Colin Kaepernick helps creators own their story with Lumi, his AI startup | TechCrunch Disrupt 2024

Colin Kaepernick's Entry into Tech

• Colin Kaepernick, known for his career with the San Francisco 49ers, is now entering the tech industry, specifically Silicon Valley, for the first time. He began exploring the tech scene around 2016-2017, starting with angel investing and eventually joining the board of Medium, where he learned from leaders like Ev Williams, Biz Stone, and Ben Horowitz. (37s)
• Kaepernick observes that Silicon Valley has evolved since 2017, particularly with the rise of AI and a new wave of founders and investors seeking to create access and opportunity. He notes that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. (1m50s)

Silicon Valley's Evolution and Kaepernick's Observations

• Kaepernick observes that Silicon Valley has evolved since 2017, particularly with the rise of AI and a new wave of founders and investors seeking to create access and opportunity. He notes that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. (1m50s)

Kaepernick's Reflection on Past Activism

• Reflecting on his past, Kaepernick discusses the media storm during the height of his career, emphasizing his efforts to address societal inequities and the strong responses these efforts elicited. He highlights the importance of organizing and momentum in striving for a more equitable future. (2m48s)

Kaepernick as a Disruptor and Advice to Founders

• Kaepernick is recognized as a disruptor of his generation, having captured national attention and influenced societal change. He is positioned alongside tech founders in terms of impact, and he offers advice to aspiring founders who wish to create meaningful change. (4m6s)

Creating Change in Tech

• To create change in the world, especially in tech, it is important to do thorough research, understand the purpose behind actions, pursue goals passionately, and involve others in the journey. Having a support system is crucial for sustainability and endurance, especially when facing resistance and challenges. (4m45s)

Importance of Support Systems

• A strong support system, including family, friends, mentors, and advisers, is essential for overcoming difficult times and achieving long-term success. (5m37s)

Mentorship from Ben Horowitz

• Ben Horowitz, a well-known investor, has been influential in shaping business sense and has provided direct and constructive feedback. He has been a valuable mentor, offering guidance and connections, such as introducing key personnel for Lumi, an AI startup. (6m29s)
• Although Ben Horowitz did not invest in Lumi, he provided valuable advice and connections, suggesting it was early for investment but showing interest in future developments. (8m4s)

Ben Horowitz's Political Endorsements

• Ben Horowitz surprised many by endorsing Donald Trump, but later endorsed Kamala Harris. This shift was unexpected based on his track record and interactions, and it was noted that the initial endorsement came from his firm. (8m33s)

Kaepernick's Multifaceted Identity

• Colin Kaepernick is a multi-dimensional person who has played in the Super Bowl, is a civil rights activist, and is now a startup founder, but he doesn't think about his legacy too much and instead focuses on having a positive impact in what he's doing (9m52s).

The Genesis of Lumi

• Kaepernick's 2016 protest and the media storm that followed played a role in him starting Lumi, with ownership as a core part of the platform, as he saw the importance of narrative and controlling the story (10m31s).
• Before Lumi, Kaepernick built a medium publishing company where he saw that most creators don't own the work they create, live paycheck to paycheck, and have long production times and high production expenses (11m5s).

Lumi's Mission and Functionality

• These problems led to the founding of Lumi, which aims to help creators take an idea or concept into a finished story product, including character development, ideation, script writing, image generation, and publishing and merchandising (11m54s).
• Lumi will initially focus on comics, graphic novels, and manga, and will offer on-demand publishing and merchandising to help creators retain ownership and be profitable from the first sale (12m34s).

Lumi's Merchandising Integration

• The platform will also integrate merchandising, making it accessible to creators who don't want to handle the logistics, and will allow consumers to support their favorite creators (13m3s).

Lumi's Vision for Content Engagement

• The full vision for Lumi is to create a destination where people can come to watch their favorite content, find new stuff, and engage with stories in a fluid way (13m18s).

Lumi's AI-Powered Storytelling Platform

• Lumi is an AI startup aimed at helping creators fluidly transition their stories across various media formats, such as graphic novels, children's stories, animations, TV series, and films, by overcoming production barriers. (13m31s)
• The platform is initially focusing on manga due to its passionate fan base and the current technological capabilities, while acknowledging that full animation and TV series still require further development. (14m9s)

Creator Control over AI Usage in Lumi

• Lumi allows creators to use AI as much or as little as they want, providing assistance in story creation, publishing, and merchandising, whether they have a complete manuscript or need help with character development and scriptwriting. (15m50s)

AI-Generated Content on Lumi

• There is currently no distinction on the platform between AI-generated and human-created content, raising questions about how AI's involvement in ideation and character development should be classified. (16m44s)
• The focus of Lumi is on enabling the creation of compelling stories, regardless of the extent of AI involvement, as the platform evolves to address how AI-generated content is perceived. (17m31s)

Creators' Concerns about AI

• Creators, such as graphic designers, are worried about AI tools replacing them, but this concern is largely driven by the fear of large companies using AI to take their jobs, (17m40s).

The Future of AI in Content Creation

• The future of AI is expected to bring a drastic shift, where creators will be able to independently create their own stories with the assistance of AI tools, (18m25s).
• Many graphic designers and illustrators have backlogs of stories they want to tell but lack the writing skills to do so, and AI can help them overcome this barrier, (18m42s).
• AI can be a huge assistance to creators, helping them create independence and freedom to tell the stories they want, (19m9s).

Kaepernick's Angel Investing

• Colin Kaepernick has been angel investing since 2017 and has around 50 investments, with a focus on startups that solve problems and have valuable ideas, (19m39s).
• Chamillionaire introduced Colin Kaepernick to the world of investing, and he met with Mark Suster at the Upfront Summit in LA, which kicked off his investor journey, (19m57s).
• When investing in companies, Colin Kaepernick looks for startups that solve problems, have valuable ideas, and have founders he believes in, (20m20s).
• Some of the startups Colin Kaepernick has invested in have been successful, but he is not willing to name them at this time, (21m0s).

Transitioning from Football to Tech

• The discussion highlights the impact of transitioning from a long-term career in football, which was a significant part of one's identity, to becoming a tech entrepreneur. This transition involves redefining personal identity and finding new avenues for impact and value. (21m25s)

Resilience in Multiple Fields

• The individual emphasizes the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges and achieving success in various fields, including football, business, and the early stages of building the AI startup, Lumi. Resilience is seen as the ability to persist through obstacles to find success. (23m46s)

Balancing Multiple Roles

• The conversation touches on the idea of being multifaceted, where one can pursue multiple interests and roles simultaneously, such as being a founder, angel investor, and board member, while still keeping the possibility of returning to the NFL open. This reflects the belief that people can care about and engage in multiple areas at once. (25m15s)
• Colin Kaepernick discusses the importance of building skills and managing time effectively to handle various responsibilities, such as being a football player, father, and husband. He emphasizes the need for sacrifices and trade-offs to achieve goals, such as waking up at 3:30 AM to work and exercise. (25m37s)

Kaepernick's Football Readiness

• Kaepernick highlights his readiness to play football if called upon, ensuring there is no doubt about his desire and preparedness to play since 2016. He also mentions the importance of being available and prepared for his team and family. (27m13s)

Lumi's Funding and Team Expansion

• Kaepernick's startup, Lumi, recently raised a few million dollars in seed funding. He acknowledges the unique position he is in as a startup founder with significant visibility and plans to leverage this platform to advance Lumi's goals. (28m27s)
• Lumi is actively seeking talented individuals, particularly in machine learning and AI engineering, to join their team. The company has received significant interest and engagement from schools, indicating a growing interest in their work. (29m8s)

Lumi's Focus on Student Voices

• Lumi, an AI startup, focuses on bringing student voices to the forefront through project-based learning, which enhances student engagement and encourages them to become their own storytellers. (29m36s)
• The company has already signed contracts with several top school districts in the United States, indicating a growing part of their business. (29m50s)
• Lumi's platform is attracting many young creators who are accessing its resources. (29m58s)