Recent talks have focused on the possibility of a prolonged economic downturn comparable to 2008's. 2008 was a challenging year for many people. But 2008 and the three years that followed turned out to be a golden age for startups. 2007 marked the introduction of Apple's iPhone, while 2008 saw the debut of the company's app store. In 2009, a wave of outstanding founders emerged. The majority of today's most popular mobile applications, including Uber, Venmo, Snap, and Inst...