"Congratulations on coming out..."

Thanks, but I haven't. I've openly talked about it for years.

"...and showing there are survivors of exactly that setup."

What? I haven't 'survived' anything. I don't do my job in either the accelerator or the startup struggling with the relentless torture of it all.

2% of the population suffers from depression. 2% of the population don't kill themselves. So most are 'survivors' or, to use another word, 'normal'.

"Have any of the people in your accelerator program killed themselves?"

Out of 50 founders so far? No. Out of a wider ecosystem in our city of at least as many again? Not to my knowledge.

"Would you reconsider your stance if they did or would you stick with it?"

What's to reconsider? Would you consider closing a bank because somebody couldn't cope with the crushing monotony of their work and killed themselves? No.

"Are you trying to identify people who may have mental issues from the population of founders of your seed stage companies?"

No. I'm not a qualified doctor.

"And if so do you help to get them professionally looked after?"

If somebody shows symptoms of depression of course I'll talk to them and support them. I'll strongly suggest they talk to their doctor because diagnosis is required to managed depression.

"Do you refuse them entry into the program?"

No. That's stupid. Their depression may have nothing whatsoever to do with startups. Chances are it hasn't because they're still early stage. If I feel they're capable of completing the program in a professional and competent manner, then their mental wellbeing isn't a deal-breaker.

Just so we're clear:

- depression and suicide are not necessarily related, and one rarely leads to the other.

- people get depressed about plenty of issues other than startups. I have a friend, a successful entrepreneur who sets an outstanding example to others; his personal life is often a mess because of his depression. His professional life and his depression don't cross paths, and I'd guess that without doing what he loves in his work, his life would be so much harder.

- that there are people who think like you worries me far, far more than people with depression.

user:	twitchhiker
created:	March 8, 2012
karma:	31
about:	Startups - mentoring, advising and building.

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