Areas of Interest
I’ve noticed that most VCs apply a “thematic” or sector-focused approach to their investing, because in theory it allows for deeper knowledge of a given space, and by extension an ability to pick the winners in that space with greater accuracy. I don’t have decades of experience in any specific field (except perhaps in causing headaches for teachers and my parents), so defining an area of focus for myself is difficult, and at the moment entirely dependent on where my network is strongest.
Given a desire to begin to specialize in new areas of interest, I’ve recently been thinking about four interlocking themes that I’d like to spend some time getting to know better:
1. True Mobility. Today many of us take for granted the fact that most of the data we use and manipulate on a daily basis now fits in our pocket. As time goes on, the amount of data we’re able to interact with on the go will exponentially increase, reducing the need for stationary and physical hardware. Your phone (/pocket device) will soon be the conduit for just about everything: medical records, virtual currency, your office, etc. You’ll be able to wirelessly link your phone to any machine to provide a secure conduit to access the cloud or other local apps. Many of these technologies already exist in one form or another today, but their distribution and functionality will continue to expand as startups attempt to meet a growing demand for mobile consumption.
2. Information Overload. A significant chuck of my day is spent sorting, sifting, reading, and deleting data, whether that be emails, blog articles, advertisements, or market reports. It’s distracting at best, and a serious drain on productivity and efficiency at worst. And the amount of data I will continue to consume on a daily basis is certainly not decreasing. Solutions like OtherInbox and Gist are beginning to address this growing problem, but significant innovation in this space is going to be necessary in the coming years to help us deal with the increasing openness and speed of data flow.
3. Security in the Cloud. As a rapidly expanding amount of our data is stored in central locations in the cloud, innovation on methods of protecting that data from deletion and theft are going to be increasingly important. Security companies are disadvantaged in that they must be reactive and attempt to “guard the fort” from creative adversaries who in many cases have nothing to lose. Startups are needed to create new methods of processing and storing data that, among other things, decentralize the data and make it more difficult to target.
4. Technology Exchange. There are many technologies we use every day that would greatly improve the lives of those in third world countries, who are dependent on less stable infrastructure, and there are many innovations that have been created specifically for those countries that could greatly benefit us. Examples include the recent advances in mobile communications networks, mobile banking, drug delivery, and renewable, low-cost energy production. I’m very interested in seeing what this space has to offer over the next few years.
Juventas Fugit is designed and written by Justin Wohlstadter, who, when not writing in the third person, can be found in a coffee shop talking about startups, thinking about the future of education, and generally procrastinating something important.
- Passions: startups that positively affect the world, education innovation, good design, learning, and meeting those with an equally insatiable curiosity.
- Play: director of product design at Enterproid and partner at BOLDstart Ventures.
- Previously: built the early-stage venture arm of Penny Black. And many other crazy, less successful ventures involving fire extinguishers, measuring philanthropic impact, and creative spaces.
- Pedantry: most of the important stuff I taught myself or learned from friends, but I’m fortunate to have (barely received) degrees from Harvard and Oxford. At Oxford I wrote my dissertation on how internet innovation will disrupt access to higher education.
- Procrastination: can be found on Twitter, Linkedin, AngelList and other web spaces, and be reached via email at my first name at this domain.
