Airy Labs Founder On 'Higher Education Bubble' Vs. Real World

Lizette Chapman:

On the surface, Andrew Hsu is a curious fit among the inaugural class of Thiel Fellows.

Andrew Hsu says there are some things you can't learn in college. "In the real world it's crazy," he says.

PayPal co-founder and early Facebook investor Peter Thiel's "20 Under 20" fellowship program awards $100,000 to 20 people under 20 years of age who drop out of college to pursue science and technological innovation. The program officially launched in May and is the first assault in Thiel's war against the "higher-education bubble" - a system he says stymies innovation and burdens youngsters with debt.

Hsu, now 20, graduated with honors and degrees in neurobiology, biochemistry and chemistry and a minor in mathematics from the University of Washington at 16. He was a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Stanford's neuroscience program when he left it earlier this year to launch Airy Labs Inc.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at August 4, 2011 5:21 AM
Subscribe to this site via RSS/Atom: Newsletter signup | Send us your ideas