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Tech Start-ups Aren't Just for Wunderkinds
jonniee writes "The results of a new report from the Kauffman Foundation are contrary to what we usually hear about U.S. tech start-ups. Who are these entrepreneurs? Is the report in sync with what you're seeing?"
According to the linked article, "Challenging the perception of American technology entrepreneurs as 20-something wunderkinds launching businesses from college dorm rooms," the new study "reveals most U.S.-born technology and engineering company founders are middle-aged, well-educated, and hold degrees from a wide assortment of universities."
> I think the biggest reason 20-er's succeed is they do not understand the world wants them to fail (so they don't). Older folks are so much more cynical that they don't step out of the comfort zone.
I'm not sure this holds water. There's a perception that young entrepreneurs are successful, but it's basically a myth, perpetuated because of all the attention that a few (rare) successes bring.
The entire focus of the article is that most startups, and I'd be willing to wager most successful companies, aren't started by young people fresh out of college. They're somewhat unsurprisingly started by people with experience in the industry. But "several well-educated 40-somethings go to a bank, get a business loan, rent an office space, and start a new company by filling a niche they know there's a demand for" just doesn't make for as exciting reading as "two college kids in their dorm room risk it all and run up credit card debt pursuing their dreams".
Really it's just the real world turning out to be less romantic, you might say, than the media sometimes makes it out to be. No real surprise there.
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Das Wunderkind, die Wunderkinder. Lernen Sie Deutsch!