1/ An incredible post by @Noahpinion on what is China really trying to do with tech.
China wants ‘power’. It needs to project power and win wars.
And China’s leaders want hard tech, not consumer tech. noahpinion.substack.com/p/why-is-china…2/ “It’s easy for Americans to forget this now, but there was a time when “ability to win wars” was the driving goal of technological innovation. The NDRC and the OSRD were the driving force … in World War 2, and the NSF and DARPA grew out of this tradition.”
May 13, 2021 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
1/ Manufacturing is going through yet another revolution, on a global scale. @Lux_Capital is fortunate to invest in entrepreneurs building the future with cutting edge technologies in advanced manufacturing and automation.
2/ It is our belief that the future of manufacturing is agile, highly distributed, automated, environmentally responsible–and built with software.
Oct 9, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
1/ We are starting to see really int’g things happen with SPACs. Appears to me they are here to stay for good. In fact, we may see larger VC firms raise SPACs just to focus on their own portfolios. Similar to how we saw increase in growth/opportunity funds managed by VCs.
2/ We are also seeing some SPACs reduce their promote fee. Right now it helps attract top targets who want to pay less fees and seek long-term-minded investors. And funds may offer bundled options: VC, growth, secondary, SPAC, PIPE, Debt.
Oct 7, 2020 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
Oh no. 2020, I have no words.
I just heard that my PhD advisor, 1995 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, and a towering academic and environmental sciences pioneer has passed away.
He was a man of religion. Please say a prayer. May he RIP!
This is his @NobelPrize lecture that I read before I joined his lab. Despite his academic high status, he was one of the most humble, down to earth people I knew.
1/ I give a lot of public talks. But I never choke up. But today I choked up as tears filled my eyes. I don’t know if audience could tell.
2/ I was speaking to 120+ Muslim urban professionals in San Francisco. These were all really well educated, well settled young professionals. They will no doubt kick ass in their careers and lives.
Dec 23, 2018 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
1/ Whenever I travel far from Silicon Valley, and talk about some of the companies we have invested in (to explain what I do for a living to family/friends), I am reminded to be grateful to entrepreneurs that I get a glimpse of the future every day.
2/ I speak about autonomous cars, neural interfaces, smart robotics, connected homes, genetic engineering, liquid biopsies, brain plasticity, 3D printing and more as though they’re every day things...and then notice my family staring at me like I am from another planet.
Jun 6, 2018 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
1/ VCs go through (at least) 4 stages of growth:
Stage 1: Sourcing. Young VCs can be seen hustling, sharing intel with each other, trying to out-compete each other on deal flow. It’s good to establish strong networks, and reputation as a “connected person”.
2/
Stage 2: that step of putting all data AND gut-feelings together, and eventually making a decision on what to actually invest in. Some might even argue its the most imp thing a VC does. You get only a few shots at the goal (but unlike an entrepreneur, it’s always >1).
May 12, 2018 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
1) Attended a whole bunch of Board meetings this week on both coasts. Sharing some quick observations on what I typically see work well at Board meetings.
2) Board meetings should be held at company offices IMO. Let Board members see, touch, feel, your products...let them mingle with some team members, help them understand company’s culture, and share in the excitement.
