Ecosystems Create People, Not Companies

When I first started at InCube, our success metrics were how many companies we create and how much revenue those companies produce.  The more companies and more money, the louder we could blow our horn (with data).  Donald could have been our spokesman.

Now that I've been at Duke a few months, I beginning to finalize a path the entrepreneurial minded student might take.  Recently it dawned on me that our ecosystem is not about creating companies.  It's about creating "entrepreneurial mind people that will solve the world's problems."

Incorporating Self Education in Traditional Education

At Duke University, I spend time with top quality students who are attempting to launch their own ventures, many of which are technology based and require complicated programming.  Did they learn these programming skills in their classes?  Not usually.  Some simple web searches can result in many educational aids to turn you into a programmer just like these students.

If you think this trend is only at the high ed level, consider this exchange I had at my daughter's elementary school.  It was Wax Museum day and I was asking "James Madison" a question.

Me:  "How did James Madison affect our world for good?"

3rd Grader:  "I'll need to go search that on the internet."  

What to do?
Spend more time exposing young people to the real world of career options including entrepreneurship.  When the young people are exposed to something of interest they will latch on and educate themselves.  Plus the skill of acquiring new knowledge on their own will serve them as the skills they need will be outdated soon after they graduate.