187. Transformative Tech for Old World Industry (Jim Kim)

Jim Kim of Builders VC joins Nick to discuss Transformative Tech for Old World Industry. In this episode, we cover: Quick Backstory/ Path to founding tech? Big news a few years ago that Formation 8 decided not to raise a fund 3. What happened with Formation 8 - why the decision not to raise fund 3? Tell us about the thesis at Builders. Why do you think these old world industries haven't been re-invented? I've worked in some old world industries myself... that move quite slowly. I'm curious if you think the timeline is a bit longer for tech companies to scale in these industries, if, for nothing else than the decision makers are much more methodical?  What are some of the key technology characteristics you're looking for in the companies you back? Aside from technology, what are the other key ingredients your hunting for? Vertical integration... building your own brand and own the customer relationship vs. serving many others as a component provider? What percentage of your new investments are serial founders vs. first-time and how does your approach differ with each? You've stated that "Synthetic biology will be the most important enabling technology of our lifetimes." Why? Talk about some exciting innovations in the science and data space and what industries will they be most beneficial to? How do you measure success with the companies in your portfolio and how do you help them get to that place?   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.