[jfoster]

Part and parcel in that when you start a venture you expose yourself to decisions that businesses or consumers make to buy or not buy whatever it is that you're selling. So there's a risk that it might not go so well. The VC business model is such that they depend on at least some of their investments paying off. If they measure that age is a factor that affects the likelihood of an investment paying off, should they use it?

I don't have a strong opinion on this. I'm just trying to determine which part people have a problem with. The two objections that I can think of are: 1. Not believing that age could be a factor affecting the likelihood of a venture. 2. Believing that even if age is a factor affecting the likelihood of a venture, VCs shouldn't use it.

[stcredzero]

I specifically asked you for your thinking and your experience. Either you didn't catch that, or you're unwilling to answer.

[jfoster]

I can't see any reason why age wouldn't be useful information for a VC. As for refusing to use age as a signal on principle, I'm not sure that it helps anyone. At the end of the day that means that time, effort, and money are being invested into companies that VCs could've known would have a lower likelihood of success.

[stcredzero]

So you're saying that age can be a contra-indicator of success.