Three years ago, I shared heuristics I use to pick startup investments and shared a bit of my vision of the future. Since then, my worldview has expanded and I’ve moved toward formalizing my investing in startups.

Enter M-Street Ventures, currently a syndicate-style investing group. We write $15k — $50k checks for tech founders and scientists (including graduate students in STEM and social sciences) looking to commercialize breakthrough ideas. Since our soft launch in July 2020, we have deployed nearly $400,000 in 6 startups.

Ideas: We support ideas that violate normative ways of thinking, are steeped in scientific evidence, and provide a clear vision of the world to come. We are interested in ideas founded on basic research in natural sciences, automation, human interaction and behavioral sciences. Patented or patentable ideas by scientists & researchers, including graduate students toward commercialization or social entrepreneurship are most welcome.

Promise: We decide quickly. We’re happy to be your first investor. We will coach you to interact with us and other investors. If we invest, we will back you all the way.

Offer: We offer quick capital & coaching, a key strategic partner, pathway to IP protection, and early introduction to follow-on funding.

Who: Pre-seed through Seed++ Founders. Diverse founders in the US and across Africa. Post-Docs, PhD candidates and other graduate students. Technical founders. If you’re not sure, reach out anyway.

Contact: DM me on Twitter @bunmiotegbade or email a 4-minute pitch video to bunmi@mstreev.com

A Keen Eye on the Future (3 years on)

I think a lot about young people (6–22) and the future they might have in each decade till 2100. I am banking on founders, scientists and founder-scientists, especially of African descent and Female, in various field of science (natural and social sciences) and technology (can build product) to build that future.

Investments will direct energy toward “advancing human potential and promoting equality” (Zuck) and align with a hypothesis of our world in the next half century:

• Enhanced Empathy: In my version of a more fair and just society, each of us will possess enhanced ability to practice “cognitive empathy-based living” (Ashoka). Advancements in biotechnology, neuroscience, behavioral economics, and use of ML to form habits or optimize networks that improve individual productivity and collective empathy could help minimize injustice born of poor judgment and bias, which typically emanate from imperfect information or faulty classification systems.
• Smoother Integration of Scientific Knowledge + Human Experience: A little unusual coming from me but the tyranny of science the last 100 years has led some to blatantly disregard established facts in favor of lived experiences, with little effort to reconcile. Pythagoras’ philosophy purports man as the center of the universe (human experience). For example, 30 seconds in pain can feel much longer than 30 minutes enjoying a meal. On the other Plato and Aristotle claim there is objective knowledge in the world that we cannot know but must measure. For example, 30 minutes on a clock is objectively so. I posit that enabling more Scientists as founders can help humanity reach higher integration of these two poles.
• Enhanced Productivity for Everyone: Platforms and products that will improve the future of work and help us overcome our human psychological and physiological limits, real or perceived. May include enhanced working memory through wearable devices, skill-based work, credentialing systems, skill-based education, etc.
• Radical Democratization: of access to wealth (think intergenerational asset accumulation), of power (think voting, like a digital electorate) and of access to knowledge (think optimized human networks and information flows). After democratizing access, how might we optimize for fairer distribution that serves humanity? Intergenerational asset accumulation: for marginalized groups (broadly); democratization of access to wealth-building tools, knowledge and networks.

“Too often, [we] fail to apply our most advanced technologies to the biggest human and social problems because there is no prospect of immediate commercial return.” (Schmidt Futures). We don’t mind that last bit.

Inspired by Eghosa’s talk at VC4A, Andrea’s talk at Engage, Emerging Managers chat on Clubhouse, and two of my most recent deals.

‍