This Week in Startups Reid Hoffman on the Joby Aviation SPAC, lessons from early Airbnb & Facebook bets, passing on Stripe & SpaceX, investment thesis & more | Angel S5 E6
Feb 25, 2021
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and venture capitalist at Greylock Partners, shares insights from his extensive experience in the tech world. He discusses Joby Aviation's groundbreaking eVTOL technology and its potential to revolutionize urban transport. Hoffman reflects on pivotal investment moments, like his missed opportunities with Stripe and SpaceX, and emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of business leaders. He also delves into the importance of hiring the right talent and navigating the competitive investment landscape, highlighting resilience in entrepreneurship.
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Joby Aviation Investment
- Reid Hoffman discusses Joby Aviation, an electric VTOL company.
- He highlights its progress, safety, quiet operation, and potential for Uber-like pricing.
Autonomous Vehicles vs. eVTOLs
- Widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles without steering wheels is still far off.
- eVTOL flights like Joby will likely be available to the public sooner.
SocialNet and the Birth of LinkedIn
- Hoffman's first venture, SocialNet, was primarily a dating site that also aimed to connect people for various activities.
- This experience partly inspired LinkedIn, as Hoffman realized the professional networking aspect was most broken yet crucial.