The real calamity you risk in a bad startup is the career damage. You can easily end up in a position well below your level of ability in the next job, and once

The real calamity you risk in a bad startup is the career damage. You can easily end up in a position well below your level of ability in the next job, and once that happens, you're screwed because most people get bored rapidly and lose motivation when this occurs. I have no idea what happens to the people who fall under their age curve. I hope to never find out. I don't claim any personal experience forming a startup but I've never heard anyone complain of adverse effects of a failed startup on their professional careers. The skills that you develop in the mere act of trying are always touted as a consolation prize for a startup that fails. Within reason[1], these skills are presumably valuable in themselves and would make for good additions on a CV/resume. Do you have any examples of anyone hurting their career from a failed startup? [1] Obviously, claiming failure of a startup trying to market perpetual motion machines would probably not be wise.