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Why the “Math Mafia” is doing well
Mathematical Olympiad participation correlates with startup success because it normalizes extreme grit and intense, meritocratic competition.
What: Jesse Zhang notes that high-profile founders like Alexandr Wang (Scale) and Scott Wu (Cognition) share a background in competitive math, which prepares them for the high-intensity work environments of elite tech companies.
Why it matters: This highlights the 'signaling' value of competitive math within Silicon Valley, suggesting that the industry's top tier recruits for a specific, high-work-rate personality profile.
Original article
Olympiads breed people who normalize hard work and don't shy away from intense competition.
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