PhD's and Startups are similar enough experiences that they can be constrasted. Every PhD is unique - REALLY unique and only a few people in the world understa

PhD's and Startups are similar enough experiences that they can be constrasted. Every PhD is unique - REALLY unique and only a few people in the world understand. Startups these days seem to be as individual. I agree that PhD's and startups have similar elements of risk. In both spaces, it's possible to stick to safe ideas or ideas that don't meet approval of your colleagues. Startups teach you to be responsible for your own ideas, in a way the PhD system does not. Not every PhD student has a scholarship. The ones who don't get a fellowship, tend not to accept. The ones that do get money still don't really understand where that money comes from.