Investment in Disruptive Technologies: Strategies and Opportunities

The pursuit of disruptive technologies is a complex yet rewarding endeavor that can transform industries and drive innovation. According to John R Bryans, a disruptive technology must offer a 'factor of 10' improvement over its competitors to displace existing technologies. This article explores the strategies and opportunities for investing in disruptive technologies, discussing different approaches such as standby, radical, and smart investments, as well as a Theory of Everything.

Standby Strategies

When it comes to investing in new technologies, some people prefer more cautious approaches. Standby strategies involve investing in ventures where the outcomes are more predictable and the risks are lower. Here are a few suggestions:

Invest in Something Someone Else Worked On: Support initiatives and projects that are already being developed and researched by other teams or organizations. This can reduce the risk associated with starting from scratch and leverage the expertise and resources already in place. Invest in Honest Banking Systems: Focus on financial institutions that are legally obligated to return the money they invest, ensuring a safer return on investment. Invest in Successful People and Situations: The success of an individual or a situation can often be a good indicator of positive outcomes. Invest in established successful individuals and situations, as their track record can provide confidence. Invest in Your Own Life's Infrastructure: Prioritize investments that enhance your personal infrastructure, such as skills, education, and networks. This can have a profound impact on your own success and opportunities.

Radical Strategy 1: Invest in Something New

This strategy focuses on investing in innovative ideas that are groundbreaking and potentially transformative. Here are some examples:

Progressing Knowledge: Support projects that aim to build coherent knowledge across different academic areas. This can include initiatives like Excel Files by Coppedge, which strive to enhance the practical applications of such knowledge. Progressing Energy: Invest in new forms of energy and efficiencies, such as Nathan Coppedge's perpetual motion experiments. These experiments push the boundaries of what is known and could lead to revolutionary changes. New Skilled Trades: Consider supporting emerging trades that break with traditional methods. For example, luck wave computers that study four-leaf clovers could lead to new and innovative solutions.

The upside of a radical new idea is that it is more likely to be practical if it is practically viable. Enhancing and expanding the understanding of how practical these ideas are can lead to significant benefits. However, the downside is that these ideas are often seen as contrarian and contradictory, making it difficult to determine which are truly practical.

Radical Strategy 2: Invest in Something Undeniably Radical Yet Scientific

This approach involves investing in research that, despite sounding outrageous, has some scientific basis. Here are a few examples:

Antimatter: Although the creation of antimatter is extremely challenging, some scientists believe it could potentially be used for energy generation or manipulation of quantum outcomes. Investing in such research could lead to breakthroughs but also comes with high costs and risks. Quantum Invisibility: Explore the hypothesis that large celestial bodies might be obscured due to large-scale quantum interactions. This could challenge our understanding of the universe and lead to new technologies. Over-Unity Antimatter: Investigate if antimatter has properties that could allow for over-unity energy generation, which would have significant implications for energy and technology.

The upside of such research is that it can attract funding and grants, potentially leading to major breakthroughs. However, the downside is that these projects are often expensive and progress can be slow. The applications may also be somewhat disappointing unless they lead to revolutionary changes in technology or energy.

Radical Strategy 3: Invest in Something Smart

This strategy focuses on supporting smart people and their ideas. Here are some recommendations:

Clever Machines: Invest in innovative machines that are truly intelligent and can potentially solve complex problems. However, finding and supporting these machines can be challenging. Good Influences on Intelligence: Support and educate smart people who need it, ensuring that their contributions are meaningful and impactful. This can sometimes require a personal and specific approach to help them reach their full potential. Following Through on Smart Ideas: Collect and integrate ideas from different sources to ensure that the best ideas are not lost. This can involve building a collaborative environment that nurtures and amplifies smart thinking.

The upside of investing in smart ideas is that they can be more cost-effective in the long run. However, it is often difficult to understand why an idea is smart, and its impact may not be immediately apparent.

Radical Strategy 4: Invest in Something Big

This strategy involves investing in large-scale projects that have the potential to make a significant impact. Here are some examples:

Large-Scale Projects: Investing in large-scale infrastructure projects, such as bridges, can have immediate and tangible benefits. Comprehensive Theories: Support theories that aim to restructure and rethink fundamental aspects of the universe, like a theory of everything. Such theories can have profound implications for how we understand and interact with the world. New Wonders of Technology: Fund ambitious projects that could lead to new inventions, such as large-scale perpetual motion machines, though these are often short-term distractions.

The upside of these projects is that they often have lasting implications, benefiting a large number of people or specific environments. However, it is difficult to gain credit for such projects without executing them perfectly, and potential negative consequences can arise if they are not used for humanitarian purposes.

Conclusion

Investing in disruptive technologies requires careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks associated with different strategies. Whether you choose to adopt a standby approach, engage in radical innovation, or support smart and large-scale initiatives, each strategy offers unique opportunities and challenges. The key is to align your investments with your goals and to be patient with the sometimes slow pace of progress in disruptive fields.