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I'm suggesting the government take the role of investor, replacing (or rather, overshadowing) the financial firms & private owners who are the current investors

by swores 3y ago

I'm suggesting the government take the role of investor, replacing (or rather, overshadowing) the financial firms & private owners who are the current investors, not taking over the way the companies work. Could either give a body like the NIH a huge new budget to use for investing in pharma companies, or could pass a law that says any company that successfully raises X money with Y criteria (either in VC, or by IPO, or however) must automatically allow the government to buy x% at the same price (or a slight discount) as other buyers? And sure, lobbyists, money in politics and quality of current US politicians are a problem to face with pretty much any aspect of improving the country, but I don't think that's a reason to never discuss ideas about how to do so. (Then again I'm not American so I don't have horse in this race, but I feel similarly about my UK.)

Nevermark 3y ago
Pumping dumb money into a sector isn't likely to translate into profits. It will translate to a bubble and a lot of opportunists taking the money. It isn't that it is impossible, but it would take a slow start, and sustained experimentation and organizational learning over many years, before the amount of money that could make a dent in the problem could reliably perform well. All while VCs would be lobbying to end the incursion, and the easier money - therefore lower returns, it would inflict on their territory.