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Wait, Andy Rubin is your only example? What company has he started and then “run into the ground”? I’m going to call bullshit. Have many Googlers started start
by ryanwaggoner 7y ago
Wait, Andy Rubin is your only example? What company has he started and then “run into the ground”?
I’m going to call bullshit. Have many Googlers started startups that failed? Yes, but that’s the default state for startups so it hardly seems notable. I doubt the failure rate for ex-Googler founders is any higher than for regular founders. In fact, I suspect it’s higher, if only because they’re probably more likely than the average founder to be able to raise a round, and that likely increases your success rate vs the average startup. But you’re still probably going to fail.
What I take exception to is the 6-7 rounds of funding. A tiny, tiny fraction of companies raise more than 3 rounds, so the idea that there’s a “very large list” of failed companies started by ex-Googlers who have raised 6-7 rounds is total hogwash. Your hand-waving “you’ve never heard of them” notwithstanding.
- luckydata 7y agoWhich company has Rubin started that was not a huge commercial failure?
- malandrew 7y agoAndroid, Inc.
- luckydata 7y agoHow was Android a commercial success?
- mav3rick 7y agoAre you kidding me ? Mobile ad revenue for one ? This comment shows you are not acting in good faith or just plain anti Google.
- luckydata 7y agoThis is funny. You're making the point Android is successful as a product because it provides google with "ad impressions" which is exactly my point, Google knows only how to make money one way, with ad impressions. Android the company wasn't successful commercially (no revenue from licensing, not self sustainable) and was acquired quite early when they realized it wouldn't be. Android itself is a huge money pit for Google, and it's worth it only because it creates an avenue to monetize mobile. In commercial terms that's a "loss leader", not a profitable product. Stick to engineering, it's better.
- mav3rick 7y agoIn the same way that BMW builds "only cars" ? The Play Store gets 30% of in app purchases too. First party phones are sold at profits. The collective revenue of Google due to Android is a big net positive. Not to mention the stickiness to Google products that results too. You don't know anything about business and yet you call out "all the Googlers" who don't succeed at startups. Stick to trolling on HN and feeling good about yourself. Google and Googlers will march on.