280.vc

Similar to Apple’s Newton and predating the PalmPilot, General Magic incorporated all of the key ideas of today’s modern smartphone into a single product long before the technologies (for both the device and the networks) were ready to support a great user experience. I think consumer robotics is roughly 10-15 years away from a major iPhone-like moment. There are some great efforts underway right now, like Misty Robotics, which by analogy is probably closer to the original PalmPilot than the Apple II. Cost, size and power need to improve dramatically - which 15 years of Moore’s Law advances in semiconductor technology should solve - in order to advance to the level of consumer robotics functionality, price and usability that consumers will want in their lives.

One of the key hires we’re looking for is someone who would like to help us find the most exciting new opportunities in Emerging Platforms: robotics, space, AR/VR, and the connected home. Shasta Ventures has built a strong portfolio in emerging technologies with early investments in companies like Fetch Robotics, Accion Systems, Survios, Nest Labs, and Vector Launch Systems. Ideally, this person would have a relevant technical background and product experience - such as a mechanical engineering degree and 3-6 years working in robotics, space, or the connected home. Since I love to drive, I've spent a huge chunk of my life on 280 - visiting entrepreneurs, traveling to meet companies, talking on the phone, and heading to Old La Honda to climb the hills on my road bike.

Earlier today, Noon Home came out of stealth mode and launched the best, most capable home lighting switch available anywhere in the world at any price. As you might imagine, the capabilities announced today (bulb detection, eliminating buzzing and popping on dimmed bulbs, room occupancy detection, other AI features) are only a fraction of what’s coming through powerful software updates, web services, and natural partnerships with other devices. It’s also been a distinct pleasure to work with Phil Liang on the board, as well as with many of the people I loved working with in the earliest days of Nest Labs. Noon is about to turn the home lighting category upside down the same way Nest did with thermostats, and Eero did with WiFi.

In 1992, I had just earned my master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and moved to a suburb of Philadelphia to work at the Astro Space division of General Electric (now part of Lockheed Martin). The prospect of spending most of the next 20 years of my life working my way up through a bureaucracy and filing Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) terrified me - so I pivoted my career trajectory to Silicon Valley, where in the mid-90′s it was clear the Internet was about to change everything. Even SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is a huge rocket, and doesn’t make commercial sense for launching these new, micro-sized satellites, unless you piggyback with a bigger payload or bundle together a bunch of microsats. As you can read about in this Bloomberg article from earlier today, Vector is building small launch vehicles, that can fit into a standard shipping container, and can launch a microsat into Low Earth Orbit for about $1.5 million per launch.