Sean O’Sullivan - Creating Abundance Using Technology
Sean O’Sullivan is the founder and managing partner of SOSV, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms. SOSV has invested in more than 1000 startups, and SOSV programs help create over $2 billion in new market capitalization every year.
Sean has always been an entrepreneur at heart, starting with his first successful venture, MapInfo. Since then, he continued to apply his entrepreneurial energy in making films, traveling to developing countries and building a humanitarian organization, JumpStart International, while dodging bullets in Iraq before launching SOSV. All of this experience has shaped him and the way he thinks about entrepreneurship and life.
“The best companies are those that feel a debt of gratitude not just to their investors but to the community they serve. They are trying to serve society well, serve customers well through products they are creating.” Sean O’ Sullivan
“How can we be best of service to move the future which already exists and allow that efficiency to create a world of abundance for everyone on the planet.”
Creating Abundance Using Technology [Entire Conversation]
[42 min]
About SOSV Programs
SOSV invests financial and human capital in building vertical ecosystems for their startups in life sciences, hardware, cross-border in Asia, and disruptive food.
Key Moments
What Drives Him [5 min]
“You can create a pathway in how you choose to live your life that reinforces the change you want to see happen in the world.”
“Many people on the planet don’t have adequate food and shelter. What you are able to do with your life should be building the world you want to create.”
The Role of Venture Capitalist [<3 min]
“The role of venture capitalist, in a way, is to serve people rather than serving ourselves. “
“How can we be best of service to move the future which already exist and allow that efficiency to create a world of abundance for abundance on the planet.”
About SOSV [<4 min]
SOSV is the most active investor in life science, hardware, and climate change. One of their major themes is human health and planetary health.
Being a Global VC firm [2 min]
“If you live in one place, it’s like reading the same page over and over again. If you want to understand life, you need to read the whole book. You need to travel!”
Understanding Human Nature [2 min]
“People are at their worst is where they are identifying the separation between people. People are at their best when together...”
Using technology to help people [<3 min]
“Technology can help to create abundance out of scarcity by enabling us to live a much fuller live.”
“If we look at the arc of technology, it is a massive improvement in the quality of human life.”
Responding to Covid [4 min]
What are some of his companies doing in response to Covid?
Perspective on Afghanistan vs Covid Crisis [2 min]
“We are losing twice as many people a day to Covid in comparison to what’s happening in Afghanistan.”
Leadership during Covid [2 min]
Leadership matters especially during this pandemic crisis.
What’s happening in China [8 min]
Closing thoughts [<2 min]
“Globalization is under threat currently. I would prefer that we live cooperatively. I would prefer that we can share and take advantage of everyone’s intellect, and provide economic opportunity in every location. Hopefully, we will spend more of our energy to solve the problems that humanity faces jointly like Covid, aging, climate change, rather than fighting only for our corner without the awareness that we are all here.”
To learn more about Sean O’Sullivan, check out his website.