To begin, a quote from Tom Boellstorff, Professor of Anthropology at UC Irvine: The metaverse’s history indicates that social immersion is the metaverse’s foundation. Tom Boellstorff Tom is a bona fide expert in virtual worlds, and I recommend reading the whole article.1 Through his work, he has spent a tremendous amount of time in Second… Continue reading Virtual Worlds – a social, not technological, phenomenon
Screening Pitches
There are five straight-forward questions with which you can quickly evaluate a startup pitch, combining the strength of a proposition with its delivery. These questions bear some some resemblance to the Scorecard Method of startup valuation, which focuses on qualitative measures for early-stage companies, but with an additional focus on quantifying the market need. I… Continue reading Screening Pitches
Metaverse – the hunger for digital industry
What is a metaverse? Is it a metaverse, or the Metaverse? Ask most people these questions and they’ll picture ‘Lawnmower Man’ style scenes of people strapped into virtual reality rigs, flying through digital 3D environments.1 That has very little to do with what a metaverse is. The term metaverse simply applies to the digital mirror… Continue reading Metaverse – the hunger for digital industry
Yuga Labs vs Bungie – finding the Web3 delta
If the endgame for Yuga Labs (creators of the notorious Bored Ape Yacht Club) is essentially a Web3 videogame, and that does appear to be what signs point towards, it seems like an opportunity to examine the closest Web2 equivalent and see what can be learned. Bungie, who were acquired by Sony at a $3.6B valuation in February, seem… Continue reading Yuga Labs vs Bungie – finding the Web3 delta
Web3 – learning from science fiction
You cannot call yourself a futurist if you aren’t also a student of other great futurists. The best of them, in my opinion, are science fiction writers. The inspiration for much of my writing lies in science fiction, and how it connects with innovation today. It is a thread which connects my professional life with… Continue reading Web3 – learning from science fiction
Making the case for Web3
The Web3 market seems to move in waves of enthusiasm. A surge of ideas and optimism, followed by a slowdown, and then the cynics and skeptics beat it back. This happened first in fintech, where blockchain cut its teeth on DLT and cryptocurrencies. Decentralisation would sink the banks, smart contracts would make regulation irrelevant, and… Continue reading Making the case for Web3
NFTs – The Web3 startup investment vehicle
Consider NFT/Web3 projects as startup investments, except the only fundraising mechanism is equity crowdfunding and we’re ALSO the customers. It incentivises piling into the biggest project, as investors, users and advocates, because ‘making money’ beats ‘better ideas’. Of course in typical startup investment, incentives are better aligned to the point that seeking out smaller, more innovative companies… Continue reading NFTs – The Web3 startup investment vehicle