Ask HN: Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn't build startups at 17?

Posted by AmirMakirr on Sunday August 30, 2026 @04:11PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn’t build startups at 17 and should focus on learning instead?

( 4 comments | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn't build sta... by ilmak1704 on Sunday August 30, 2026 @04:26PM (#49502412)

ig he never said do not build anyway, just treat it as practice

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn't build sta... by coldtea on Sunday August 30, 2026 @04:31PM (#49502457)

Paul Graham describes what worked for him (with lots of chance involved) as a universal

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn't build sta... by GlibMonkeyDeath on Sunday August 30, 2026 @05:35PM (#49503078)

This is an example of "statistically good advice, but there are exceptions." For a famous list of exceptions, https://www.inc.com/business-insider/founders-who-started-fa...

I would also look up the term "survivorship bias". The above exceptions are famous precisely because there are so few examples of successful teenage founders.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Is Paul Graham right that you shouldn't build sta... by brazukadev on Monday August 31, 2026 @09:11AM (#49509355)

Building a startup is learning so he is probably wrong. The problem is 15-17 years old kids "hustling", trying to create a business to make money, creating posts like "I created X as a 16 old teenager" trying to hack spaces to reach an audience. Just do it for the learning.

[ Parent | on HN ]