Do Tech Founders Miss Coding as They Transition to Leadership?

A study posted by Tinder staff data scientist Conor McLaughlin analysed over 500 startup founders and found that approximately 88% had completed an undergraduate education, with computer science emerging as the most popular field of study. For many of these founders, coding is not just a skill but a defining part of their identity. It is a tool through which they built their companies, tackled early challenges, and transformed ideas into reality. As startups grow, founders are often required to leave behind this hands-on work to focus on leadership. This transition is both inevitable and deeply personal, which forces founders to balance their technical passions with the demands of scaling a company. For tech founders, writing code often represents control and mastery, offering a dire