Decoder with Nilay Patel Recode Decode: Jana Messerschmidt
Nov 20, 2019
Jana Messerschmidt, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners and co-founder of #ANGELS, shares her journey from tech roles at Netflix and Twitter to becoming a venture capitalist. She discusses the transformative early days of streaming and how Netflix strategically navigated the market. Messerschmidt emphasizes the importance of diversity in venture capital, detailing how #ANGELS supports not just women but all founders. The conversation also highlights the equity gap for women in tech and the urgent need for change in the industry.
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Few Women in Engineering
- Jana Messerschmidt's computer engineering major was only 2-3% female.
- A professor even assumed she was in the wrong class.
Early Days of Streaming
- Jana Messerschmidt used DivX in college to download shows like "Sopranos" because she couldn't afford HBO.
- DivX's codec compressed video, making downloads faster on limited bandwidth.
DivX's Timing Miss
- DivX, while directionally correct about connecting the living room, failed due to timing.
- The market wasn't ready for easy streaming, highlighting market timing's importance.
