I see a steady stream of entrepreneurs contacting me with various software ideas:  a Web site, a mobile app, etc.   All are looking for funding and developer help to implement the idea, and most won’t end up with either, even though some of the ideas are really interesting.

Why not?

The software business has changed profoundly over the past decade.  Software development has become extremely capital efficient:  dev tools are free, the software stack is free, and virtual servers are free to start (and then pay-as-you-go).  There are still large projects that need teams, but more and more, the only things needed for the next great Web site or iPhone app are:  time, talent, and a MacBook.

Programming languages are now first-class expressive mediums:  the brilliant designer/developer is as talented as any world-renowned author, but just writes in a different language.

As a result, the best designer/developer talent can now work for themselves.  “Bare ideas” are cheap; the real value is a good idea combined with talent to realize the vision.  That’s what investors want to invest in.  In analogous terms:  finding investors for a “bare” software idea is like finding investors for a fiction-novel idea — it’s really hard.

My advice:  find a willing co-author, or learn to write!