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Crypto Monitor: Goldman Sachs Makes First OTC Crypto Trade
By Early Investing on April 1, 2022
Last week, Goldman Sachs made crypto history. The bank completed its first over-the-counter crypto trade with crypto firm Galaxy Digital. Goldman executed the transaction in the form of a bitcoin non-deliverable option (NDO). Goldman and Galaxy – which have an ongoing partnership – seem pleased with the move. Galaxy notes that the OTC settlement is a “continuation of the bank’s partnership with Galaxy Digital to deepen its crypto capabilities.” And a Goldman exec said of the…
Goldman Sachs Signals Crypto Is Here for the Long Haul
By Vin Narayanan on April 1, 2022
Goldman Sachs has made its first crypto trade. No, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke. The trade actually happened last week. It was a bitcoin derivatives trade with Galaxy Digital. And Goldman is interested in participating in a full-fledged options market…
VirZOOM Fights to Find Sustainable Growth
By Andy Gordon on March 31, 2022
It must be possible to feel very good and very bad about a company at the same time. Because that’s how I feel about VirZOOM. To refresh your memory, VirZOOM offers an app that can be used with just the Oculus Quest headset or in conjunction…
Startup Price Inflation Signals Danger for Investors
By Andy Gordon on March 30, 2022
Price inflation in the startup world is running rampant. This isn’t new. But I do wonder when it’s going to peak. We’re not there yet. If anything, it’s getting worse. I’ll give you a recent example. I was talking to a founder yesterday who…
Angel Insider: VCs Are Missing Out on Female Founders
By Early Investing on March 29, 2022
Historically speaking, funding for female founders has been pretty paltry in the venture capital (VC) world. From 2011 to 2020, the amount of VC money going to female-only-founded startups never went above $4 billion. In 2020 — despite U.S. startups raising a record $143 billion — funding to…
Startup Insider: Data Takes Over
By Early Investing on March 28, 2022
In 2011, Marc Andreessen — co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz — proclaimed that “software is eating the world.” It’s been a mantra of tech investors ever since. But today an even more powerful force is overtaking software: data. Data is a gold mine for…
Three Principles That Determine a Crypto Project’s Success
By Vin Narayanan on March 25, 2022
On Tuesday, I attended a founder event hosted by Wefunder and Brex in New York. It was a chance for founders and investors to meet and get to know each other. And it was hopping! I spent so much time speaking to founders and other investors that I…
Biden Pushes Government to Regulate Crypto
By Vin Narayanan on March 25, 2022
President Biden signed an executive order earlier this month that directs several federal agencies to develop policies and regulations for cryptocurrencies. Mainstream media reports — and some crypto analysts — linked this development to the U.S. trying to stop Russia from…
New Pick: A Functional Beverage That’s Delicious and 100 Times Healthier Than Coffee
By Andy Gordon on March 24, 2022
I never thought this day would come. I’m recommending a company that is replacing coffee with a hot beverage that is damn nearly as rich and roasty but a hundred times more healthy. Listen, I love my coffee. I drink three to…
Data Is Eating the World
By Vin Narayanan on March 23, 2022
For more than 10 years, “software is eating the world” has been an article of faith among startup investors. Marc Andreessen — co-founder of both Netscape and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) — wrote these famous words in a blog post in…
Crypto Insider: Microsoft Invests in Ethereum
By Early Investing on March 21, 2022
Microsoft is officially paying attention to the crypto space. The tech giant backed a recent $450 million funding round for ConsenSys, a blockchain startup founded by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin. ConsenSys develops software that runs on the Ethereum network. And its valuation jumped to $7 billion with this…
Crypto Monitor: The Vision and Venture Capital Behind Web3
By Early Investing on March 18, 2022
Andreessen Horowitz is a venture capital firm known for its focus on new technologies. The firm has $28 billion in assets under management across multiple funds — including $3 billion in crypto funds. And in January, a16z said it would raise $1 billion for Web3 seed investments.
The Best Strategy for Collectibles Investing
By Vin Narayanan on March 18, 2022
Normally, it’s not big investment news when a Super Bowl-winning quarterback retires or unretires. But then, not every Super Bowl-winning quarterback is Tom Brady. Brady is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time (as a Michigan State alum, I found that sentence painful…
Startup Insider: The Power of Luck
By Early Investing on March 17, 2022
When investors evaluate startups, they need to consider a wide range of factors. Some factors — like founder experience and financial performance — are straightforward. Others — like profit potential and scalability — are more speculative and difficult to measure. Then there’s luck. As…
Why Regulation Plays Are Often the Best Investment Opportunities
By Andy Gordon on March 16, 2022
I once ran a business in Asia. And the only reason I made a bit of money was because I was more lucky than business savvy. But when I went to Thailand, I was prepared. I had a great plan. Thailand had just approved some new…
Startup Deals for Accredited Investors Only
By Vin Narayanan on March 15, 2022
Early Investing co-founder Andy Gordon and I recently met with several founders in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We’re looking for startups that you might be interested in investing in. The startups we looked at included cutting-edge robotics companies, medtech disruptors and moonshots that could change…