Tim Ferriss on Startups Today

Tim Ferris, in What might this look like if it were easy?” — A Conversation at Harvard Business School, explains why if he would be starting over today, he wouldn’t bet in an AI startup:

If you were starting over today in 2025 and were in your late twenties, what would you be doing?

I would be looking for fast-growing industries that are unsexy and under the radar, and I’d aim to join a startup of fewer than 100 people, where I’d be able to watch deal-makers making deals and making decisions. In contrast, if you’re trying to create an AI startup like everyone else, it’s going to be a crabs in a bucket scenario for 99% of the people involved. Sure, you might be the super crab 1%, but I generally prefer less crowded spaces, where you can typically get more regular interaction with the A+ players.