Michael Matias

Age is Only an Int Michael Matias

When Forbes '30 Under 30' Michael Matias was a teen, he was told he was too young to join a Silicon Valley hackathon. So, he founded Hacking Generation Y, a youth hacking extravaganza for tech-minded high schoolers like him, which gave thousands of teenagers across three continents the tools to effect change in their communities. Now, at age 24, after leading teams of engineers in the Israeli Defense Forces' Elite Cyber Technological Unit, working in Silicon Valley, and studying at Stanford, Michael is sharing his experiences with young readers in his practical yet heartfelt book Age Is Only an Int: Lessons I Learned as a Young Entrepreneur. Complete with words of inspiration contributed to this book by over 100 top CEOs, venture capital partners, and thought leaders, each chapter reflects on pivotal moments in Matias' life and offers young readers a look into the joys and challenges of innovation and change. Drawing on a diverse set of experiences that include starting his own company while in high school, daily life in the Israeli Defense Forces, participating in the performing arts, and overcoming childhood bullying, Matias encourages readers to believe that age should not be measured in the number of years lived but in the capacity to learn and grow from every opportunity and challenge. This book can serve as an inspiring companion to any young reader looking to start on the path to innovation. Michael Matias is a 24-year-old entrepreneur and founder of the global youth entrepreneurship venture Hacking Generation Y. An international TEDx speaker featured in Forbes Israel's "18 Under 18" and "30 Under 30" lists, Matias draws on his experiences founding two ventures, leading teams as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces' Elite Cyber Unit, and conducting research for bestselling behavioral economist Dan Ariely. He lives in Palo Alto, where he is a software engineer at Hippo Insurance, a senior associate at J-Ventures, and a Computer Science student at Stanford.