It seems to me that they're also trying to manufacture something that seems to occur naturally. From the founder's stories I've seen, many of them were friends before they got the idea to do a startup. That's why they seem to be able to weather the ups and downs of starting a company - their friendship isn't tied directly to the company.
Things like meetups, including Startup School could be a good place to get the right people together and just let them get to know each other and discuss ideas.
It seems to me that they're also trying to manufacture something that seems to occur naturally.
I was going to make a comment that finding a co-founder is a lot like dating, and that dating web sites have improved (but not completely fixed) the dating process.
Right? Like on a co-founder site you can list you turn-ons and turn-offs, to determine compatability. "Bootstrapping is a turn on.". "Windows is a big turn off."
Then I realized that most couples who met on the internet, much like all other couples: They end up fighting about money, trust, shared responsibility, etc. And, in all likelihood, they separate. And I realized that, in company founding, the co-founder "dating phase" is something that happens WELL before you start a company together. You build trust and a relationship over time.
So perhaps starting a company with someone is more like marriage, but with alimony vesting. It seems like accelerating that process would need a very different approach than fixing the "dating" process.
Things like meetups, including Startup School could be a good place to get the right people together and just let them get to know each other and discuss ideas.