Generation Startup

How do you instill a spirit of entrepreneurship in young Americans at a time when the not-so-far-distant bursting of the dot.com bubble might lead them to choose safer, more conventional paths? Venture for America is a non-profit that places recent college grads with startups, aiming to stimulate innovation while also helping embryonic businesses flourish and contribute to the revitalization of various cities. Filmmakers Cynthia Wade and Cheryl Miller Houser's documentary focuses on six recruits who join (or in some cases create) startups located in Detroit. Johns Hopkins engineering grad Labib is assigned to a company looking to design phones and tablets for commercial clients; Cornell alum Avery joins an operation founded by fellow subject Brian that will produce and market pasta made from chickpeas; MIT-trained Dextina has returned to her hometown to work at a firm that offers aid to other small local startups; Gonzaga-trained Kate joins an office providing tech training for other potential entrepreneurs, particularly women; and Wesleyan grad Max leads a group called Castle, which wants to write software for property managers. All six subjects are likable and the ups-and-downs of their work experience is interesting, but Dextina and Labib are especially fascinating: Dextina describes sacrifices made by her mother, a single parent from Guyana, while Labib's hard-pressed parents fret over his decision to sacrifice more lucrative opportunities for a far riskier route. With its emphasis on successful ventures in an environment where most actually fail, Generation Startup sometimes feels like a PSA for Ventures for America, but it can serve as encouragement for young dreamers. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)