Alexis Ohanian

then the apps that are starting to make traction, and it's still early days, but they're much less based, even the ones that have blown up and fallen back down, the B-Reels of the world and some of these others, they're all much less based on the sort of internet popularity contest. And they're much more based on, Connecting with your actual friends.

then the apps that are starting to make traction, and it's still early days, but they're much less based, even the ones that have blown up and fallen back down, the B-Reels of the world and some of these others, they're all much less based on the sort of internet popularity contest. And they're much more based on, Connecting with your actual friends.

One that I recently seeded is called Air Buds, and it's only about connecting over the music you're listening to. And it's purely like, this is the song I'm streaming right now on Spotify. React to it, vibe with it, share tastes. I think the culture has already now built up enough of an immune system that for this next generation, there's a pushback to... the previous mold of social.

One that I recently seeded is called Air Buds, and it's only about connecting over the music you're listening to. And it's purely like, this is the song I'm streaming right now on Spotify. React to it, vibe with it, share tastes. I think the culture has already now built up enough of an immune system that for this next generation, there's a pushback to... the previous mold of social.

And I think that alone will drive a much more healthy relationship to social media, but we'll see. But that is the lens through which we look at even making the investments. It's okay. When my kids are old enough, how good am I going to feel about this being a multi-billion dollar business that they're on? And look, admittedly, you cannot predict that.

And I think that alone will drive a much more healthy relationship to social media, but we'll see. But that is the lens through which we look at even making the investments. It's okay. When my kids are old enough, how good am I going to feel about this being a multi-billion dollar business that they're on? And look, admittedly, you cannot predict that.

There are so many different paths a company can take, any idea can take from day one to 10 years out, 15 years out, 20 years out. But we make the best assessment we can based on the founders, based on their attention and have, like I said, the starting line that these founders are on today is much more sophisticated than I was as a first time CEO right out of college.

There are so many different paths a company can take, any idea can take from day one to 10 years out, 15 years out, 20 years out. But we make the best assessment we can based on the founders, based on their attention and have, like I said, the starting line that these founders are on today is much more sophisticated than I was as a first time CEO right out of college.

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.