Ask HN: Which speakers can inspire students?

5 points by noverloop 15 years ago | 7 comments

I'm a student in a non-entrepreneurial college and I would like to invite several speakers over the course of this year to my university. A lot of my classmates have interest in building their own companies, but most of them will go to consulting shops instead of using their skills to built a product and make a difference. I have tried local entrepreneurs and while there was a lot of interest, the speakers weren't inspiring. Mostly because Belgium doesn't have that much of a tech-entrepreneurial culture.

I have secured the backing of the dean of faculty so tickets/money/sleeping arrangements aren't a problem. Which speakers can inspire students to take startups serious?

I know PG can do this, but I suspect he doesn't have time.

My current 'Wanted' list:

  Paul Graham
  Fred Wilson
  Steve Blank
  David Heinemeier Hansson
  Eric Ries

Please suggest additional speakers.

zachallaun 15 years ago |

While this is not necessarily a recommendation for a speaker, I would suggest using Nathan Furr's Business Model Competition (http://businessmodelcompetition.com) to compel a student population to shift their focus to entrepreneurship.

staunch 15 years ago |

Maybe you could contact some angel investors? Angel List has a bunch, and even 39 European angeles http://angel.co/europe

philwelch 15 years ago |

Some of my favorite speakers at the latest Startup School were Ron Conway, Tom Preston-Warner, and Brian Chesky. Last year my favorite speaker was Paul Buchheit.

drallison 15 years ago |

I think it takes more than a series of inspirational speakers to have an impact. Evangelism is only part of what's needed. You also need informative talks about the details of starting a venture, funding, intellectual property, risks and rewards, and so forth if you want to enable people to move forward.

noverloop 15 years ago | |

yes, but these aspects are 'post-idea' Most don't have ideas yet, although there is an active effort from the university to match CS students without ideas with academics from non-CS departments (legal, economics,...) that have ideas.

It takes some effort to make startups a viable 'career'-choice.

cantbecool 15 years ago |

Why the lucky stiff's presentation at ART && CODE Symposium. Not much to do with 'start-ups', but more of a why do we program type deal. It's interesting to say the least.

http://vimeo.com/5047563

_delirium 15 years ago |

Markus Persson, perhaps? Different kind of startup culture, though.