Archive: Articles

What Disruptive Startups and Figure Skating Have in Common

By Allison Brickell on February 23, 2022

In the startup world, big ideas have the potential to become big moneymakers. Good ideas — especially if they’re executed well — can change the world.  But revolutionary ideas scare people. They often fail because the world isn’t ready for them yet.  As startup investors, we regularly evaluate how much risk we’re comfortable with. Part of that evaluation process involves determining how a disruptive, potentially revolutionary startup fits into the present and the future.
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Investing in Alternative Social Media Platforms

By Adam Sharp on February 22, 2022

There’s a war going on in social media. Government is applying pressure to platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to censor “misinformation.”  There are many examples, but conversations around COVID are especially prone to being censored. For example, for much of 2020 and 2021, talking…
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The Risks of Keeping Your Crypto on an Exchange

By Adam Sharp on February 18, 2022

This week the Canadian government ordered crypto exchanges to freeze certain accounts tied to the Ottawa freedom protest. This set off a wave of concern over the risk of government seizing crypto assets. And that’s a very real danger.

Cause for Optimism

By Adam Sharp on February 18, 2022

Last week I wrote about the disturbing rise in financial censorship. This is especially visible in Canada, where the government is increasingly desperate to stop the flow of funds to protestors in the capital.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has now invoked…
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Blendid Makes a Smooth Transition to the East Coast

By Andy Gordon on February 17, 2022

I first recommended Blendid in December 2020.  To refresh your memory, Blendid is not only the name of the startup, but also the name of the food robot that makes delicious and incredibly healthy smoothies. Blendid uses the latest technological advances…

Startup Investing and Impact Investing Go Hand in Hand

By Andy Gordon on February 16, 2022

I don’t have many hard-and-fast rules as an investor. But one I follow to the letter.  I don’t invest in jerks. I have my own ideas of how to put that into practice.  When I’m looking at a public stock company, I…
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The Biggest Problem Remote Working Startups Need to Solve

By Vin Narayanan on February 15, 2022

Remote work isn’t going away. Workers want it — even if the companies that employ them don’t. And because companies are competing hard for top talent, they have to offer some flexible working options.  That doesn’t change the fact that it’s HARD to collaborate remotely. It’s…
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The SEC decided to increase its regulatory oversight of alternative trading systems — specifically those dealing with government securities (treasurys, debt, etc.). Notably, this expanded oversight opens the door for regulators to poke their noses into crypto. It will allow them to regulate DeFi (decentralized finance),…
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Federal Reserve Threatens a 0.5% Interest Rate Hike

By Adam Sharp on February 11, 2022

The Federal Reserve is now openly hinting at a 0.5% interest rate hike, which could come at any time. It might do a 0.5% hike just to look like it’s trying to control inflation. But I remain confident that it can’t actually raise rates back to…

The Rise of Financial Censorship

By Adam Sharp on February 11, 2022

A good friend of mine recently bought a house in Florida.  To secure the best rate, he pledged his stock portfolio as collateral. But he encountered a problem when he went to get a loan from his bank, Wells Fargo. He owns marijuana stocks.
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I worry a lot about Mark, Liz and Julia. Mark was my flatmate in London in 1975, and we’ve kept in close touch ever since. Liz and Julia are my sisters-in-law. They all have diabetes. I already lost a dear friend to diabetes last year. I don’t want…

How to Play Today’s Jittery Stock Market

By Vin Narayanan on February 9, 2022

The stock markets are a mess this year. The S&P 500 is down 4.07% this year. The Nasdaq is down 7.95% and in correction territory. The Dow is down 1.56%. And the Russell 2000 is down 7.69%. My group texts — normally reserved for sports discussions…
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Take Advantage of the Golden Age of Medtech Investing

By Vin Narayanan on February 8, 2022

A basic market inefficiency has created a massive opportunity for startup investors interested in medical technology and drug development startups. And angel investors savvy enough to understand what’s going on have a rare opportunity to invest in medtech startups with massive upside that have been significantly…
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Startup Insider: Medtech Portfolio Company Changes Name

By Early Investing on February 7, 2022

Heart failure is a massive health problem in the U.S. More than 6 million Americans have it. And it’s one of the most expensive health problems for patients to manage.  Early detection is the key for effective treatment. But no company has been able to provide…
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What a beautiful bounce today for the crypto market. In the last 24 hours, bitcoin has ripped higher by about 10% and is now back over $40,000. Altcoins are following (for now). Most altcoins have gotten absolutely slaughtered lately. “Ethereum-killer” Solana…
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937 after just four years of construction. Here’s a picture of the “ribbon cutting” ceremony. Contrast this with today, when San Francisco government officials just celebrated the reopening of a…