Michael Dempsey (Website, X) is an investor, writer, technologist, and Managing Partner of Compound, an early-stage, thesis-driven, research-centric investment firm.

Michael and Compound invest in seed and pre-seed science and technology companies in categories like healthcare and biotech, machine learning and AI, robotics, and crypto. He writes prolifically across a range of topics and I've always admired his ability and tenacity to think about the future and paint an optimistic, yet grounded view of where things are going. He's deeply reflective and wise, and I've known both his dedication to craft and the size of his heart for nearly a decade as a friend.

Timestamps:

(0:00): Technology, Science, and Cultural Change
(08:37): Inflection Points and seeing the present vs. predicting the future
(13:00): Being original and/or contrarian; what is "alpha"
(16:58): "Post-science projects"
(21:54): Technological timing and false inflection points
(34:44): Heroes, Talent, Elon, and Zuck
(45:30): Founders of the future will spike on creativity
(49:46): Fighting decay
(55:53): Future shock: "time is collapsing"
(1:06:56): The future of humanity and our biology
(1:12:16): Bryan Johnson and biological experimentation
(1:14:48): AI Therapy
(1:19:38): Vtubers, digital influencers, and pseudonymity online
(1:26:19): Authenticity online: "Being known is being loved
(1:31:57): Discipline, Curiosity, and Writing
(1:36:29): Inertia and Friendship
(1:44:44): A life of Craft

Resources & Links:

On Inflection Points

Signal vs. Noise, Market Efficiency, & Evolving Alpha
Power & Technology
Moral obligations when investing in the future & The Vulnerable World Hypothesis
Serendipity in Venture Capital is BS…(and other views on the seed VC landscape)
Being Known is Being Loved
Inertia, mortality, & Friendship
A Biohacker Future by Compound

The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Part 1 - Wait But Why

2: Michael Dempsey - The Craft of Investing in the Future

Dialectic