Summary notes from: What’s next in consumer startups? By @andrewchen @a16z
Love looking at graphs like this. X axis is time. Y axis is percent of adoption in US.
Look how long electricity took vs say, the TV.
Look how long electricity took vs say, the TV.
Telephone took 5 decades for adoption - even though voice communication is fundamental to the human experience.
Once phone behavior was learned, the new version (cellphone) was adopted super quick.
We’re basically the same people as 100,000 years ago in terms of baseline programming. (My comment: Especially important as it relates to health).
We’ve even always loved scooters! (Photo 1911) 🤣🤣
Back to the early days of cars (not many drivers). Michelin published a guide of amazing places - to encourage driving (therefore using tires).
Today, we call this content marketing.
When mail was launched, so where chain letters (with the promise of a referral reward). They were so successful the postal service made them illegal.
Today, we call this viral user acquisition.
Toothpaste took a while for adoption. Consumers not buying/retailers don’t want to sell it. The coupon was developed to stimulate marketplace demand to customers.
Today, we call this bootstrapping a two-sided marketplace (supply / demand)
@andrewchen therefore has 3 parameters that he wants to see hit for his investing framework.
1) new platforms hitting scale. (Ie mobile phones, video).
2) taps into an existing consumer behavior (ie eating, socializing)
3) slingshot growth - an insight to hack growth (ie viral referrals).
2) taps into an existing consumer behavior (ie eating, socializing)
3) slingshot growth - an insight to hack growth (ie viral referrals).
1) New platform examples are: Voice hardware. Video games. Smart appliances. YouTube. Smart glasses. The autonomous driving car.
Opportunities available?
@andrewchen excited about:
- video native content.
Gangnam style v despacito - looks like telephone vs cell phone.
@andrewchen excited about:
- video native content.
Gangnam style v despacito - looks like telephone vs cell phone.
Companies like @SandboxVR create videos while you play and are naturally shared to your friends.
Second tech hitting scale: mapping in your pocket.
Allows for offline experiences to trigger online. (Ie Pokémon go or ride sharing).
Allows for offline experiences to trigger online. (Ie Pokémon go or ride sharing).
@andrewchen looking for:
- New platforms hitting scale.
- Playing upon existing behaviors (because people stay the same)
- That has a unique growth hack.
- New platforms hitting scale.
- Playing upon existing behaviors (because people stay the same)
- That has a unique growth hack.
Similar to @DavidSacks and @craft_ventures model:
1 - a product hook and
2 - a distribution trick.
@BRosenblatt4
1 - a product hook and
2 - a distribution trick.
@BRosenblatt4
