Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures Seed Investing in the Age of AI, Crypto & Space Tech with Brett Gibson of Initialized Capital
In this episode of Tank Talks, we sit down with Brett Gibson, Managing Partner at Initialized Capital, to explore how the world of venture capital is being reshaped by advancements in AI, crypto, and space technology.
Brett’s career has been anything but conventional. From co-founding Posterous with Garry Tan (which was later acquired by Twitter) to rebuilding the platform as Posthaven, and reengineering Y Combinator’s internal software systems, he’s seen it all. Today, as Managing Partner at Initialized Capital, Brett is spearheading investments in emerging sectors like AI infrastructure, crypto technologies, and even asteroid mining.
In this conversation, Brett reflects on his journey of building and scaling startups, the transformation of Initialized Capital following its 2024 restructuring, and his thoughts on why AI is outpacing crypto in shaping the future. He also shares his perspective on moonshot investments, including AstroForge’s mission to mine platinum from asteroids, and offers insights into how founders should navigate an era of rapidly evolving technology.
This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone interested in the future of venture capital, AI, crypto, and space exploration.
How It All Began (00:01:44)
Brett’s early years in Los Gatos, his philosophy degree, and how teaching himself to code set him on the startup path.
Posterous, Posthaven & Twitter (00:03:27)
The lessons from co-founding Posterous with Garry Tan, scaling consumer tech, and rebuilding as Posthaven after Twitter shut it down.
Rebuilding YC’s Software Stack (00:09:00)
Inside story of rewriting Y Combinator’s internal tools, including applications, demo day, and Bookface.
The Evolution of Initialized Capital (00:13:20)
How Initialized grew from a $7M fund to billions under management, and the 2024 restructuring that refocused the firm on seed investing.
Crypto Infrastructure & Bison Trails (00:17:08)
Why Initialized leaned into crypto early, the Coinbase acquisition of Bison Trails, and crypto’s ongoing product market fit problem.
AI as Table Stakes (00:28:19)
Why Brett believes every startup should leverage AI and why ignoring it puts founders at a competitive disadvantage.
Scaling Technical Founders (00:32:48)
Common pitfalls for technical founders, why people management is a skill, and how to avoid organizational debt.
Moonshots: AstroForge & Beyond (00:34:42)
How Brett evaluates deep tech bets like asteroid mining and the role of network density in space investments.
The High Bit Podcast & Sharing Founder Insights (00:37:06)
Why Brett launched Initialized’s technical podcast and the surprising patterns across founders’ approaches to problem-solving.
The Future of AI, Crypto & Space by 2030 (00:40:45)
Brett’s vision for the next decade of innovation, and why he believes the world will move faster than ever.
About Brett Gibson
Brett Gibson is the Managing Partner at Initialized Capital, where he leads seed-stage investments in AI, crypto infrastructure, space tech, and beyond. A former software engineer, Brett co-founded Posterous with Garry Tan (acquired by Twitter), built Posthaven, and spent years at Y Combinator rewriting its internal software systems. At Initialized, he’s led bold bets on companies like Bison Trails, Sequence, AstroForge, and more.
Connect with Brett Gibson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettdgibson/
Visit the Initialized Capital website: https://initialized.com/
Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1
Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/
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