Whether Fired or Tired, Young Guns Are Leaving Silicon Valley
With the fear of recession in sight, investors are becoming more cautious and sharpening their demands on start-ups.
In her November 10, 2022 article for Le Monde Caroline Talbot writes a subscriber only article about the recent trend of company founders exiting their companies as they grow and go public.
Talbot interviews Cassel Salpeter Chairman and Cofounder James Cassel among other sources to examine why these unicorn company founders are leaving even as their companies take off.
Citing increasing economic pressures for Silicon Valley, Talbot notes that shareholders and company maturity can take their toll on company founders known for their outside-the-box thinking.
Talbot notes the changes at Twitter culminating in Elon Musk seizing the helm as well as the departures of Ben Silbermann at Pinterest, Emily Weiss at Glossier and Joe Gebbia at Airbnb.
While highlighting how recession worries have investors demanding more control while cutting into founder freedoms, she underscores how some founders are able to find that Goldilocks fit and remain with their companies.
Among other examples when founders remained with their company after being acquired, she cites the $90 million sale of EveryMundo, which helps airlines sell tickets in real time, to Pros.
Click here to read the article.
