93 How to be a contrarian venture capital investor and making taboo investments with Will Gibbs of Octopus Ventures The EIS Navigator

Getting big returns in venture capital can involve stepping away from the mainstream and investing in opportunities that others won't. Will Gibbs of Octopus Ventures has a reputation for investing in areas others see as taboo. We ask him about being a contrarian investor, how to do it well and what needs to change to create a successful investment.
In a discussion filled with numerous examples, Will discusses:
getting big enough markets when the market is somewhat hiddenbalancing new technology and new marketswhen specialist investors are neededjudging whether a company will be ripe for follow-on investmenthow taboo investments can interact with social changesequencing market expansionwhat a company needs to internationalisewhat problems that internationalising doesn't solvebuilding deal flow in taboo areashow the venture capital industry is creating some of the problemsthe value of team diversity in looking away from consensus areaswhether valuations are different in taboo areas.
In a wide ranging conversation, Will brings a great perspective on how to bring mainstream venture capital skills to genuinely new areas. Its a great discussion for investors and companies who dare to be different. Enjoy!
01:00 Will introduces himself
03:40 Who Octopus Ventures are
06:30 Contrarian and tabooo investing
07:45 Example: Elvie - silent breast pump
09:50 Example: Pelago - substance use disorder
13:20 the size of taboo markets, challenges in assessing true market size
16:00 new tech and new markets - need for specialists
17:30 Example Overture - improving and automating IVF
19:20 market meets social movements - will someone follow-on?
22:05 assessing the pace of social change - risk of too early
25:30 sequencing the right national / international markets
25:45 Example Skin & Me - getting expansion right and not too quick
29:30 Time and capital to internationalise
31:00 when is the right or wrong time to internationalise
33:30 building deal flow in taboo areas
35:15 to what extent is the venture capital industry part of the problem - value of diversity
38:05 is the industry going in the right direction?
40:00 are valuations different in taboo areas?
42:35 creating communities supporting companies
47:45 prospects
50:20 Favourite questions
Links
Octopus Investments: https://octopusinvestments.com/
Octopus Ventures website: https://octopusventures.com/

Companies mentioned:
Pelago https://www.pelagohealth.com/
Overture https://www.overture.life/
Vira https://www.vira.health/
Elvie https://www.elvie.com/en-gb
Skin and me https://www.skinandme.com/

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