Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan warned students about the 'fake it till you make it' mindset in entrepreneurship programs.
Tan criticized academic entrepreneurship programs that teach students to lie and fake success, comparing it to the cases of Elizabeth Holmes and Sam Bankman-Fried.
He emphasized the importance of honesty in entrepreneurship and highlighted the risks, including potential legal consequences such as jail time.
Tan and his Y Combinator colleagues also noted that some academic programs inadequately prepare students for the real-world challenges of entrepreneurship, including limiting access to tools like AI.