Stanford Reporter on Silicon Valley Startup Culture

Theo Baker: A Rising Force in Investigative Journalism

Theo Baker stands out as a unique individual in his field. Despite a general decline in journalism enrollment across universities, and the discontinuation of the major at some institutions, Baker, a student at Stanford University, has dedicated himself to traditional investigative reporting with remarkable success.

Early Success and the Tessier-Lavigne Scandal

Baker first gained prominence during his freshman year. His reporting for The Stanford Daily ultimately led to the resignation of Stanford University’s president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne. He uncovered allegations of research misconduct extending over two decades.

Just one month into his college career, Baker engaged in intensive investigative work, including receiving anonymous correspondence, conducting surveillance, and locating confidential sources, as detailed by his publisher. He faced attempts by legal professionals to undermine his reporting.

By the end of the year, Tessier-Lavigne had resigned. Baker received the George Polk Award, a highly respected honor in journalism, at an unprecedentedly young age.

Following this, Warner Bros. and producer Amy Pascal secured the rights to adapt his story into a film after a competitive bidding process.

Exposing Silicon Valley's Practices in "How to Rule the World"

Baker’s forthcoming book promises to further solidify his reputation as a young journalist unafraid to scrutinize the practices of Silicon Valley’s startup culture.

Scheduled for release on May 19th – just weeks before his graduation – “How to Rule the World” offers a critical examination of how venture capitalists view Stanford students. They are often treated as valuable assets.

The book details how VCs attract promising undergraduates with slush funds, shell corporations, lavish yacht parties, and funding opportunities, even before these students have fully developed business concepts, in their pursuit of the next highly successful entrepreneur.

Insights from Extensive Research

“I observed firsthand as my classmates were encouraged to compromise their principles and were offered substantial wealth by individuals seeking to capitalize on their abilities,” Baker shared with Axios.

Based on over 250 interviews with students, CEOs, venture capitalists, Nobel laureates, and three Stanford presidents, the book intends to reveal what Baker describes to Axios as a “peculiar, financially driven subculture that wields significant global influence.”

A Family Legacy and Unconventional Path

Baker’s upbringing within a family of prominent journalists likely influenced his career path. His father, Peter Baker, serves as the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times, and his mother, Susan Glasser, is a writer for The New Yorker.

While many of his peers pursue venture capital funding and high-paying startup positions, Baker dedicated his sophomore year to reporting and took a year off during his junior year to focus on writing, including a residency at the Yaddo writers’ retreat.

A Beacon for Accountability Journalism

This decision is particularly noteworthy given the challenges currently facing the journalism industry. Despite declining enrollment in journalism programs and widespread layoffs in media organizations, Baker embodies a rare and encouraging trend: a talented student investing his career in accountability journalism.

Whether he signals a resurgence of interest in investigative reporting remains to be seen, but his book is expected to attract significant attention from college students and undoubtedly generate considerable discussion within Silicon Valley.