YC is now focused on biotech. Will VCs follow? Introduction: Both of these VC models are built for the old playbook for biopharma company formation: Two big changes have made it much cheaper to launch and scale biotech companies: The new playbook for biotech will be the YC fundraising model, as explained by Paul Graham:Continue reading “The Y Combinator Era for Biotech”
Category Archives: Essays
Stay in the Pocket
Imagine you’re a quarterback. The center snaps the ball to you. Look up. Take three steps back. Two defenders are coming through the line, one on each side. Pause. What do you do next? Everything in your body tells you to run, escape. You want to get out of the pocket. But the right moveContinue reading “Stay in the Pocket”
It’s 1994 Again
We are in the dot-com era for biotech. Introduction: For the last 25+ years, we have been living through one of the greatest technological revolutions ever, the Information Age. From Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 to Mobile to Web 3.0, the best startup founders and investors have ridden these waves to impact billions of peopleContinue reading “It’s 1994 Again”
The Front Door
We Need A YC for Everything This is Problem #3 on my list of The World’s Biggest Problems. The short answer is you need to know somebody. If you don’t already know one of them, you’re not getting in the front door. Those who do break through without connections take a grueling path to success,Continue reading “The Front Door”
YC for Politics
An accelerator for rising stars in politics Create a new front door for politics and government. YC did this for VC. This has massively increased the pool of potential startup founders. We can create a YC-like path for less privileged people to become politicians. Network and fundraise from the Democratic or Republican establishment. This systemContinue reading “YC for Politics”
The Money Problem
Money vs. Meaning Everyone has a number where they’d be financially ‘free’. The gap between this number and your current wealth is your money problem. Most people would quit if they had $100K+ to cover their next 1-2 years. This is Personal Capital. Many people need $10K or less to start their passion project. See:Continue reading “The Money Problem”
We Need A Middle Class For Startups
Bootstrapped from zero. “Sell a product or course online! Sell services locally!” There are millions of different get rich quick schemes floating online now. The goal here is to secure the bag and escape the grind ASAP. Raised $100M+ from VCs. “Are you a Unicorn yet? Which Y Combinator class were you in?” Startups areContinue reading “We Need A Middle Class For Startups”
The Decades Are Short But The Centuries Are Long
Labdoor is turning 10 years old this month! We’ve been through so much — moving cross-country to SF to join Rock Health, raising a seed round led by Mark Cuban, creating a passionate community of smart consumers, getting accepted into Y Combinator’s Winter 2015 class, fighting multiple lawsuits from supplement companies, raising a Series A ledContinue reading “The Decades Are Short But The Centuries Are Long”
The Most Important Job in the World
Goalie, St. Louis Blues: 1992-95 Astronaut, NASA: 1995-99 President, USA: 1999-2010 Owner, St. Louis Blues: 2000-Now Help Dad Rebuild His Business: 2010-12 Make Independent Testing Ubiquitous: 2012-2020 Solve the World’s Biggest Problems: 2020-Now My first loves were hockey and the St. Louis Blues. I started playing hockey when I was four, first street and rollerContinue reading “The Most Important Job in the World”
Real Real GDP
A woman in Coldwater, Michigan works 60 hours a week for $8.50 per hour ($510/week). Minimum wage is increased to $15 per hour. The same woman now works 34 hours a week for $15 per hour ($510/week). Answer: Nothing. That 26 hours per week goes into childcare and housework and, yes, leisure. But GDP doesn’tContinue reading “Real Real GDP”