What is the Average Age of a Successful Startup Founder?

The US statistics show entrepreneurs' average age when setting up their ventures in their 40s. The exact age may vary depending on the industry of the business.

Industries like biotechnology or oil and gas are characterized by 47-year-old entrepreneurs, on average. For local businesses, such as restaurants, the average reduces to 42. Most of these local, new companies had intentions to grow large.

The big question is - what about the high-tech industry? Even among the high-tech founders, the average age was the early forties. But it varies across sub-industries.

if you are 45 years old - you have the greatest chance of success.

In software startups, the founder's average age is 40, and younger founders aren't uncommon. In contrast, the average age is much lower in IT industries, such as social media.

These statistics are for all founders. But what about the most successful startups? Looking at most successful firms, the average founder age tends to be middle-aged, not young.

What is the relative advantage of middle-aged entrepreneurs? The work experience. Even the most talented younger founder has no work experience. Founders with at least three years of prior work experience in the same narrow industry as their startup are 85% more likely to launch a highly successful startup.

The conclusion is that if you are 45 years old - you have the greatest chance of success.