3 ms·

Being a startup forum I'm surprised no one has compared doing a PhD to starting a startup. Has anyone done both and if so are they similar in stress levels, wi

Being a startup forum I'm surprised no one has compared doing a PhD to starting a startup. Has anyone done both and if so are they similar in stress levels, willpower needed etc? What are the similarities and differences?

return0 12y ago
Startup is more rewarding, you steer it where you want, and reap the rewards. In science, even if you make the big discovery you have a shit ton of politics to go through yet. (source: after building an indie business, i took up a pHd in a (very interesting) field). I love what i learned and will run away from academia as soon as i get the PhD. I don't understand how super smart people allow themselves to be treated the way they are treated there sometimes.
sbardle 12y ago
Startups and PhDs do tend to attract intellectually curious people. The startup scene seems to be benefiting from the brain-drain away from academia due to push and pull factors. But there are some differences: A startup involves working in a team; for a PhD, you're mostly on your own. A startup has no guarantee of success; for a PhD, there is an institutional bias in getting you through.
arethuza 12y ago
I spent 6 years working on a PhD before dropping it and going off and co-founding a start-up - from '89 to '95. I wasn't terribly highly motivated about the PhD work towards the end - the main thing I learned during the process was that I did not want to work in academia. I didn't see much point in a PhD as a general purpose credential and basically used my time for the last 18 months or so getting our company sorted out. Having said that, academia - particularly post-grads, is a great place to meet people. I met my co-founder through a research project and a couple of other people I knew from there came on-board as early stage employees and worked out really well.

3 ms·

Being a startup forum I'm surprised no one has compared doing a PhD to starting a startup. Has anyone done both and if so are they similar in stress levels, wi

by TimJRobinson 12y ago

return0 12y ago
Startup is more rewarding, you steer it where you want, and reap the rewards. In science, even if you make the big discovery you have a shit ton of politics to go through yet. (source: after building an indie business, i took up a pHd in a (very interesting) field). I love what i learned and will run away from academia as soon as i get the PhD. I don't understand how super smart people allow themselves to be treated the way they are treated there sometimes.
sbardle 12y ago
Startups and PhDs do tend to attract intellectually curious people. The startup scene seems to be benefiting from the brain-drain away from academia due to push and pull factors. But there are some differences: A startup involves working in a team; for a PhD, you're mostly on your own. A startup has no guarantee of success; for a PhD, there is an institutional bias in getting you through.
arethuza 12y ago
I spent 6 years working on a PhD before dropping it and going off and co-founding a start-up - from '89 to '95. I wasn't terribly highly motivated about the PhD work towards the end - the main thing I learned during the process was that I did not want to work in academia. I didn't see much point in a PhD as a general purpose credential and basically used my time for the last 18 months or so getting our company sorted out. Having said that, academia - particularly post-grads, is a great place to meet people. I met my co-founder through a research project and a couple of other people I knew from there came on-board as early stage employees and worked out really well.