Sequoia Legend Michael Moritz: Steve Jobs, Being an Outsider, and Investing in the Age of AI
Venture capitalist Michael Moritz discusses how his family's escape from Nazi Germany shaped his investing philosophy, and what he looks for in founders at Sequoia Capital.
The gist
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Moritz says studying a founder's life before age 14, not their resume, best predicts how they will handle a real crisis.
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Outsider status, from immigrant roots or minority identity, can be a competitive edge, but it fades once someone settles into establishment comfort.
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Monomaniacal obsession drives most great achievements, but the main cost is relationships, and the best founders negotiate that trade-off honestly.
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The information and relationship advantages that made early-stage investing lucrative in the 1980s and 1990s have largely disappeared today.
Also mentioned
1:01:30
Sequoia Heritage
· "We started another business called Sequoia Heritage, which is a very different business."
1:23:03
San Francisco Standard
· "I started a media business there as well, which is fun and I hope contributes to the life of the city,..."
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