The Pomp Podcast
Adam Draper, Co-Founder of Boost VC: Why Investing in Weird Things Leads to Great Returns
- Adam Draper is co-founder of Boost VC, an accelerator and pre-seed fund backing 300+ startups focused on sci-fi technologies including crypto, VR/AR, space, and ocean industries.
- Virtual reality is approaching mainstream adoption faster than augmented reality because VR technology is simpler to execute; VR fitness, enterprise training, and collaborative environments already show strong product-market fit.
- The ocean represents a massive underfunded opportunity (NOAA received 1,000x less funding than NASA historically) with viable markets in aquaculture ($250B annually), seaweed farming, and persistent internet connectivity infrastructure.
- Draper believes Bitcoin will function as a **persistent currency** unavailable 24/7 unlike traditional banking; non-fungible tokens are undervalued and will educate consumers on crypto without requiring direct cryptocurrency use.
- Decentralized applications should separate governance, protocol, and user interface layers rather than pursuing vertical integration; developers must focus on building genuine use cases rather than launching products prematurely.
- The biggest near-term opportunity in crypto is building better user interfaces and experiences that let non-technical users access decentralized services seamlessly.