Ibanca Anand

One of the most dangerous assumptions that any startup can make is that the consumer behaves rationally. Over the past few decades, the field of behavioral economics has determined that humans often make decisions that don’t align with their personal interests. In instance after instance, research shows that traditional predictions about human behavior fall short of reality. For entrepreneurs undertaking a pursuit already wrought with risk and uncertainty, the irrationality of consumers becomes yet another obstacle on the road to success. That’s where the Center for Advanced Hindsight (CAH) at Duke University comes in. This fall, the center launches...

Over 300 students, professors, and local entrepreneurs gathered at Duke University’s Gross Hall on Monday, March 30th to attend a very special discussion by a very special guest. “This man hardly needs an introduction,” said moderator Dr. Eric Toone of Duke’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative as he opened the sold-out event. Of course, to many in the audience, the cofounder and former CEO of PayPal, early investor in Facebook, creator of a fellowship which pays university students to drop out and start companies, challenger of U.S. government and incredibly successful venture capitalist (yes, this is all one person) is a common household name. Peter Thiel...

Women have a tough time becoming entrepreneurs. Not many people I know would be willing to argue against this statement. Whether it be familial responsibilities, lack of confidence, stereotypes, or discrimination, there are many forces pushing against us when it comes to starting a business. Since a young age, I’ve dreamed of starting a company. I began an ice cream shop out of my home in elementary school, ran a summer dance camp in 7th and 8th grade, and established a non-profit organization as a high school sophomore. The idea of creating something that is an extension of yourself...

Editor’s note: Ibanca Anand is Duke University Correspondent for ExitEvent, which is a news partner of WRAL TechWire. DURHAM, N.C. – A few weeks ago, I entered a classroom filled with a very unlikely group of Duke students. There were intellectuals pursuing vastly different interests—Pratt School of Engineering students, literature enthusiasts, Econ stars, global health/political science double majors. But even though the textbooks we carried couldn’t have been more dissimilar, we gathered for one singular purpose: how can we further Duke’s mission of knowledge in the service of society, and how will the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) Certificate...