Randall E. Stross Livres

Twice a year, in the heart of Silicon Valley, a small investment firm called Y Combinator selects an elite group of young entrepreneurs. Months of intense work culminates in Demo Day, when investors and venture capitalists flock to hear their pitches. Any one of them might turn out to be the next Dropbox (class of 2007) or Airbnb (class of 2009). Randall Stross was granted unprecedented access to Y Combinator, enabling a unique inside tour of the world of software startups. He tells the full story of this ultra-exclusive institution, how it chooses the aspiring Mark Zuckerbergs, and how it teaches them to go from concept to profitability in record time. This is the definitive story of a seismic shift in the business world, in which coding skill beats job experience, pairs of undergraduates take on Goliaths and investors fall in love. The Launch Pad is both a gripping narrative and a gold mine of useful insights. 'Stross makes computer programming and angel investing as thrilling as it gets.' Slate 'Stross's account of the best new entrepreneurs and the exciting companies they're building at startup schools is a great read for founders and would-be founders alike.' Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz

Exploring the dynamics of emerging startups, this book offers an insider's perspective on the strategies and innovations that are shaping the future of entrepreneurship. It delves into the processes that prepare these companies for success, highlighting key trends, challenges, and the visionary leaders driving change. Readers will gain insights into the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the factors that contribute to the rise of groundbreaking ventures.

Randall Stross investigates Google's pursuit of a business plan unlike any other: to become the indispensable gatekeeper of all the world's information.

Thomas Edison’s greatest invention? His own fame. Starting with the first public demonstrations of the phonograph in 1878 and extending through the development of incandescent light and the first motion-picture cameras, Thomas Edison’s name became emblematic of all the wonder and promise of the emerging age of technological marvels. But this critical biography of the man who is arguably the most famous of all Americans provides a fuller view of Edison’s life and times–revealing not only how he worked, but how he managed his own fame, becoming the first great celebrity of the modern age.

Open and closed -- Unlimited capacity -- The algorithm -- Moon shot -- Gootube -- Small world, after all -- A personal matter -- Algorithm, meet humanity.