|
In The Launch Pad, Randall Stross,
author of eBoys and Planet Google, takes a
behind-the-scenes look at how tomorrow's hottest
startups are being primed for greatness.
Twice a
year, in the heart of Silicon Valley, a small investment
firm called Y Combinator selects an elite group of young
entrepreneurs. Months of intense work culminates in Demo
Day, when investors and venture capitalists flock to
hear their pitches. Any one of them might turn out to be
the next Dropbox (class of 2007), or Airbnb (class of
2009).
Randall Stross was granted unprecedented
access to Y Combinator, enabling a unique inside tour of
the world of software startups. He tells the full story
of this ultra-exclusive institution, how it chooses the
aspiring Mark Zuckerbergs, and how it teaches them to go
from concept to profitability in record time.
This is
the definitive story of a seismic shift in the business
world, in which coding skill beats job experience, pairs
of undergraduates take on Goliaths, and investors
fall in love. The Launch Pad is both a gripping
narrative and a gold mine of useful insights.
'A
must-read for anyone interested in the realities of
modern entrepreneurship' -Eric Ries, author ofThe
Lean Startup
'Stross's account of the best new
entrepreneurs and the exciting companies they're
building at startup schools is a great read for founders
and would-be founders alike' -Marc Andreessen,
cofounder, Andreessen Horowitz
Randall Stross
is the author of several acclaimed books, including
eBoys, Planet Google, and The Wizard of
Menlo Park. He has a Ph.D. in history from Stanford
University.
|
|
