Stripe CEO urges Gen Z to weigh college versus startup risks

Patrick Collison, Stripe’s co-founder, told a Y Combinator audience that dropping out of college isn’t a must-have path and that today’s AI tools make starting a business easier than ever.

At a recent Y Combinator Startup School session, Stripe co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison cautioned Gen Z against feeling compelled to abandon college prematurely. He recounted his own experience of enrolling at MIT at 16, leaving twice to launch Auctomatic and later Stripe, and admitted that his sense of urgency was later seen as unnecessary. Collison emphasized that completing a degree poses no downside for those who enjoy it and that dropping out does not permanently damage reputation or prospects.

He pointed to AI-driven reductions in startup costs, citing Stripe data that shows nearly double the number of new businesses launching on its platform compared with a year earlier, with more reaching significant revenue milestones. Fellow innovators Jensen Huang and Mark Cuban reinforced the view that today’s technological landscape offers unprecedented opportunities for founders, even solo entrepreneurs. The discussion contrasted Collison’s perspective with occasional advice from figures like Jeff Bezos, who still champions the traditional college route.