The Orthogonal Bet Nicholas Bergson-Shilcock on the Recurse Center
Apr 1, 2026
Nicholas Bergson-Shilcock, cofounder and CEO of the Recurse Center, who grew up unschooled and builds self-directed programming retreats. He discusses unschooling roots, how curiosity-driven exploration shaped learning, the origin and culture of the Recurse Center, why people join its batch model, and how AI is reshaping programming communities and alumni goals.
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Unschooling Fueled Deep Self-Directed Learning
- Nicholas Bergson-Shilcock grew up unschooled, pursuing self-directed projects like forts, math puzzles, and electronics instead of formal classes.
- His parents found mentors and local experts, e.g., a NASA power-systems tutor, enabling deep, resource-rich exploration from age 11–12 onward.
Curiosity Rebounds After Structured Schooling
- Transitions into or out of formal schooling often include a decompression period where intrinsic curiosity resurfaces after initial overindulgence in low-effort activities.
- Bergson-Shilcock describes video games sparking his interest, then programming becoming the deeper, longer-lasting pursuit.
Pivot From Marketplace To Live Coding Retreat
- After two years as an engineer, Bergson-Shilcock and cofounders applied to YC with an OkCupid-for-jobs idea, then experimented with recruiting and a summer self-directed coding retreat at NYU.
- That five-week NYU experiment in 2011 with six people became the seed of Hacker School, later Recurse Center.