Every week, we put together a list of our top 5 articles of the past week. Happy reading!
Is this a VC bubble, or just the new normal? Protocol (reading time: 15 minutes)
Given interest rates at zero, capital is flowing into other areas looking for returns. We’ve seen it play out in the capital markets and it’s also accelerated in the private markets. Evidence of this is clear in the technology sector where valuations have skyrocketed. This is kind of scary and reminds me of the dotcom tech bubble. At the same time, there are solid companies getting funded. It’s hard to make out where we are in the cycle.
The Road Not Taken: Stripe, Ant, PayTM & Defi The Diff (reading time: 23 minutes)
I am completely clueless about the Fintech space so every time I find good content on the subject, I tend to spend time on it. This article covers three countries and three distinct financial ecosystems: the US, China and India. Stripe AntPay and PayTM are leaders in their respective markets and an accurate depiction of how fragmented financial services are globally. An interesting trend in this space is also the decentralization of financial services that is already underway.
What Complexity Science says about What Makes a-Winning Team Aeon (reading time: 19 minutes)
What makes a winning team? Most people would say that it’s the quality of the player. Yet, that’s only one part of the equation. Besides great players, human behavior plays an important role yet is often overlooked. This article dives into the world of team performance through the lens of team sports. There are no magical recipes or easy answers when it comes to understanding people.
The Barry Diller Playbook The Generalist (reading time: 18 minutes)
I’ve always been fascinated by Barry Diller, technology’s serial acquirer. He’s acquired and some sold some of the iconic consumer internet brands. This post goes through his playbook and shed light on how he built his empire.
Bonus:
Sovereign Bitcoin with Thibaud Marechal, Vice-President @ Knox Custody PNR Podcast (listening time: 42 minutes)
I really enjoyed my interview with Thibaud. We naturally debated Bitcoin and he demystified some of the current preconceptions of the cryptocurrency.
