Do you feel that the walls of traditional universities have trapped your child’s ambition to change the world? Does your child have a disruptive idea and can’t wait to make it a reality?

When it comes to “dropping out to start a business,” there’s one name that always echoes like thunder, igniting the dreams of countless young people and overturning society’s definition of success—that is the Thiel Fellowship.

This program is designed for young people who believe that “creating (output) is more important than learning (input).” But it is just a starting point among the many choices available to young people. Today, we will first deeply analyze this legendary program, and then lay out a broader “alternative success” resource map for the next generation.

The Thiel Fellowship

The Thiel Fellowship was established in 2011 by PayPal co-founder and legendary investor Peter Thiel. It is not an ordinary scholarship, but a “ticket” to the future. Its philosophy is simple yet radical: for the most promising young people, two years of entrepreneurial practice is far more valuable than two years in a university classroom.

Peter Thiel, chairman of the Thiel Foundation, said: “The Roman proverb ‘corruptio optimi pessima’ (the corruption of the best is the worst) suggests that higher education is currently the worst institution. For these outstanding talents, we offer them another choice.”

If you agree with the spirit of the Thiel Fellowship but want to seek more options, the following programs are also open to young people.

1517 Fund

The 1517 Fund was founded by former mentors of the Thiel Fellowship, with a very clear goal: to invest in founders who have dropped out of college or never attended college. They believe that some of the greatest ideas are born outside the system. The fund provides small-dollar “Medici Project” grants to validate early ideas, as well as larger seed-round investments.

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK Foundation)

If you want to tackle social or environmental issues, the DRK Foundation is your top choice. They provide high-impact early-stage social enterprises with three years of unrestricted funding totaling $300,000. They look for leaders who are committed to serving vulnerable groups and have the potential to scale their solutions.

O’Shaughnessy Fellowships

This program provides $100,000 grants each year to 10 highly ambitious individuals, allowing them to work for a year without distractions to create something great—be it scientific research, artistic creation, or technological invention. They believe in “personal agency” and seek those with a strong portfolio and inner drive.

These programs welcome young founders from all backgrounds, regardless of whether you have a college degree.

Echoing Green Fellowship

This is one of the most prestigious programs in the field of social innovation. Selected fellows receive seed funding ($80,000 for for-profit organizations, $90,000 for non-profits), leadership development, and a lifelong community network. They especially focus on early-stage entrepreneurs dedicated to addressing racial and systemic injustice.

Future Founders Fellowship

This is a one-year accelerator program designed specifically for young founders aged 18 to 30. It does not care about educational background, but focuses on helping you take your business to the next level through mentorship, skills training, and a peer community.

Global Good Fund Fellowship

This 12-month program accelerates your personal growth and business development by pairing you with an executive coach and a C-level business mentor. Additionally, you will receive $10,000 in leadership development funding.

If your project already has a prototype, these competitions can provide you with crucial early funding and exposure.

Global Innovation Challenge

This is a global challenge for young founders aged 18 to 30 who are committed to solving social or environmental problems. The program provides grants ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 to support high-potential early-stage projects. Applications are completely free, with no restrictions on nationality or educational background.

Palantir Meritocracy Fellowship

Palantir recently launched a “Meritocracy Fellowship” elite internship program specifically for high school graduates, attracting a lot of attention. This four-month paid internship (with a monthly salary of $5,400) is aimed at high school graduates who have not yet entered college. Applicants must have Ivy League-level standardized test scores—an SAT score of at least 1460 or an ACT score of at least 33, corresponding to the 99th and 98th percentiles, respectively.

Palantir’s move is seen as a challenge to the traditional higher education system. The company believes that U.S. college admissions standards are becoming increasingly vague, causing truly talented students to be rejected by subjective and superficial criteria, leading to “excellence and elitism being marginalized, and campuses becoming hotbeds of extremism and chaos.”

Palantir’s recruitment slogan directly questions university education: “Skip the debt, skip the brainwashing, get a Palantir degree.” After completing the internship, outstanding performers will receive interview opportunities and may be directly converted to full-time employees at Palantir. This program not only provides excellent high school graduates with a direct path to top tech companies but also reflects the tech industry’s reflection on and breakthrough from traditional educational paths. For those who do not want to be constrained by the traditional university system and wish to get involved in real projects as soon as possible, Palantir’s “Meritocracy Fellowship” is undoubtedly a brand new career shortcut.

https://jobs.lever.co/palantir/7fa0ceca-c30e-48de-9b27-f98469c374f3

START Fellowship (Switzerland)

This program aims to empower young founders from low- and middle-income countries through an incubator and accelerator, connecting them with Europe’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and providing them with a bridge to enter the European market.

Cansbridge Fellowship (Canada)

This program is aimed at highly ambitious Canadian students, but its core is to cultivate global and entrepreneurial thinking. Selected fellows receive a $10,000 scholarship to complete a self-organized internship in Asia and join a lifelong elite network.

Y Combinator

As the world’s top startup accelerator, YC is open to founders of all ages and backgrounds. While it takes equity, the resources, network, and brand endorsement it provides are invaluable, and it is the cradle of countless unicorns. Being accepted into YC is a huge success in itself. It provides funding (typically $500,000 for 7% equity).

Conclusion

There has never been only one path to success. A degree certificate may prove a person’s past, but the foresight, courage, and action of the next generation will define their future.

The world is being reshaped by those who dare to challenge the rules and create new things. If your child is one of them, don’t hesitate. Click the links above, find the most suitable track, and then take off with all your might!

Sources [1]https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/_9AvrGJytjdNHLIJRW6zCw