Navigating the Hype Cycles and Early-Stage Deep Tech Investing with Emily

Episode Summary:Join Emily Rich and hosts Maxine and Cheryl in this episode where they explore the dynamic world of early-stage and deep tech investing. Emily shares her unconventional journey from being a high school dropout to making a decisive investment in her own education, a move that transformed her path and led her to become a significant player in the venture capital scene. The conversation delves into the thrills of pre-seed and seed investing, the art of identifying and navigating hype cycles in technology—including discussions on the metaverse and blockchain—and the profound impact of backing founders in their earliest stages. Emily also reflects on her transition from founder to angel investor, highlighting the importance of supporting ambitious ideas and the courage it takes to step into the unknown. Packed with personal anecdotes, industry insights, and plenty of laughs, this episode offers both inspiration and practical advice for anyone interested in the highs and lows of venture capital.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction and Emily's first investment in her own education04:29 Discussing being bad at being told what to do; founders as bad employees06:12 Emily on why she invests in pre-seed and seed stages13:14 Navigating hype cycles; the Metaverse example18:14 Thoughts on blockchain and crypto as hype cycles22:26 Understanding and identifying hype cycles in investing29:28 Changes in AI over the past decade; Emily's background in AI32:31 Public perception of AI and fear of job loss37:39 Tips for non-technical investors to understand AI40:40 Emily's Big Kahuna moment—leaving a safe job to start angel investing44:44 Closing remarks and thank youNotable Quotes"You know it's gone mainstream when my mum is using it for knitting tips." - Cheryl"The Metaverse is my favourite hype cycle because it was so overhyped and no one is spending time in the Metaverse." -Emily Rich"There is some suggestion and quite a lot of research that founders are really bad employees—great founders are really bad employees." - Maxine"If you're hyping someone from the sidelines, it's like cheering on an athlete—they're probably going to run faster." -Cheryl"I started investing in myself, in my education—not from a university perspective, but from schooling in general." - Emily RichResourcesThought Leaders to Follow:Fei-Fei Li – Renowned for her work in AI and computer vision.Timnit Gebru – Noted for her contributions to AI ethics.Reports and Articles:Sequoia Capital's Articles on AI: Maxine mentions that Sequoia published insightful pieces examining whether AI infrastructure can generate significant revenue, specifically questioning the potential for $600 billion in revenue.Bain & Company's Report on the Jagged Edge of Technology: Referenced by Maxine, this report discusses the adoption of AI, its impact on productivity, and how businesses are integrating AI into operations.Books and Quotes:Charlie Munger's Investment Advice: Maxine recalls his quote, "If your shoeshiner starts giving you stock tips, sell," as a metaphor for identifying when a market might be overheated.Sponsors:First Cheque is supported by our wonderful sponsors:Deel: Founders scale faster on Deel. Set up payroll for any country in minutes, hire anyone anywhere, and get visas handled fast, so you stay focused on scaling. Deel takes care of onboarding, HR, IT, EOR, benefits, and compliance, so your team can grow without borders.It’s why more than 40,000 fast-growing companies trust Deel to move fast.Visit https://www.deel.com/dayone___Pear Tree: Pear Tree helps Australian and New Zealand founders build high-performing offshore teams without the agency middleman.As local hiring becomes more expensive and harder to fill, many operators are turning to offshore talent across engineering, development, marketing, accounting and operations at a fraction of local salary costs.The offshore horror stories you hear usually aren’t a talent problem. They’re the result of outsourcing agencies that overcharge clients while underpaying staff. Pear Tree takes a different approach through a direct, transparent model where your team is paid fairly, fully compliant, and focused entirely on your business.As part of the Day One community, you’ll receive a free team audit to identify where offshore talent could move the needle in your business, plus 20% off your first hire. Learn more at http://dayone.fm/peartree First Cheque is part of Day One.Day One helps founders and startup operators make better business decisions more often. To learn more, join our newsletter to be notified of new First Cheque episodes and upcoming shows. Mentioned in this episode:Deel x PX_Script 1This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpSpotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/