I Dropped Out of Harvard to Pursue My Own Business; No Regrets

Trading the Classroom for the C-Suite: Steven Wang and the Dub Saga

Steven Wang isn’t your typical 22-year-old. HeS already a seasoned entrepreneur, having built and sold a company while still a teenager. But his path to success hasn’t been paved with traditional milestones. Eight months into his freshman year at Harvard,Wang made a bold decision: he dropped out to focus on his financial technology startup,dub.

For Wang, entrepreneurship isn’t just a career choice; it’s a deeply ingrained passion. “From selling origami cranes in first grade to leaving high school for around two years to launch a VR education company,” he explains,”I’ve always loved creating,and that’s manifested into different projects throughout my life.”

His entrepreneurial journey began early, influenced by his parents who, having immigrated to the US from China, instilled in him a desire to build something new. “Watching them build new lives and careers inspired me to try new things,” Wang shares.

This drive culminated in Realism, his VR education company, launched when he was just 16. It was a bold move, dropping out of high school to pursue his vision. “We raised money, which convinced me to drop out of high school at 16,” Wang recalls. “My friends and I moved to Boston from Michigan and lived together in a one-bedroom apartment for a year on stipends from the money we raised.”

Realism’s acquisition in 2020 validated his belief that success often demands unwavering dedication and a willingness to defy expectations.

Now, with dub, Wang aims to disrupt the financial technology landscape. His journey is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the courage to forge one’s own path.

From Apple to Harvard: The Journey of a Young Trailblazer

Most teenagers spend their summers enjoying carefree moments, perhaps picking up a summer job. But not this teenager. Even at 16, my focus was squarely on entrepreneurship. I launched Realism, a startup dedicated to creating immersive virtual reality experiences specifically for musicians.

It was a whirlwind.Learning to code, pitching to investors, building a team – it consumed me. We even managed to secure funding to launch the project.

Balancing the demanding startup world with high school, however, proved challenging. Despite the exhilarating ride, I realized I needed to prioritize my education. So, I took the bold step of temporarily leaving school to fully commit to Realism.

Then, in 2019, another astounding prospect arrived. I landed a full-time engineering project manager role at Apple. Ever since I was a kid, Steve Jobs inspired me, and I craved firsthand insight into Apple’s inner workings, especially their remarkable team building and management strategies. I was so passionate that I even created mock-ups for new Apple Watch designs, which I brought to the interview!

Despite my limited work experience, I was incredibly lucky to receive the offer. At 17, I became the youngest person on staff.

juggling Reality and Apple was a constant balancing act. Between Boston and California, I moved frequently, sharing living spaces with mentors and roommates. After eight months, however, I knew it was time to return to high school, to finish senior year at 18. I missed out on the valuable social experiences, and returning posed a personal challenge I was determined to conquer.Then,COVID-19 struck,disrupting everything. the remainder of my senior year was a blur. Fortunately, before everything changed, I had the opportunity to forge valuable connections.

Despite taking a break from academics, I maintained my passion for learning.Certain ideology classes had opened my eyes to diverse worldviews, fueling a desire to delve deeper.

Applying to colleges became a natural step.

From Harvard to Fintech: A Young Entrepreneur’s Journey

He enrolled at Harvard, drawn to its prestigious humanities program. But a burgeoning interest in investing, sparked by the excitement surrounding meme stocks and cryptocurrency, soon took center stage. Witnessing the rise of retail investors fueled his entrepreneurial spirit. During his sophomore year, he began developing a groundbreaking product in a business class—a platform that would empower retail investors to automatically copy the trades of successful investors. Recognizing its potential, he showcased his innovation at a demo day, presenting to mentors and venture capitalists, including representatives from Realism, who expressed keen interest in supporting his future endeavors.

Embracing the opportunity, he made the bold decision to leave Harvard in June 2021, eight months into his studies, to devote himself fully to his vision.Initially keeping his decision a secret from his mother, who had reservations about him leaving high school, he eventually revealed it upon moving to New York in July. “Dropping out of Harvard was the right choice for me. I’ve never been happier,” he reflects. The relentless pace of building “dub,” his venture, keeps him energized. Surrounded by a dedicated team of 25, they’ve secured over $17 million in funding, attracting notable investors like Uber’s CEO and Robinhood’s founding COO.

He started with three co-founders, but now leads the company solo, navigating the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. “dub” operates as a brokerage platform, but with a unique twist.Instead of trading individual stocks,users select investors whose strategies they admire and automatically mirror their trades. “Think of ‘dub’ as a brokerage where you can trade, but instead of trading single stocks, you pick other investors you can copy-trade,” he explains. “When the person you copy makes a trade, the platform automatically mirrors that for you. We want users to be able to invest in the ideas and people they believe in.”

Despite acknowledging the potential drawbacks of leaving college, he remains steadfast in his decision. His entrepreneurial spirit, fueled by passion and determination, continues to drive him forward. His journey resonates with anyone grappling with similar dilemmas, underscoring the multifaceted nature of fulfillment. Many entrepreneurs are driven by an insatiable desire to build something impactful, frequently enough fueled by a relentless pursuit of innovation. This dedication, though, can sometimes come at a cost, leading individuals to make tough choices that reshape their paths. This entrepreneurial spirit finds its truest form in the words he shares: “If the investor craze hadn’t happened, I probably would have finished my degree and entered the workforce. Building great products gives me the most joy in life, and when I saw the opportunity to do that, I couldn’t let it go.”

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what inspired Steven Wang to launch his fintech platform, dub?

From Apple to Fintech: The Journey of a young Trailblazer

Steven Wang is making waves in the world of finance technology. At just 22, heS already built and sold a company, dropped out of Harvard, and launched a groundbreaking new platform called “dub.” We sat down with Steven to explore his unique journey, his passion for innovation, and his vision for the future of investing.

How it all began: An Early Passion for Entrepreneurship

Archyde: You started your entrepreneurial journey at an incredibly young age. Tell us about those early experiences and what sparked your passion for building businesses.

Steven Wang: It’s funny, even as a kid, I always had this drive to create. Weather it was selling origami cranes in first grade or launching my first company, Realism, at 16, entrepreneurship just felt natural to me. My parents, who immigrated from China, instilled in me a strong work ethic and a belief that anything is possible. Witnessing their journey inspired me to chase my own dreams, no matter how ambitious they seemed.

The Pivot to Reality and a Bold Leap at Apple

Archyde: Realism, your VR education company, was a meaningful undertaking. What led you to leave high school to pursue it, and what were some of the biggest lessons you learned from that experience?

Steven Wang: Realism was a whirlwind. We were building something truly groundbreaking, and I was so excited about the potential impact it coudl have. Securing funding gave me the confidence to take the leap and focus on the project full-time. Balancing entrepreneurship with high school was incredibly challenging, but it taught me to be adaptable, resourceful, and resilient. Eventually, I realized that my priorities needed to shift, and I returned to finish my senior year.

Around that time, I landed a job at Apple, which was a dream come true. I was 17, the youngest person on staff, and I worked alongside some incredibly talented engineers and designers. It was a fantastic learning experience, exposing me to best practices in product development and team management.

from Harvard to Fintech: The Birth of dub

Archyde: You left Harvard after just eight months to focus on “dub,” your new fintech platform. What inspired you to take that bold step?

steven Wang: The rise of meme stocks and cryptocurrency really sparked my interest in investing. I saw this astonishing prospect to empower retail investors by giving them access to strategies and insights typically reserved for institutional players. The idea for “dub” stemmed from a business class project, and the opportunity to build something with such potential was too exciting to pass up.Leaving Harvard was a arduous decision, but ultimately, it felt like the right move for me.

Changing the Face of Investing

Archyde: How does “dub” work, and what makes it different from traditional brokerage platforms?

Steven Wang: Rather of trading individual stocks, users on “dub” select investors whose strategies they admire and automatically mirror their trades. Think of it as a “human-powered” robo-advisor.We want to make investing more accessible and engaging by allowing people to invest in the ideas and people they believe in.

archyde: What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the fintech industry in the years to come?

Steven Wang: I think the biggest challenge is striking a balance between innovation and regulation.We need to find ways to foster creativity and competition while ensuring consumer safety and trust. The opportunities, however, are immense. We’re only begining to see the potential of technology to revolutionize the financial system.

## A Final Word

Steven’s story is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to success. His passion, drive, and willingness to break the mold have enabled him to build something truly remarkable. With his visionary approach to investing and his unwavering commitment to innovation, Steven is poised to shape the future of finance.