The Decision Education Podcast

Episode 038: A Contrarian’s Guide to Venture Capital with Josh Wolfe

17 snips
Oct 8, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Josh Wolfe, co-founder of Lux Capital and a trailblazer in venture capital, reveals his contrarian approach to investing in frontier technologies. He shares how the simple question 'What sucks?' helps him uncover hidden opportunities in the market. Wolfe contrasts 'nice-to-have' with 'must-solve' problems, emphasizing the psychology behind big bets and decision-making. He also dives into the significance of understanding human nature alongside technology when investing, and offers practical decision-making tools to empower the next generation.
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INSIGHT

Find Opportunities By Asking What Sucks

  • Great ideas often start with a simple question: "What sucks?".
  • Identifying what clearly frustrates people reveals opportunities others overlook.
ADVICE

Be Contrarian And Hunt Variant Perceptions

  • Read the consensus widely then hunt for variant perceptions where few others look.
  • Invest where you believe before others understand to capture outsized returns.
INSIGHT

Prefer Must-Solve Problems With Technological Moats

  • Target problems that are genuinely painful rather than just nice-to-have enhancements.
  • Seek technologies with real moats so only one or two players can solve the problem.
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