Conference wrap-up

I wrote yesterday after my conference’s morning kickoff that the bankers seemed optimistic on the future. At the networking reception afterwards, I met a handful of public market investors who buy IPOs and there was a much more pessimistic sentiment among that small group that I spoke to. There was a strong feeling that private market valuations are inflated and they weren’t excited about investing in many of the IPOs going forward.

Who is right in the end? Well.. both could be right. We could see a crazy amount of IPOs before valuations reset back to a baseline. Of course neither could happen in the short-term either.

On the other hand, I was fortunate to sit in presentations and meet a handful of operators at the forefront of amazing technology companies. I met someone building an airplane/helicopter hybrid. I met investors discussing the physical AI companies. I learned a lot yesterday.

This morning I’m feeling grateful that I get to do this for a living. I’m constantly surrounded by smart and ambitious folks who are all trying to navigate this world of technology, company building, and investing. It’s not an easy job, but being able to learn and be part of this ecosystem is a blessing and I don’t take it for granted.