind of advantage in that space as YC does in the US, i.e. first pick.A good YC clone would be fantastic but (as the sainted pg says, pbuh) angels are the limiting factor. YC Edinburgh would be fantastic and given time might be sufficient to build a proper startup hub, but if some entity ponies up the cash for the "buy a Silicon Valley" plan, you're crushed. Even aside from that a substantial portion of any Scottish clone's rounds would end up in London.Dragon's Den
Pro- They decide very quickly.
Con- The expertise is not there, so they will say yes seldom.
Seedcamp
They're later stage than YC. Good and all but you need a let a thousand flowers bloom thing.
Prince's Trust/Government grants
Pro- Lots of money
Con- The anti-angel. Not an entrepreneurial bone in their bodies, must fill out forms and justify why the money went to this company rather than that one.Can you imagine an agent with more perfectly misaligned incentives? They have no upside if their investment decision goes right, and probably no downside either. People in those kind of jobs very rarely get fired.Coda: Yeurope appears to be moribund, so the spot is open again. Their website hasn't been updated in ages and has advanced linkrot.