This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanis covers startups, tech, markets, media, and all the hottest topics in business and technology. He also interviews the world’s greatest founders, operators, investors, and innovators.

Rising Above the Noise in Consumer VC with Kirsten Green of Forerunner | E1961

E1961 • Jun 7, 2024 • 72 mins

Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster to discuss Forerunner’s framework on making investments (8:33), how AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built (16:28), cultural shifts that are investable (33:38), and more!

Key Points

Novelty and utility are crucial for startups to stand out in crowded, expensive markets, particularly in consumer sectors where low barriers to entry and fickle customer behavior are common challenges.
Generative AI presents new opportunities for consumer applications by enhancing product offerings and personalizing user experiences, but it also raises concerns about the accuracy and trustworthiness of information.
The investment landscape for consumer businesses is evolving, with a focus on finding opportunities that can achieve significant scale and considering multiple monetization strategies, including direct consumer payments and secondary market liquidity.

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Speakers

Mark Suster

Host • 45%

Kirsten Green

Guest • 49%

Partners

Chapters

0:00	Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster.
2:49	Kirsten’s advice to stand out in consumer venture with only seven percent of VC dollars being allocated to consumer.
8:33	Forerunner’s framework on making investments.
11:16	Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist
12:09	The value of searching for where businesses are missing the mark, and the “wow” factor of the Oura Ring.
16:28	How AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built
19:46	Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://www.oracle.com/twist
20:50	The current state of the consumer search experience and the power of personalization that AI can bring.
24:16	The disruptive lesson from mobile and the next level of being context aware.
28:24	Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com
31:57	Forerunner Ventures lives within the intersection of invention and culture.
33:38	Cultural shifts that are investable.
36:36	The consumer shift from large to small screen.
40:42	The importance of the mix between direct and indirect revenue.
42:32	Discussing the relevance of “freemium”.
55:48	What the exit environment is like going forward.
1:02:55	What will it take to bring back the small and mid-cap market?

Transcript

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