Fantastic piece, Sophie. Love how you highlight the pattern of crisis-born innovation. History keeps proving it true. Do you think the next wave of crisis-driven startups will look different from past cycles? Would love to hear your thoughts. What are you betting on right now?
Thanks, Martin. Because I have been thinking about it in this way (so a timely question!) - if I had $50 million to invest, I’d base it on:
Exponential Technology Leverage: Backing ventures that use AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and biotech to break industry bottlenecks, solve real problems, and scale impact fast.
Hub-and-Spoke Model for Local Execution: Funding businesses that combine global intelligence with on-the-ground solutions - ensuring innovation adapts to real-world needs, not just boardroom theory.
Disrupting Traditional Value Chains: Prioritising businesses that shift from extractive, centralised systems to decentralised, regenerative models - cutting waste, costs, and inefficiency.
Network Effects and Collaborative Ecosystems: Investing in ventures that grow by connecting people, data, and resources - where scaling means more participation, not just more capital.
Flexible and Adaptive Investment: Backing companies that don’t rely on rigid models but can adjust fast - leveraging real-time data, scenario planning, and geopolitical shifts to stay ahead.
Decentralised Production and Resource Efficiency: Funding ventures that reduce reliance on fragile supply chains by enabling localised, high-tech production - from water to housing to energy.
Low-Cost, High-Impact Solutions: Prioritising businesses that deliver 10x efficiency gains through automation, digitalisation, and smarter systems - making sustainability the most viable option.
Ethical and Inclusive Innovation: Backing ventures that open access to tech and opportunity - ensuring solutions aren’t just for elite markets but solve real, global problems.
Future-Proofed Investments: Investing in companies that won’t be obsolete in five years—those built to evolve, adapt, and thrive in a world of accelerating change.
Love this approach! thoughtful, future-focused, and not just chasing the usual hype.
If I had $50M, I'd look at:
1. AI infrastructure, not just AI apps – The real gold rush is in the picks and shovels. Compute, data pipelines, automation—everything that makes AI work at scale.
2. B2B payments & embedded finance – Still a mess in many regions, especially for small businesses. Fixing that unlocks massive economic value.
3. Agricultural AI & bioengineering – Smarter food production, lab-grown everything, and tech that makes farming more resilient to climate shifts.
Fantastic piece, Sophie. Love how you highlight the pattern of crisis-born innovation. History keeps proving it true. Do you think the next wave of crisis-driven startups will look different from past cycles? Would love to hear your thoughts. What are you betting on right now?
Thanks, Martin. Because I have been thinking about it in this way (so a timely question!) - if I had $50 million to invest, I’d base it on:
Exponential Technology Leverage: Backing ventures that use AI, quantum computing, blockchain, and biotech to break industry bottlenecks, solve real problems, and scale impact fast.
Hub-and-Spoke Model for Local Execution: Funding businesses that combine global intelligence with on-the-ground solutions - ensuring innovation adapts to real-world needs, not just boardroom theory.
Disrupting Traditional Value Chains: Prioritising businesses that shift from extractive, centralised systems to decentralised, regenerative models - cutting waste, costs, and inefficiency.
Network Effects and Collaborative Ecosystems: Investing in ventures that grow by connecting people, data, and resources - where scaling means more participation, not just more capital.
Flexible and Adaptive Investment: Backing companies that don’t rely on rigid models but can adjust fast - leveraging real-time data, scenario planning, and geopolitical shifts to stay ahead.
Decentralised Production and Resource Efficiency: Funding ventures that reduce reliance on fragile supply chains by enabling localised, high-tech production - from water to housing to energy.
Low-Cost, High-Impact Solutions: Prioritising businesses that deliver 10x efficiency gains through automation, digitalisation, and smarter systems - making sustainability the most viable option.
Ethical and Inclusive Innovation: Backing ventures that open access to tech and opportunity - ensuring solutions aren’t just for elite markets but solve real, global problems.
Future-Proofed Investments: Investing in companies that won’t be obsolete in five years—those built to evolve, adapt, and thrive in a world of accelerating change.
What would you bet on, Martin? Or invest $50m?
This is food for thought. I will read this and revert over my coffee tomorrow :)
Love this approach! thoughtful, future-focused, and not just chasing the usual hype.
If I had $50M, I'd look at:
1. AI infrastructure, not just AI apps – The real gold rush is in the picks and shovels. Compute, data pipelines, automation—everything that makes AI work at scale.
2. B2B payments & embedded finance – Still a mess in many regions, especially for small businesses. Fixing that unlocks massive economic value.
3. Agricultural AI & bioengineering – Smarter food production, lab-grown everything, and tech that makes farming more resilient to climate shifts.
Thoughts?
Looks great! To add: taking a global focus, in terms of venture origin, scale of problem, and source of capital and not US (or even Europe)-centric.
I now just need $50m :)
Same. Enjoyed co-mapping out this plan :)