In Silicon Valley, a controversial angel-funded start-up is taking the idea of flouting convention to new highs. Founded by an entrepreneurial couple that worships Steve Jobs and has a record of multiple start-up successes, the new company has hired LabCorp Inc to drug test all its potential new hires, vowing it won’t hire anybody who DOESN’T test positive for recreational drugs.
In a privately circulated release, the self-described “superfreak content” provider stated it will be looking to hire upwards of 60 employees in the coming months. The founders have not yet settled on a company name and are intent on keeping their own names out of the media. Jobs, an inspiration, famously recommended hallucinogenic experiences, calling his trips key to his personal success and to the development of his celebrated vision. The founders also announced that the new company won’t be seeking additional capital investment, citing a hugely successful angel round and the reluctance of established venture funds to subscribe to their creative philosophy. “It’s an open secret here,” says the founder identified in the release only as “founder1”, referring to the widespread use of banned substances in the Valley. “In fact the positive drug requirement for new hires is what appealed most to our angel investors.” Among insiders, speculation about who the angels are is rabid: Paul Allen and Larry Harvey are just two of the names that keep popping up.
