Looking Back on Tech, Startups, and VC in 2018 (opens in new tab)

(haystack.vc)

67 pointssemilshah7y ago8 comments

8 comments

I'm not certain that I agree with him about crypto hibernation. I am far from a crypto advocate but I follow the space and have some friends deeply engaged in it.

There's an awful lot of work being done, especially with blockchain. Great ideas with impressive teams. But it isn't showtime yet. It's heads down and working time.

john_moscow7y ago

Sure, there's plenty of work being done, except it's fueled by the founders' need to show investors that their money is being put to a good use, and hence not pull out. I've yet to see an actual business problem solved with a blockchain (other than helping optimists part with their money).

toomuchtodo7y ago

Relevant NIST flowchart ("Do you need a blockchain?"): https://imgur.com/a/RlUj9Ed

2 more replies

miguelrochefort7y ago

I feel like the current bear market in crypto is sorting the wheat from the chaff, and we'll see more mature projects and progress shine in 2019.

I'm looking forward to Ethereum 2.0 and Cardano. Holochain should also be interesting...

nikanj7y ago

”For me personally, it’s been fascinating to see just how much consumer demand scooters as an easy and fun option, and yet consumers don’t seem to want to charge or dock these items”

Alternative take: petty crime is so incredibly prevalent in SF, customers prefer rental scooters so they don’t have to worry about theft.

A big reason behind the popularity of Citi bikes etc is the same: it delivers the convenience of having a bike, without the headache of having it stolen quarterly.

pmart1237y ago

I interpreted what he was saying differently. To me, he was saying that consumers like renting scooters, but they do not like renting scooters if they have to dock or undock the scooters similar to a citi bike versus a grab and drop approach.

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