9. Alt
Do you want to use blockchain technologies to buy and sell absurdly expensive sports cards? Then maybe you should check out the first entry in Sam Altman’s Weird Investments Playlist, a little company appropriately dubbed “Alt.” The company, which was founded in 2021, describes itself as the “best place to research, buy and sell the hottest trading cards in the hobby.” Frankly, I didn’t know that sports cards were even still a thing, let alone that they were the focus of new startups. You learn something new every day. Anyway, Altman appears to have invested majorly in “Alt,” participating in its series B fundraising round which netted the company some $75 million. Alt recently expanded its offerings, with a focus on other types of collectible cards, like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon. This is a very funny company because it seems clearly designed to appeal to people who have the time and excess cash to spend on absurdly expensive collectibles. One would have to assume that is a pretty small demographic, overall.
Score: Altman investment most obviously made by and for rich sports nerds.
