Picking out the future's biggest business winners in a crowded startup space isn't easy, but Sequoia Capital has been able to spot tech darlings such as Airbnb, Stripe, Instacart, and Dropbox. Bryan Schreier, Partner at Sequoia, was with us to give us the hottest trends in VC.
Schreier identified the common trait that these best-of-breed companies embody. He said these companies are going after "greenfield market opportunities" that tend to be new or ripe for disruption.
The venture capitalist is excited about the potential of virtual reality. He is also taking a look at a lot of cryptocurrency opportunities. Although still in the early days, Schreier said cryptocurrency technology reminds him of the beginning stages of the internet. Scheier says that he sees real estate as one of the industries ready to be disrupted by blockchain.
Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
Andy Baehr, Head of Product at CoinDesk Indices, breaks down crypto’s Black Friday crash, Bitcoin dipping under $100K, and what’s driving the market rout.
Billionaire Warren Buffett warned shareholders Monday that many companies will fare better than his Berkshire Hathaway in the decades ahead as Father Time catches up