Adam Draper
Founder and CEO, Boost VC
Discussion
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
Hi - I'm Adam Draper and my dream is to build an Iron Man suit. I'm the Founder and Managing Director of Boost VC, where we are making Science Fiction a Reality. We were the first investors in the Bitcoin space and have since built unparalleled ecosystems in VR as well. I have invested in 200+ startups and am a 4th generation venture capitalist. I also love comic books, but I don't think that would be a reason to ask me a question. I have a range of information to discuss, feel free to ask me anything.
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How is the real-life Iron Man suit coming along? 🤔
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
Ben Parr
@benparr · Co-founder and CMO, Octane AI
Why are you so handsome? And what do you tell your friends and fellow investors about Octane AI? 😃
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@benparr on the handsome question. It's all make up and hair gel, I usually stand next to attractive people just to make myself look more handsome on a general scale of handsomeness.
On the OctaneAI question: Everyone should learn from @Benparr and Matt Schlicht, these guys are the ultimate in hype.
OctaneAI was just on the front page of the NYT because they are crushing it so hard. #portfoliocompany
Jacqueline von Tesmar
@jacqvon · Community, Product Hunt ✌️😻
What are the most important thing you look for when look for when investing - is it founder, team, initial traction?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@jacqvon someone who gets you excited by just talking about their idea. They should know it back to front and have tried a lot of ways to get going. There's nothing more intoxicating than getting taken for a mental ride by a founder who knows their crap and is doing something crazy.
Ben Tossell
@bentossell · Community Lead, Product Hunt
If you had to swap lives with a tech CEO for a week who would it be and why?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@bentossell Great question. My life is pretty epic, but if I had to swap lives with one person it would probably be Mark Zuckerberg... because can you imagine being able to make one change on the product and impact one billion people?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@bentossell Thought about it some more. Elon Musk would be awesome, Rockets and electric cars.
Ben Tossell
@bentossell · Community Lead, Product Hunt
What is something you believe that not many others agree with you on?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@bentossell My daughter will never drive a car.
There are different densities in Space.
The best movie that has every existed is Van Wilder.
Bitcoin is an inevitability.
People are inherently good.
Round Table Pepperoni Pizza is the best pizza on earth.
Alexandru Biet
@alexandrubiet · Designer & Entrepreneur
Hi Adam! What was your biggest challenge in founding Boost VC?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@alexandrubiet Oh snap, great question. It's always a challenge (in the best way), but over time the challenges have changed.
4.5 years ago, it was hard to convince people that a 26 year old failed entrepreneur was going to add value to their startup. So I had to sell hard. I was in every meeting selling everyone on why they should join Boost VC. But as our portfolio grew, so did the trust in the value we provided, and pretty soon we were at the top of the #Bitcoin pyramid and have now funded 180 startups, and our companies have raised upwards of $250m.
So all in all, the biggest challenge has been building trust with the market over time. Its also the most important thing.
Seth Williams
@sethbwilliams · Web Designer
What does success look like for each of you?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@sethbwilliams Success is building value that aligns with your internal core and humanity at large. Also when I beat my co-founder at Super smash brothers on the N64, that's a great feeling of success.
Chad Whitaker
@chadwhitaker · Design at Product Hunt
What does the average day look like for you?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@chadwhitaker Wake up at 5:30am, stretch, write for 30 minutes, outline my day with the questions I want to ask every meeting, work on my 3 core priorities, make eggs for my 2 year old daughter.
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@chadwhitaker That was my daily routine. When I get to work, some days its a blur of meetings with entrepreneurs, investors. Some days I speak in front of audiences. Most days while we are in session, I get to hang out and work with the entrepreneurs in our Tribe.
Marius Chawa
@mariuschawa
@adamdraper if you wake up at 5:30am every morning...what time do you go to bed every night
Emily Hodgins
@ems_hodge · Community and Marketing, Product Hunt
Hi Adam thanks for joining us today. What is the most Science Fiction thing you've made a reality so far at Boost?
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Adam Draper
@adamdraper · CEO, Boost VC
@ems_hodge Boost VC. We create and encourage the believers in the Sci-Fi of the future. Really by starting Boost VC, I created a more Sci-Fi future... that's the most Sci-Fi thing that could be done.