Kevin Hartz Bets on Teenage Founders

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Kevin Hartz, co-founder of Xoom, Eventbrite, and venture firm A* Capital, is backing a new wave of founders: teenagers who skip college to build startups.

His firm recently invested in Aaru, an AI-powered prediction engine, where one founder was just 15 years old.

Hartz sees a growing trend: ambitious teens bored in school, dropping out, and pushing the envelope earlier than ever.

“Even in top universities, they still go and drop out with a thirst to build,” he told TechCrunch.

This drop-out-to-build culture, once radicalized by the Thiel Fellowship, is now mainstream — and accelerators like Z Fellows and YC’s new student-friendly program are fueling it further.

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Backing teenage founders shows confidence in the next wave of innovative disruptors.

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Young entrepreneurs often bring fresh ideas unburdened by traditional corporate mindsets.