LA Venture Scott Nolan - Founders Fund
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Feb 7, 2024 
Scott Nolan, Partner at Founders Fund and one of the first hires at SpaceX, discusses the unique investing approach of Founders Fund and their focus on backing companies with a real mission and vision. The podcast also explores the early investment in SpaceX by Founders Fund, the importance of hard engineering and solving big problems, high expectations and culture within companies, expanding horizons at Founders Fund, and the potential of containerized nuclear energy as a cheaper, cleaner, and safer source of energy.
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Founders Fund's Unique Mission Focus
- Founders Fund invests unconditionally in founders with long-term missions, often spanning decades.
- They focus on companies solving hard engineering challenges with grand visions beyond quick exits.
Engineering Over Science Risk
- Founders Fund avoids pure science risk, focusing instead on tech risk where great engineers solve physical problems.
- They believe engineering teams can address nearly all physically possible challenges, an undervalued fact.
Mission Drives Long-Term Success
- Successful bets require truly inspiring missions to attract massive talent and sustain decade-long efforts.
- Some companies like SpaceX take over 20 years, requiring unrelenting focus and audacity.