Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

what does the future of play look like?

10 Jan 2024 · 1 min

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In this brief talk, the speaker recounts their personal journey from a high‑school and college student writing scholarship essays to funding their own venture‑capital fund focused on the future of work and play. They explain how their early desire for an essay format that let them explore interests evolved into a mission to address big societal questions—specifically, what the future of play will look like and how to combat the loneliness epidemic—by deploying capital. The fund has invested in 39 companies, with highlighted examples including Prof Gym (generative AI for edtech), Statusphere (a creator‑economy platform), and Lotus Labs (a universal mobility ring for elder‑care facilities).

Chapters

So why I'm doing this, as a high school and college student, I spent a lot of time writing essays to win scholarships to put myself through San Diego State. And in that position, I wish that there was like some sort of essay that allowed me to explore my interests. And then on the other side, now 4 years later running my own venture capital fund, I think about the questions like, what does the future of play look like? How do we solve the loneliness epidemic? And putting capital to work answering those questions. So we've invested in 39 companies and counting in the future of work and play. Great companies building in like generative AI for edtech with Prof Gym, the creator economy with Statusphere, a universal ring to support mobility in elder care facilities, which is Lotus Labs.