In my years reporting on startups, I’ve often encountered stories of venture capitalists who’ve invested in a person, rather than a person’s idea. Hustle, an entrepreneurial spirit, a solid education, resolve, sheer likeability–often, these are qualities that seem to matter as much to investors as anything else.
Something like this idea–that investors invest in people rather than businesses–animates Upstart, a young company that helps investors do just that. The company just announced $5.9 million in Series A funding, reports PandoDaily.
It’s pretty addictive to explore Upstart’s site, even if you’re not looking to pony up anytime soon. One of the featured young men on the site, for instance, includes the wonderfully named Allah Jesus.
So is all this a good idea or not? Find out at MIT Technology Review.