A tech investor bringing Silicon Valley innovation to Australia wants schools to focus on accounting and problem-solving instead of global history.
Dave McClure this week launched the Australian arm of his global investment network 500 Startups, which works with people to find customer problems, think of solutions and turn them into businesses.
He thinks those skills are not necessarily learned through rote learning.
"My personal preference is that rote recitation of facts and figures and maybe even world history could be more electives," Mr McClure told AAP this week.
"Accounting is a university-based elective but we could all do with a bit more basic financial accounting knowledge.
"I don't mean everyone should be an actuary, but having most high school students understanding a balance sheet and an income statement, that's probably useful."
McClure's 500 Startups has injected millions into more than 1600 projects around the world.
The angel investor and former PayPal executive says two in three projects fail but the few that return significant profits can make it all worthwhile.
Cyber security firm UpGuard is among 20 Australian start-ups that have already benefited from the seed fund.
But that number is expected to triple within two years with the new Australian operation.
500 Melbourne is backed by almost $3 million of Victorian government cash and will drop between $50,000 and $250,000 into individual projects.
"We're trying to bring more mentors and entrepreneurs from the Valley to provide a sense of what goes on," Mr McClure says.
"We felt like there was a lot of talent in the market here ... and there is probably more investment capital here than when we were here three or four years ago."
The head of 500 Melbourne, Eventbrite Australia's former director Rachael Neumann, encourages corporate Australia to get more involved in start-ups.
While start-ups can move fast and go to the market quickly, corporates can teach them how to navigate business channels and access customers, she says.
"If done well, it can be a really symbiotic relationship," Ms Neumann says.
Victorian Innovation Minister Philip Dalidakis says 500 Melbourne is "another vote of confidence in Victoria" as a destination of choice for tech investment.
"This move has the potential to be an absolute game-changer for our sector and the way we're perceived abroad," he told AAP.
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