Ifty Ahmed, General Partner at Oak Investment Partners, shares his immediate assessment of Google Glass during a quickfire round.
Insight
Ifty Ahmed: Successful startup founders must be 'technology jihadists'
“The real guys who are going to innovate and disrupt the world are the ones who truly believe and maniacally believe in what they're trying to do. And in some ways, you know, in a funny way, I think about it as these are technology jihadists, if you know what I…”
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Ahmed: Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are the IP protocol for finance
“Cryptocurrencies and bitcoins is the future, as to when that transaction will be like an IP transaction. So I look at bitcoins and cryptocurrencies as the equivalent of IP IP protocol for the financial services transaction. So that's why I say it's very bright…”
Insight
Ahmed: Two Co-Founders Is Optimal; Three or Four Is Too Many
“The second reason, I think, is, I think two is always better than one. But I think at about three or four, it becomes a crowd.”
Insight
Ahmed: Biotech VC requires subject expertise, consumer internet does not
“If you want to get into biotech, I would say, hey, get some real, ah, subject matter expertise, because it is very important. Whereas in, in the consumer internet space, Because we are all consumers. It's less important.”
Insight
Ifty Ahmed: Early-stage VC relies on evaluating passion, not financial analysis
“The truth of venture capital is that it's really all about the people. Unlike growth stage investing or private equity investing where there is a business, there are financial analysis to be done, there are stuff to be looked at. When it comes to startups and …”
Insight
Ifty Ahmed: Venture capital is an apprenticeship business, not a science
“Obviously it's not a science, it's an art, and that's why I think venture capital as a business, as an industry, is an, is a, is an apprenticeship business, so you've got to acquire those skills and that talent over time.”