Pros
The great thing about working at Idealab was rubbing elbows with some of the startest people in the startup world. Bill Gross is obviously impressive, but the team that develops the companies from concept to full on company were always amazing. Also the open environment allowed for unintended collaboration that sparked ideas and camaraderie that would otherwise not happen in a traditional environment. Lastly the people. It was like a family, and when you spend 40 + hours away from home, it's not a bad place to hang your hat.
Cons
Idealab and Bill Gross as brands have been money for many years, but there was a lack of outward communication over the years to tell the new stories of all the new startups, all the successes and some failures that we learned a great deal about.