Gurley reveals SpaceX Boca Chica average age is 29, matching early NASA when his father wrote reports at 26.
“The average age at Boca Chica is 29, which is fascinating. Yeah. Yeah. And it was funny because I asked my dad, was that true at NASA?”
Gurley states the average age of a new Benchmark partner is about 30 years old.
“the way, the average age of a new partner at Benchmark that becomes an equal partner is about 30.”
Gurley argues venture capital bends toward youth because founders are young and young VCs understand new techniques better.
“I think it's very hard to be a venture capitalist as you get older and I think it's very easy to break into venture capital as a young person.”
Gurley argues older investors build cynical mental models that make them miss next disruptive thing.
“Two, I think, and this all goes back to the asymmetric optimism thing, as you get older, you build more mental models and you become more cynical.”
Gurley discovered his father wrote influential NASA paper on rocket atmospheric bounce at age 27.
“And I looked at the date on that document and he was 27 years old when he wrote it.”