I'm 22 and I bet $80,000 of my savings on an industrial AI startup. Now I'm dropping out of college to go all-in.
The 22-year-old founder of Y Combinator-backed Operon says his youth has helped him attract clients in an industry dominated by older executives.
At 22, Taiwanese entrepreneur Anderson Chen is building an AI startup called Operon in an industry dominated by older competitors. Chen, the CEO of Operon Solutions, plans to drop out of college to focus on his startup. He believes being a young founder has helped him attract clients and funding for his industrial AI startup. Operon aims to automate tasks traditionally performed by human operators and specialists in heavy industries, such as manufacturing, oil and gas, and construction.
Chen initially considered returning to school but decided to take another year off as his startup grew. He admits to being scared of dropping out, as having a degree is the standard in Asia, and his parents were initially concerned about his decision. However, his gap-year expenses were covered by a fellowship. Chen sees AI as rapidly changing the value of a college degree, and he wants to bring AI into heavy industries to outperform his professors.
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