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MIT Census Study Reveals Average Fast Growing Startup Founder Is 45 Years Old

Lewis Howes School of Greatness · The Science of Doing Less to Achieve More | David Epstein · May 25, 2026
MIT Census Study Reveals Average Fast Growing Startup Founder Is 45 Years Old
Lewis Howes School of Greatness
Lewis Howes School of Greatness
The Science of Doing Less to Achieve More | David Epstein
"What's the average age of a founder of one of those startups on the day of founding according to MIT and the Census Bureau and Northwestern? 45."
Research from MIT, Northwestern, and the Census Bureau contradicts the young founder narrative, showing the average age of a fast-growing startup founder is 45 years old, not in their twenties. Epstein argues older founders succeed because they identify specific customer problems from experience rather than hypothetical markets, directly challenging Mark Zuckerberg's famous claim that young people are just smarter.
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Lewis Howes School of Greatness
Lewis Howes School of Greatness

The Science of Doing Less to Achieve More | David Epstein

August 3, 2026 · 5 Egleze moments
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