Alexis Ohanian

because they like social media didn't exist. We had web forums. Facebook was still in colleges. There were a lot of blogs. Like it was just a very different world. Today, any, any founder pitching us has lived on social media and they've seen the good and they've seen the bad.

because they like social media didn't exist. We had web forums. Facebook was still in colleges. There were a lot of blogs. Like it was just a very different world. Today, any, any founder pitching us has lived on social media and they've seen the good and they've seen the bad.

Has it happened? Okay, there have been companies where we haven't even taken the pitch just because... And again, I don't want to get too high horse about it. No one's out here saying like, okay, I guess there were... There was one company that I hard passed on Whatever, I can say it. They were a telehealth business basically handing out Adderall.

Has it happened? Okay, there have been companies where we haven't even taken the pitch just because... And again, I don't want to get too high horse about it. No one's out here saying like, okay, I guess there were... There was one company that I hard passed on Whatever, I can say it. They were a telehealth business basically handing out Adderall.

And the business was growing very quickly, but there was no way they were doing it responsibly. And that was a hard, hard, hard pass. It was... Both from a, I wouldn't feel good about my kids using this, also just from a risk standpoint, like at some point the FDA is going to look at this and y'all are going to have a bad time. Spoiler, the FDA did come down pretty hard on them.

And the business was growing very quickly, but there was no way they were doing it responsibly. And that was a hard, hard, hard pass. It was... Both from a, I wouldn't feel good about my kids using this, also just from a risk standpoint, like at some point the FDA is going to look at this and y'all are going to have a bad time. Spoiler, the FDA did come down pretty hard on them.

But we do, I guess I would take the, it's the more optimistic version of that, which is, would I be excited to see this exist in the world that our kids are going to grow up in? And if it's a 100% reusable rocket company, which we did see called Stoke, hell yes. Like 100% reusable. So now you're talking about, one, there's an environmental benefit to it.

But we do, I guess I would take the, it's the more optimistic version of that, which is, would I be excited to see this exist in the world that our kids are going to grow up in? And if it's a 100% reusable rocket company, which we did see called Stoke, hell yes. Like 100% reusable. So now you're talking about, one, there's an environmental benefit to it.

And two, the things we'll be able to do for all of us here on planet Earth when we have a much better, smoother relationship to low Earth orbit will be very good for humanity. But there's a version for that. But I think it's the... It's the more sort of positive lens. The very interesting thing about founders today as well, they are more sophisticated.

And two, the things we'll be able to do for all of us here on planet Earth when we have a much better, smoother relationship to low Earth orbit will be very good for humanity. But there's a version for that. But I think it's the... It's the more sort of positive lens. The very interesting thing about founders today as well, they are more sophisticated.

they also know just how big of a role technology plays in the world. And I know people would get on Zuck for his like aw shucks behavior, probably in the earlier days where he just, it didn't, it seemed implausible that he could not realize how much power Facebook has. And I will say to his credit, I think his tune changed on that. And also in his defense, none of us did.

they also know just how big of a role technology plays in the world. And I know people would get on Zuck for his like aw shucks behavior, probably in the earlier days where he just, it didn't, it seemed implausible that he could not realize how much power Facebook has. And I will say to his credit, I think his tune changed on that. And also in his defense, none of us did.

The idea, if you had told me, probably in in most of the aughts throughout most of the aughts and probably even the early teens that these social media platforms would be among the most valuable businesses in the world i i would have been very very very very surprised and you know They made some smart M&A moves. They did the things.

The idea, if you had told me, probably in in most of the aughts throughout most of the aughts and probably even the early teens that these social media platforms would be among the most valuable businesses in the world i i would have been very very very very surprised and you know They made some smart M&A moves. They did the things.

But like for all of us, or I can speak for myself, but I would wager Jack feels the same way with Twitter. In those early days, in those aughts, you know, it was about building something that you hoped people loved. It was about keeping the servers online.

But like for all of us, or I can speak for myself, but I would wager Jack feels the same way with Twitter. In those early days, in those aughts, you know, it was about building something that you hoped people loved. It was about keeping the servers online.

It was not about, well, what is going to happen if all of a sudden there is an election that could decide, that there's an election whose fate could be decided based on whether or not a post goes up or not. Like it would be, laughable to have that conversation in a boardroom 10 years earlier because it's like hey we might die next month the company may not be here next month but

It was not about, well, what is going to happen if all of a sudden there is an election that could decide, that there's an election whose fate could be decided based on whether or not a post goes up or not. Like it would be, laughable to have that conversation in a boardroom 10 years earlier because it's like hey we might die next month the company may not be here next month but

Credit to this generation of founders. Every one of them knows going into it, hey, technology is shaping far more than it. It's not just these are the most powerful companies in the world or in our economy, but there are repercussions to it. And I think by and large, we want the good stuff to win.

Credit to this generation of founders. Every one of them knows going into it, hey, technology is shaping far more than it. It's not just these are the most powerful companies in the world or in our economy, but there are repercussions to it. And I think by and large, we want the good stuff to win.