The point is that a system-wide focus on selling to the government isn't desirable. Likewise, I would think that a system-wide focus on selling to venture capitalists to be similarly undesirable.

The NY subway isn't a good comparison, at all. Most people would still use and pay for the subway, even it were privatized. On the contrary (which is specifically stated in the article) the rent-a-bikes don't seem to be needed by consumers. Whether consumers really want the bikes is unknown, but that isn't the point he's making.