Fail Forward: Why Failure Builds Founders

Failure isn’t the opposite of success — it’s the engine behind it.

In this unfiltered, interactive lecture, Amit Rohatgi (BSEE ‘97, MSEE ‘99, Purdue University), seasoned entrepreneur and Purdue ECE Advisory Board member, shares the brutal, honest, and inspiring truth about how three failed startups, one hard-earned acquisition, and an F on his Purdue transcript became the building blocks of his career.

I gave this talk to ECE students at Purdue on why failure isn't the end - it's most certainly the path to success. Here's the full deck should you want to refer to it.

#FailForwardPurdue #startups #Entrepreneurship #BoilerUp #FailureIsFuel

"Failure isn't just a teacher. It's an architect. It shapes what comes next."

1. FAILURE
#FailForwardPurdue
#EntrepreneurialEngineer
#BoilerUp
Amit Rohatgi
BSEE ‘97, MSEE ‘99
10/21/2025

2. ACT 1:
The Fear of Failure

3. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Raise your hand if you’ve never failed?
Now raise your hand if you’ve ever hidden a failure?

4. #FailForwardPurdu
e

EE495F
Advanced C Programming
“The conviction that sometimes, the system penalizes what the
world rewards. And you have to find your own compass”
“Sometimes failure isn’t about doing the wrong thing —
it’s about doing the right thing at the wrong time.”

5. ACT 2:
The “Lure” of Failure
“Failure is not the end. It’s often the beginning.”

6. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Flames
Lost momentum
Poor leadership
Bad market fit
Conflicting egos
Lack of runway
“I didn’t fail once — I failed everywhere. But I also learned everywhere.”

7. #FailForwardPurdu
e

A History of Failure
What do all of these have in common? They’re all accidents!
Super Glue — failed clear plastic → perfect adhesive.
Microwave — melted chocolate bar near radar equipment.
Popsicle — kid left soda outside overnight.
Play-Doh — failed wallpaper cleaner → kids’ toy.
Penicillin — mold in Petri dish → world's first antibiotic.
Pacemaker — wrong resistor → heartbeat rhythm regulator.

8. #FailForwardPurdu
e

I didn’t wait for permission — I
pushed until the system bent.

First undergraduate TA in Purdue
ECE’s history.

9. ACT 3:
The Art of Failing Forward
“Failure isn’t just a teacher. It’s an architect. It shapes what comes next.”

10. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Shareholder Shares Ownership %
Alice (Co-founder)500,000 50.0%
Bob (Co-founder) 500,000 50.0%
Total (Pre-Investment) 1,000,000100.0%
BAD CAP STRUCTURE!
1.Split decisions → deadlock
2.No acknowledgement of contribution
3.Naive to investors - no hard
conversations yet?

11. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Shareholder Shares Ownership %
Alice (Co-founder)500,000 41.7%
Bob (Co-founder) 500,000 41.7%
Seed Investor 200,000 16.7%
Total 1,200,000100.0%
fix it!
“Deadlocks kill companies. 50/50 isn’t fair — it’s fragile.”

12. #FailForwardPurdu
e

VESTING
Alice quits. Now what?
Good money in a bad place XXX
no investor will invest dead equity
Vesting schedules and cliffs to the
rescue!

13. #FailForwardPurdu
e

ADVISORY BOARD
WRONG SET-UP

No expectations

No deliverables

No time commitment

No milestones

PROBLEMS
Vanity board members

Conflicting agendas

Echo chambers

Advice ignored or misused

Legal misalignment

No skin in the game
“If you don’t define value, you can’t expect it.”

14. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Common Failures → Learnings
Bad grade → diagnostic tool

Procrastination and missed deadline→ a symptom of
fear of imperfection

Changed major→ iterative design in your life

Rejection → creativity and resourcefulness

Group project flop → dysfunction leads to leadership
Imposter Syndrome → growth, stretching in to unfamiliar
terrirory

15. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Failing Forward != Failing Backward
Failing Backward

Avoiding blame
Losing momentum
Feeling shame
Getting stuck
Retreating
Failing Forward

Taking ownership
Pivoting
Gaining insight
Gaining traction
Reframing and retrying

“When you fail forward, the fall becomes part of the flight.” “Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid of not learning when you do.”

16. #FailForwardPurdu
e

Post and tag
#FailForwardPurdue
If this resonates with you!
#BoilerUp
“This wasn’t a lecture — it was a permission slip to screw up and get stronger.”