Chasing funding can be a major distraction from finding a product-market fit.
Good advisors, be it in an incubator or a mentor, help you make sure you can make money with your business before adding money to make it grow.
There are lots of problems out there to solve and for those looking for their first hit it's quite reasonable to find one that can provide enough value early on that customers will pay for it.
OTOH if you really only want to entirely invent a new paradigm with the help of funding, great. Personally I'd rather do the same forever, not having to worry about my day to day thanks to some simple but profitable problems I've solved.
I guess that makes me pro-profit and not so much anti-funding. Businesses need to make money, now, later. The more we avoid and distract ourselves from that the further out we are from reality and sustainability. Both ways have their benefits. :)
That is sort of the point, chasing funding can be a huge distraction. If an incubator can't provide significant advantages to doing so, what are they helping with? In some circumstances, maybe something else significant.
I disagree with your second point. There are many opportunities that will not be profitable initially. Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, these are the easy examples to point out, but there is a spectrum. A good advisor will understand the landscape and consider your options and leverage.
I agree there are a lot of problems. Every inefficiency is an opportunity. Insurmountable Opportunity...
I'm pro-profit and pro using every appropriate tool. I'm also pro thinking big and long term.
Good advisors, be it in an incubator or a mentor, help you make sure you can make money with your business before adding money to make it grow.
There are lots of problems out there to solve and for those looking for their first hit it's quite reasonable to find one that can provide enough value early on that customers will pay for it.
OTOH if you really only want to entirely invent a new paradigm with the help of funding, great. Personally I'd rather do the same forever, not having to worry about my day to day thanks to some simple but profitable problems I've solved.
I guess that makes me pro-profit and not so much anti-funding. Businesses need to make money, now, later. The more we avoid and distract ourselves from that the further out we are from reality and sustainability. Both ways have their benefits. :)