Author: Leon Apel

Leon Apel works virtually with talented team members from North America, Europe and Asia on projects designed to improve life on earth.

Categories
Biotechnology/Medical

Consciousness

Questions:

  • Can consciousness be backed up?
  • Can it be transmitted?
  • Can it be preserved?
  • How can it be modelled/mapped?
  • How can it be duplicated?
  • If someone is frozen and survives upon being unfrozen, what is their consciousness like (eg. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/frozen-man-revived-brink-death-found-snow-pulse/story?id=36380318)
Categories
Biotechnology/Medical

Approaches to Keep a Healthy Body

What is the most promising method to replace all organs in the body?

a) Is it to use gene editing in combination with stem cells (eg. http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/46810/title/Using-CRISPR-to-Edit-Genes-in-Induced-Pluripotent-Stem-Cells/) to rejuvenate all organs or b) is simply harvesting new organs through a backup body and replacing them all periodically the better approach. c) combine human body parts with non human body parts to maximize lifespan (eg. use synthetic hearts, lungs, livers etc)

I think the likely best long term approach might be c).

However, the major challenge is preserving the brain, which would need to be backed up and perfectly copied to ensure the person was the “same”

Categories
Blog

Traits of Highly Successful Tech Entrepreneurs

The following traits of some highly successful young entrepreneurs I know:

  • They like to test new platforms and hack around
  • They like to be early adopters
  • They like to build things
  • They often have good communication skills
  • They are often persusasive
  • They are willing to take calculated, high probability risks
  • They do big picture thinking
  • They are more open to rejection; they’re rebellious and won’t stop at the first “no”
  • Sometimes, they like to push the boundaries of what’s allowed
  • They like to test limits
  • They successful ones often track financials closely
  • They are confident they can find a path to success
  • They are confident they can compete successfully
  • They strike a good balance between persistence and being open to pivot
Categories
Blog

Why are Priorities Not Followed?

It appears that many people are unwilling to drop out, “cancel plans” or make sacrifices in order to focus on solving major problems. It appears like inertia.

I think it’s useful to make change a habit to progress/move forward.

Get in the habit of change.

Categories
Business Investing

What Do Investors Want to Know?

The following are some things that would be useful to outline in a presentation to a prospective investor:

Strategy

  1. Explain the problem and how it will be solved
    1. Expert opinion, peer review, explaining the validity of your business
    2. Proof/demonstrations
  2. Explain the timing to have your minimum viable product/service available
  3. What are the company’s top paths to profitability, ranked in order?
  4. Top priorities must be outlined
  5. Growth plan

Use of Funds

  1. Outline the timing and the amounts (in ranges)
  2. It’s preferred that an equity holder’s compensation should be delayed until breakeven/profitable event takes place
  3. Incentives need to be tied to performance

Financials:

  1. Existing income statement and balance sheet if applicable
  2. Budget forecast

Timeline

  • Traction/progress to date?
  • Milestone based funding: Capital is released as milestones are met/proven
    • For example, third party verification of a a test/study

Management Team

  1. Explanation: why your team is the best fit for this project
    1. Strong references may help
  2. Full time focus
  3. History of both success and failures
  4. Incentives are aligned
  5. Skin in the game (Key managers have contributed their own capital and will delay compensation until the company is profitable)
  6. Compensation for founding members aren’t made until a “proof of concept” or “minimum viable product” is achieved
  7. Negligible conflicts of interests with disclosure
  8. Able to pivot/adjust/not stubborn
  9. Honest
  10. Healthy

 

Investment Vehicle

  1. Based in the US, UK, or CA ideally (ideally, the founder will be based out of one of these countries). These countries tend to have reasonable banking and legal systems
  2. Legal: JAMS arbitration in LA county, California with the prevailing party entitled to costs

Reporting

  • At least quarterly reports (sufficient) by email

Risks:

  1. Please explain your track record: Why/how have your past projects succeeded/not succeeded?
  2. Please analyze:
    1. Strengths
    2. Weaknesses (eg. Knowledge, Capital, Human resources)
    3. Opportunities (ie. What markets can be entered?)
    4. Threats (eg. Competitors/Substitutes)
  1. Regulatory/compliance issues?

Offering

  • $X Cash in exchange for Y equity