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Correlations tell you about the data selection process, not the data points. A lot of 45 year olds who can successfully run a new business project already are,
by Daniel_Newby 14y ago
Correlations tell you about the data selection process, not the data points. A lot of 45 year olds who can successfully run a new business project already are, thanks to their connections and track record. These success stories don't show up at a VCs office begging for money.
Valley "ageism" sounds a lot like sour grapes from VCs who are only attractive to young people who haven't built up credibility yet, and old people who cannot imagine that 25 years of being turned down by their boss could possibly have anything to do with their talents.
- chrisyeh 14y agoMany top VCs explicitly prefer younger founders. Vinod Khosla doesn't back older founders, and Paul Graham stated he wouldn't accept any first-time founders older than 35. Both of these gentlemen are legends who are attractive to any entrepreneur.
- Daniel_Newby 14y ago> Both of these gentlemen are legends who are attractive to any entrepreneur. Really? Suppose a successful 45 year old with a net worth of $750k decides to ditch his chief engineer job for a startup. If he decides YC could help him not lose perspective, is PG going to turn him down cold? If his self-funded proof of concept gets traction, is Khosla going to have a secretary blow him off? Probably not. The college kids only mentality is public relations, not an actual policy.