News•May 9, 2026
Reactions to “We Have Learned Nothing”
A recent essay on Colossus argues that modern startup methodologies—Lean Startup, customer development, design thinking, and effectuation—have not improved startup survival rates over the past two decades. By re‑examining Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the author found flat failure curves for all new firms, suggesting the pedagogical shift has had little measurable impact. The piece sparked a mix of emotional defenses and thoughtful critiques, highlighting concerns about data quality, success definitions, and methodological prevalence. It concludes with a call for more rigorous, data‑driven research and better integration of theory and practice in entrepreneurship education.
