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Patty is the co-founder of Starlight, which is based out in Florida. She is passionate about startups that actually solve problems, and she has the track record to prove it. In under 18 months, she and her team at Starlight have invested in some of the best companies out there. In this episode. we get into founding Starlight, what she looks for, problems she wants to solve, and more.
About Starlight
“Accelerating advances in computing, AI, genetics and synthetic biology are converging to make possible what we used to consider science fiction. Reusable rockets, bio-fabricated meat, cancer cures before birth, autonomous personal assistants, quantum computers; these are all things that seemed fantastic until only recently but are a reality today.
At the same time, humanity is facing massive challenges: feeding 9 billion people without destroying our habitats, preventing and curing the diseases of the world’s growing and aging population, fixing climate change, and creating new consensus mechanisms to replace our malfunctioning political and judicial systems.
The choices we make today will determine how the future actually unfolds. We want to be active contributors to building the society and planet we desire. Progress has been accelerating for generations, and we believe the compounded effect will result in massive change during our lifetime unlike anything we have ever seen.
And where there is massive change, there is massive opportunity.
Many venture capitalists resist investing in high-risk, long-term projects. This is a result of the wave of innovations, from PCs to smartphones, which provided plenty of opportunities for outsized returns on low capital intensity and relatively short-term investments. This era of “low- hanging fruit” is coming to an end. Software and mobility will continue transforming industries, but the innovation in this space is well understood and therefore no longer the most fertile ground for venture capital.
More significantly, most entrepreneurs and investors have been distracted from addressing the most important problems and possibilities facing humankind. The good news is one doesn’t have to be solely altruistic to focus on what really matters. We believe meaningful and sustainable equity returns will come from solving our biggest challenges, and that’s why we partner with the scientists, entrepreneurs and creators addressing them.
We provide early stage capital to companies leveraging breakthrough technologies to further push the boundaries of possibility and solve humanity’s biggest challenges. We’re focused on the solutions to some questions that keep us up at night (and get us out of bed in the morning):
- How do we feed 9 billion people without destroying the planet?
Areas of interest: ag-tech, bio-fabrication, new foods, bio-tech, genetics, genomics. - How do we increase healthy lifespan and cure or even prevent major diseases?
Areas of interest: health span, longevity, therapeutics, genetics, genomics. - How do we upgrade our archaic political and judicial systems by building better consensus mechanisms that enable society to thrive?
Areas of interest: blockchains, smart contracts, decentralized networks. - How do we augment human capabilities with a better understanding of the brain?
Areas of interest: neuraltech, AI. - How do we improve our lives by exploring outer space?
Areas of interest: space infrastructure, space exploration, geo-engineering. - How do we develop the building blocks to make all the above happen?
Areas of interest: machine learning/Big Data, AI, quantum computing, nanotechnology.
If you are thinking of the world as we are, have best in class domain expertise, and are building a viable business model to address any of these challenges, we would love to get to know you and find out how we can help.”
Links
http://www.starlight.vc/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciahalfenwexler/
About this podcast
The Learning with Lowell; Science, deep tech, biotech, startup, and news podcast has new episodes every Tuesday. It is hosted by Lowell Thompson who started the podcast after suffering through e genetic illness that almost almost saw him die on a number of occasions, but now is managed and doesn’t cause too many problems. Lowell’s goal is to educate people on the different paths you can take to get into a science, deep tech, biotech, or startup related venture as a founder or member of the team. Additionally, Lowell wants to show you who these founders and experts are like as they answer questions about their work, passions, and interest.
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