But all startups, from a solar-powered panel maker to a girl-powered ballet school, rely on more than venture capital and decades of profoundly sage experience from an iconic investor.

FORBES: Taking Sabbaticals To Help Startups In Emerging Economies

Felix Salmon has a great catch here, a look at a Kauffman Foundation report into the success or failure of their investments into Venture Capital funds in past decades.

FORBES: As Adam Smith Predicted, Venture Capital is Just So Over: VC Funds Now Lose Investors Money

In its experience over two decades, Kauffman had only 4 out of 10 venture funds exceed public market returns.

FORBES: Message To Venture Capital: Keep Shrinking

Start-ups, venture investors and multinational conglomerates have invested millions of dollars and decades worth of research to bring these portable power systems to market, only to stumble into technical challenges, difficult economic circumstances and customer indifference.

FORBES: Why Are Portable Fuel Cells Such A Flop?

In 2002, after decades of commercial isolation, China started encouraging entrepreneurs to venture abroad.

ECONOMIST: China International Fund

Venture capitalists say the average age of entrepreneurs is still lower than in decades past, when the tech industry was more focused on products aimed at major corporations rather than consumers.

WSJ: Age Rises for Some Tech-Firm Founders