
Looking Back on Tech, Startups, and VC in 2018 - semilshah
http://haystack.vc/2018/12/29/looking-back-on-tech-startups-and-vc-in-2018/
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rmason
I'm not certain that I agree with him about crypto hibernation. I am far from
a crypto advocate but I follow the space and have some friends deeply engaged
in it.

There's an awful lot of work being done, especially with blockchain. Great
ideas with impressive teams. But it isn't showtime yet. It's heads down and
working time.

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john_moscow
Sure, there's plenty of work being done, except it's fueled by the founders'
need to show investors that their money is being put to a good use, and hence
not pull out. I've yet to see an actual business problem solved with a
blockchain (other than helping optimists part with their money).

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toomuchtodo
Relevant NIST flowchart ("Do you need a blockchain?"):
[https://imgur.com/a/RlUj9Ed](https://imgur.com/a/RlUj9Ed)

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nikanj
For a while, the flowchart was basically ”Do you need funding?”. A lot of
pitches were basically ”X, but on the blockchain”. Seemed to be a decent
strategy, too.

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nikanj
”For me personally, it’s been fascinating to see just how much consumer demand
scooters as an easy and fun option, and yet consumers don’t seem to want to
charge or dock these items”

Alternative take: petty crime is so incredibly prevalent in SF, customers
prefer rental scooters so they don’t have to worry about theft.

A big reason behind the popularity of Citi bikes etc is the same: it delivers
the convenience of having a bike, without the headache of having it stolen
quarterly.

~~~
pmart123
I interpreted what he was saying differently. To me, he was saying that
consumers like renting scooters, but they do not like renting scooters if they
have to dock or undock the scooters similar to a citi bike versus a grab and
drop approach.

