(2017-10-23) Evans After The End Of The Startup Era

Jon Evans: After the end of the startup era

We live in a new world now, and it favors the big (GAFA), not the small. The pendulum has already begun to swing back.

The web boom of 1997-2006

The smartphone boom of 2007-2016

we erroneously think another one is around the corner, and once again, a few kids in a garage can write a little software to take advantage of it.

It is widely accepted that the next wave of important technologies (BandWagon) consists of AI, drones, AR/VR, cryptocurrencies, self-driving cars, and the “Internet of Things.” These technologies are, collectively, hugely important and consequential — but they are not remotely as accessible to startup disruption as the web and smartphones were

In the last six years YC have funded more than twice as many startups as they did in their first six — but I challenge you to name any of their post-2011 alumni as well-positioned today as their Big Three were in 2012.