Sand Hill Road is Silicon Valley's premiere boulevard of big dreams and bad investments. Thanks to the loose funding standards fueling the current bubble, these two founders think they can raise cash by holding up "NEED FUNDING" signs along the money men's strip.

Startup Land only says something poignant about itself by accident, and this time is no exception: the grand prize in an upcoming venture capital sponsored hackathon is a chance to degrade yourself in a booth full of money.

Where you see sick patients, venture capitalists see off-the-charts consumer engagement. Since the Affordable Care Act, investment has "skyrocketed," like First Opinion, which raised $1.2 million from Greylock Partners and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner for "a way to text message doctors anytime of day or night."