A Red Team FRAGPLAN to investigate areas for venture capital and traditional innovations in a hypothetical indo-pacific conflict.
Red Team FRAGPLAN: “Typhoon Blade”
Europe and NATO: Not Ready for Russian Threat?
[usually I post about something venture capital on Tuesdays. Today's article by Atlantic Council's Fred Kempe made me switch up a few things -- stay with me, it'll be about venture capital...] This is Part I. Part II tomorrow, Part III Thursday. In his Atlantic Council article, "Europe is ‘not ready’ for the Russian threat. … Continue reading Europe and NATO: Not Ready for Russian Threat?
Memos for the Hill and DoD: they’re not dumb!
The post discusses feedback regarding memos on research, emphasizing they shouldn't simplify complex ideas. Successful memos require intuitive arguments for policymakers, aligning with political agendas, and allowing graceful retreats for stakeholders. The author outlines effective practices using examples from reputable sources and warns against overcomplication that may hinder support.
Essential Readings — Behavioral Finance in Venture Capital
After my post "Who’s on the Other Side of That Trade?" a few weeks ago, I got some questions how to go deeper into behavioral finance in venture capital. Here are some links: Essential Reading David Tuckett – Conviction Narrative Theory: A Theory of Choice Under Radical UncertaintyDirectly relevant to venture investing under uncertainty. Explains … Continue reading Essential Readings — Behavioral Finance in Venture Capital
Tactical Notes: Do you know how to celebrate?
The author emphasizes the importance of celebrating small wins in the long journey of venture capital. While aiming for higher goals is essential, recognizing each step along the way is crucial. Each action contributes significantly to the overall success, highlighting the value of incremental progress over time.
The Art of Defense Policy Memo Writing
I’ve written or edited memos for both Hill staffers and DoD / DHS and other security agencies. While both a Hill staffer and a DoD audience might be engaged on the same issue (e.g., national resilience, dual-use policy, or industrial capacity), the positioning, tone, and framing must differ to match their institutional mandate, time horizon, … Continue reading The Art of Defense Policy Memo Writing
5 Venture Capital Metrics for DeepTech Startups
Measuring progress at an early-stage deep tech startup in space or propulsion or material sciences is very different from measuring SaaS startups. The goals are the same: you want to measure technology/product progress; you want to measure customer engagement and "sales funnels" for your prospects; and you want to measure progress for the next round … Continue reading 5 Venture Capital Metrics for DeepTech Startups
Tactical Notes: Tacit Knowledge — What We Know But Cannot Fully Articulate
[This is one of the first 'Tactical Notes' - short-format observations that I jotted down some time ago, where I feel that this snippet is enough and no long format essay is necessary] Michael Polanyi’s notion of tacit knowledge (what we know but cannot fully articulate), know-how resides in practice, habits, culture, and embodied skills … Continue reading Tactical Notes: Tacit Knowledge — What We Know But Cannot Fully Articulate
Stop the “Innovation Theater”! A Case For Infrastructure Memory And Manufacturing Depth
"Innovation Theater" highlights the U.S. tech ecosystem’s focus on temporary initiatives without long-term commitment. This leads to symptoms like abandoned projects and unscalable startups. The importance of “infrastructure memory” and “manufacturing depth” is emphasized, advocating for a dual-track model that balances disruptive innovation with resilient production capabilities.
Mastering Conference Note-Taking for Investment Insights and Alpha
Concept: Taking notes is not about capturing what was said. It is not about capturing "insights". It is all about capturing what creates alpha. On Talk and Panel Selection Make sure that more than half of your time is spent talking with people (d'oh!). Choose 80% of talks in areas that should be front and … Continue reading Mastering Conference Note-Taking for Investment Insights and Alpha