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VC admits passing on Netflix when it was just Blockbuster by mail

The Full Ratchet · Investor Stories 458: Anti Portfolio Lessons: Netflix by...

“But in my defense, when we did first look at them Palantir is another one, by the way.”

1:28 / 2:07

Netflix is one that I passed on. I know. And my wife likes to remind me of that one frequently. But in my defense, when we did first look at them Palantir is another one, by the way. When when we first look at Netflix, it really was blockbuster by mail, CDs, DVDs by mail. And there wasn't really great feedback as to how renewable this service was. I mean, intuitively, we thought it was, but it wasn't there wasn't really a lot of data to look at. The Palantir story is probably a little bit better. Peter Thiel introduced me to, Alex Karp, CEO of Ballantir, early on,

About this clip

A venture capitalist shares two major missed investment opportunities from his anti-portfolio. He explains why he passed on Netflix in its early DVD-by-mail days due to lack of data on customer retention, and mentions another miss with Palantir through a Peter Thiel introduction.

Why this clip

This clip offers valuable insight into how even experienced VCs can miss major opportunities due to incomplete data or timing, making it relatable and educational for investors.

1:28 - 2:0738spersonal lesson
anti-portfolioinvestment-mistakesdue-diligence

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