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This looks like a really easy marker that we've topped out on unicorn/big secondary market. When the smart big players start to take their chips off the table

This looks like a really easy marker that we've topped out on unicorn/big secondary market. When the smart big players start to take their chips off the table you can be sure this thing has peaked.

zepto 9y ago
Or it could have nothing to do with that, and be exactly what he says - he achieved what he set out to do and realizes that he now wants to do something else with his life, and has the time and resources to do so.
- nostrademons 9y ago
  Many times it's both: personal circumstances will make someone want to retire, but if things look good in the markets, they'll hold on for a year or two, and if things start looking tapped out that'll give them permission to step back. He's 2 years late, after all.
- BatFastard 9y ago
  After having founded a number of startup, I know how it is to be in an all consuming thing. I would imagine as a conscience VC you would have to feel all in on many projects.
austenallred 9y ago
Nah. We were talking to lowercase three years ago and Mazzeo was already running the day to day for Sacca to spend more time with his family. This is a personal thing and has been a long time coming.
FanaHOVA 9y ago
People just have different interests. Why do you think only 1 person would leave if it was topped out as you say? All the other ones just want to waste money?
ryanSrich 9y ago
These types of comments are always hilarious. Really? You think we've topped out on 1bn dollar companies in the year 2017? AI, Self Driving Cars, Improvements to Flying, SPACE!? You honestly think there's nothing left to invest in?
- itbeho 9y ago
  I think it's more likely that the current hype cycle may be coming to a close. The items you mentioned will all be part of the next one.
- sbierwagen 9y ago
  Useful AI and SAE 5 cars are multiple years away, and this leg of the business cycle is already 9 years old. As for the other two categories, only SpaceX is relevant in the spacelaunch world, and I don't think they're going public anytime soon. I don't know of any startups that I would say have a decent chance in commercial aviation.
  - ghaff 9y ago
    "Useful AI" is vague enough that you can probably make any sort of statement about it. If you mean things like an Echo that can take "understand" and take actions on the level of a slightly dull personal assistant, you're probably right. (Which is at least correlated with SAE 5.) Of course, there's all sorts of machine learning and related AI-ish things that are potentially useful in the interim. Fully agree on the other points.
    - rhizome 9y ago
      The Amazon Echo having a 60-item case statement is not how "AI" is typically promoted.
      - ghaff 9y ago
        You may have misunderstood my point. I'm saying that being able to interact with a digital assistant (I only used Echo as an example) the way I would with a human admin and have it take appropriate actions is many years away. It would be an interesting application for many of us, but it's not close.

This looks like a really easy marker that we've topped out on unicorn/big secondary market. When the smart big players start to take their chips off the table you can be sure this thing has peaked.

zepto 9y ago

Or it could have nothing to do with that, and be exactly what he says - he achieved what he set out to do and realizes that he now wants to do something else with his life, and has the time and resources to do so.

nostrademons 9y ago
Many times it's both: personal circumstances will make someone want to retire, but if things look good in the markets, they'll hold on for a year or two, and if things start looking tapped out that'll give them permission to step back. He's 2 years late, after all.
BatFastard 9y ago
After having founded a number of startup, I know how it is to be in an all consuming thing. I would imagine as a conscience VC you would have to feel all in on many projects.

austenallred 9y ago

Nah. We were talking to lowercase three years ago and Mazzeo was already running the day to day for Sacca to spend more time with his family. This is a personal thing and has been a long time coming.

FanaHOVA 9y ago

People just have different interests. Why do you think only 1 person would leave if it was topped out as you say? All the other ones just want to waste money?

ryanSrich 9y ago

These types of comments are always hilarious. Really? You think we've topped out on 1bn dollar companies in the year 2017? AI, Self Driving Cars, Improvements to Flying, SPACE!? You honestly think there's nothing left to invest in?

itbeho 9y ago
I think it's more likely that the current hype cycle may be coming to a close. The items you mentioned will all be part of the next one.
sbierwagen 9y ago
Useful AI and SAE 5 cars are multiple years away, and this leg of the business cycle is already 9 years old. As for the other two categories, only SpaceX is relevant in the spacelaunch world, and I don't think they're going public anytime soon. I don't know of any startups that I would say have a decent chance in commercial aviation.
- ghaff 9y ago
  "Useful AI" is vague enough that you can probably make any sort of statement about it. If you mean things like an Echo that can take "understand" and take actions on the level of a slightly dull personal assistant, you're probably right. (Which is at least correlated with SAE 5.) Of course, there's all sorts of machine learning and related AI-ish things that are potentially useful in the interim. Fully agree on the other points.
  - rhizome 9y ago
    The Amazon Echo having a 60-item case statement is not how "AI" is typically promoted.
    - ghaff 9y ago
      You may have misunderstood my point. I'm saying that being able to interact with a digital assistant (I only used Echo as an example) the way I would with a human admin and have it take appropriate actions is many years away. It would be an interesting application for many of us, but it's not close.