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Alternative Investments to Consider
By Adam Sharp on July 20, 2021
Last week in Early Investing, I wrote a piece about how startup valuations are getting a little crazy. As I’ve discussed here recently, these rising prices have caused me to cut back on startup investing. I’m quite picky these days, and I think that’s the right course of action. I continue to focus primarily on deals outside of the San…
Startup Insider: Reimagining the Private Markets
By Early Investing on July 19, 2021
Scott Kupor is one of the sharpest minds in venture capital. He’s the managing partner of Andreessen Horowitz and the author of Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It. Kupor testified before Congress earlier…
A New Decade of Inflation
By Adam Sharp on July 16, 2021
Bitcoin continues to trade in a pretty tight range between $30,000 and $35,000. There’s a possibility that it could drop to the $20,000 range, but I don’t see it going much lower than that. Of course, anything can happen with crypto. Regardless, I remain certain that…
How To Deal With Crazy-High Startup Valuations
By Adam Sharp on July 16, 2021
I saw a pretty interesting thing on Twitter this week. Founders Fund general partner Keith Rabois posted the following. Biggest change in the venture landscape now: There are no VC funds with pricing discipline. All of us…
New Pick: A Mouthwatering Startup With Irresistible Potential
By Vin Narayanan on July 15, 2021
There’s nothing more American than a comeback story. Rocky. Rudy. The Karate Kid. The business landscape is filled with successful comeback journeys. Walt Disney failed several times — and even went bankrupt once — before building the Disney empire. When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976, it struggled.
Why CPG Startups Cost More Than Pharma Startups
By KingsCrowd on July 14, 2021
Editor’s note: Our friends at KingsCrowd produce a ton of data on startups. This week, they created a fascinating chart (see below) exploring the relationship between product type and funding stage. We’re sharing this chart with you because it provides useful insights that can help…
Startup Insider: Filling the Biopharma Funding Gap
By Early Investing on July 12, 2021
There’s a funding gap in medical research known as the “valley of death.” When research begins, it’s funded by government grants and nonprofits. But drug research and development is very time-intensive. It typically takes around 10 years to bring a drug to market — and nine…
How to Help the Crypto Community
By Adam Sharp on July 9, 2021
Crypto is bouncing a bit today, but bitcoin’s price is stuck in a pretty tight range between $32,000 and $35,000. Just as an exercise, let’s take a quick look at one of crypto’s potential short-term headwinds. The primary risk is regulatory. We’ve seen what…
Why the Fed Is Bluffing
By Adam Sharp on July 9, 2021
The Federal Reserve is in quite a pickle. Inflation is heating up, as evidenced by May’s 5% annualized inflation rate (according to dubious official numbers). Economists assure us that these price hikes are “transitory” — i.e., not permanent.
Startup Insider: (Don’t) Follow Your Passion
By Early Investing on July 8, 2021
Venture capital legend Marc Andreessen — founder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of the earliest architects of the internet — has some advice for young people. Don’t follow your passion. “Your passion is likely more dumb and useless than anything else. Your passion should be your hobby, not your work.
How Startups Are Joining the Battle Against Addiction
By Andy Gordon on July 7, 2021
Many Americans prepared for their July 4th festivities last week. But for thousands of Americans, celebrating was the furthest thing from their minds. Instead, it would be another weekend of coping with opioid addiction. As COVID-19 finally shows signs of winding down, America’s other pandemic —…
What Investors Can Learn From Meb Faber
By Adam Sharp on July 6, 2021
My friend Meb Faber just put out a must-read document about online angel investing. It’s long — but it’s well worth the read. Meb reveals his biggest wins, his favorite AngelList syndicates and lessons he’s learned since he started.
A Powerful Trading Lesson From Warren Buffett
By Adam Sharp on July 2, 2021
Back in May, one of my favorite Twitter accounts, 10-K Diver, tweeted something amazing. In his 1989 letter to Berkshire shareholders, Warren Buffett shared a very insightful calculation: This is an incredibly powerful lesson — one…
This Billionaire Makes a Compelling Case for Bitcoin
By Adam Sharp on July 2, 2021
Over the past few years, several notable traditional investors have come out in support of bitcoin, including Ray Dalio, Carl Icahn and Bill Miller. But the most recent addition really caught my eye. Ricardo Salinas Pliego is a Mexican billionaire. The founder of Banco Azteca, Pliego…
This Data and Analytics Startup Is a Good Bet
By Vin Narayanan on July 1, 2021
If Warren Buffett reads this week’s startup investment recommendation, he might crack a smile. For years, we’ve poked fun at the Berkshire Hathaway CEO and his right-hand man Charlie Munger for their positions on bitcoin and missing out on the tech boom. But we…
How Congress Is Trying to Regulate Big Tech
By Vin Narayanan on June 30, 2021
Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook and Microsoft are under assault. If Congress succeeds in its all-out war against these tech giants, you will have to rethink how you invest in tech startups. If you’re surprised by this news, I don’t blame you. The…