From the future of flight to brand building, insight from Liquidity Summit 2024 | E1969

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Aviation Safety

Despite recent incidents, commercial aviation remains the safest mode of transportation.
Increasing human involvement, particularly pilots and air traffic controllers, is becoming a growing concern.
Sky Dayton proposes making full-motion simulators more accessible to pilots throughout their training.
A new flight simulator offers an incredibly realistic experience, comparable to the best VR simulator ever built.

Joby Aviation has developed an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft called the Joby S4.
The Joby S4 is designed for efficient vertical takeoff and transition to flying on a wing like an airplane.
The aircraft features advanced technology, safety features, and simplified flight controls, making it easy to learn to fly.
Joby plans to begin commercial operations by the end of next year, offering quick and efficient transportation through vertiports integrated with Uber.

Science Ventures is a studio that co-founds and invests in brands at the earliest stages.
The firm focuses on three specific business models: marketplaces, mobile and social media, and fast-moving consumer goods.
Science Ventures typically invests at a pre-market valuation of $3.5 million to $4 million and phases their investments to reduce risk.
The firm conducts smoke testing to assess consumer resonance within a six-month timeframe, focusing on products that generate immediate sales.
The firm builds fandoms and entertainment companies that monetize through products, aiming to create tension and differentiation in the market.

Founders should have a personal motivation and a clear purpose for their venture.
A strong sales team is essential for B2B startups, but compliance hurdles like SOC 2 can slow them down. Vanta simplifies SOC 2 compliance, saving time and costs.
Products should be naturally social and evoke a feeling.
Direct-to-consumer launches provide immediate feedback loops, but eventually moving into retail is necessary for fast-moving consumer brands.
Companies should focus on creating products that go viral on social media to achieve long-term success.
Partnerships with major brands should be phased in when the startup is ready to handle them.
Startups should spend time in retail environments to understand consumer behavior and market trends.
TikTok is currently an early platform with major scale and cheap traffic, presenting an opportunity for businesses to sell through TikTok shops.
Single-person founding companies often fail, so it's important to have a co-founder with complementary skills.
Founder secondaries are seen as detrimental to the industry and should be avoided.
Daily data visibility allows investors to gain insights into what's working and make informed decisions.
Preemptive investments are made when a startup shows a breakout moment to secure more equity before other investors get involved.

Sky Dayton, a partner at Dayton Family Enterprises, discussed aviation safety and the future of flight.
Alex expressed gratitude to Sky and Mike for their talks and encouraged the audience to stay tuned for more upcoming content.