However, one startup accelerator CEO has voiced his concern that some college entrepreneurship programs are encouraging students to idolize the two fraudsters’ ‘fake it till you make it’ mindset, and that it could have “dangerous” implications for many young people.
“That’s a waste of time,” he added. “And you’re gonna go to jail.”
While Tan admitted it can be tempting to follow others and cut ethical corners in today’s competitive business environment, the real secret to finding success in tech entrepreneurship today starts with carving your own legitimate path.
But he quickly added the caveat: “You don’t have to play by those old rules anymore. You don’t have to lie to investors. You don’t have to fake it till you make it.”
Fortune reached out to Y Combinator for further comment.
One of the biggest challenges for young entrepreneurs is breaking out of the structured schooling mindset—and realizing a startup is an open book.
Take social media, for example: Even in just the past five years, its power to propel a brand and launch a product has grown exponentially—yet some college programs have still not caught on. It’s one instance of how traditional teaching can become obsolete by the time students enter the real world.
“Almost everyone is realizing that they’re missing out on great talent by having a degree requirement,” he previously told Fortune. “That snowball is just growing.”
