Draper University Experience. Notes by Sergey Faldin.

I had a lot of fun doing the Draper University ‘Hero Training’ program. In many ways, it changed me. It still does, as I continue to reflect on my experiences 6 months after the program ended.

A lot of people ask me whether my startup launched, whether I got funding, etc. The answer is: that’s not the point.

In fact, as one of the program leaders told us, 9 out of 10 businesses that launch or are conceived at DraperU don’t last another 2 months. And I was no exception to this rule.

The thing is, ‘having your startup launch’ or ‘get funding’ or ‘get exposure’ are all good things, but that wasn’t the point of my trip to DraperU last summer. And I guess it’s not what most of the students get out of the program.

What you really get out of the program is thoughts. Ideas. Insights. Connections. Getting to know 47 people from 25 countries. Living, sleeping, working, (spoiler: almost dying during Survival Week) together. That’s what’s truly valuable when you are 20–30 years old. Forget about your ‘exit’, learn! You’ll get there eventually, why hurry?

The program changes you. Being among amazing people changes you. Jumping in the ocean with Tim Draper himself changes you. Talking to 2–3 millionaires per day and living for 1.5 months in the very heart of Silicon Valley changes you. And it continues to do so as you go through life and reflect on your experience many months (and, I guess, years) since.