Brain performance optimisation: Could it lead to better VC returns?

With mental health high on the agenda, I have been looking into the fascinating topic of 'brain performance'. As a VC, I wonder what could be the impact on returns if the founders we back could eek out some marginal improvements in their cognitive abilities and take better decisions on strategy, key hires, negotiations and more.

Looking into this topic, there are some easy wins that we can all benefit from. If you would like to improve your brain performance by 10-30% tomorrow, then simply drink 2L of water today and get 8 hours of good quality sleep. Most of us don’t do either of these and it is an obvious thing to do. So give it a go! 

Want to go further? For concentration, I have been plugging into Alpha waves music. The slow relaxing sounds of this audio therapy help block out the noise of our day to day lives and induce a state of alertness and focus which is just what I need to work through a big financial model, write a report or finally get down to writing this post. There are lots of claims online that Alpha waves will boost creativity and enhance your ability to absorb information. Here is a Spotify playlist to get you started.

Plug in and read on...

So with sleep, hydration and audio therapy, we are starting to feel good and should be seeing some improvements by tomorrow. But for many highly driven founders, you might want to push for that extra edge. Here are some more ideas to explore.

1. Breathwork - Let's look at oxygen. This wonderful molecule is pretty important in life. We all feel better after exercise and exposure to fresh air. When I train regularly, I feel more creative and energised. In recent years, I have been doing more breathwork too and exploring different techniques. There is a lot out there you can read about and try out but try some guided diaphragmatic breathing for starters.
2. Meditation - regular mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve cognitive function in just 8 weeks. It takes some discipline to stick to it so it becomes a habit but we all know someone who has been doing it regularly and who will willingly tell you about the benefits. Apps like Calm will help you get started. 
3. Neurobics - a great term coined by some boffins at Duke University covers a range of exercises for your brain. Like a muscle, your brain needs to be exercised too. Our parents and grandparents have been telling us this for years as they pick up the paper to do the crossword or invite their friends to play scrabble. But with modern technology, there are a load of apps you can explore such as Brain HQ or Cognifit. And one of my favourite hack is simply learning to brush your teeth with your opposite hand. This simple task will help create new neural pathways.
4. Nootropics - many of us enjoy daily caffeine hits in the morning to make us more alert and ready to jump into the day's tasks. A whole field is emerging around supplements and neutraceuticals that claim to improve cognitive function. Go take medical advice and research this if you want to explore. At a more basic level, a healthy, varied and balanced diet will help. 

Looking for that next level hack? The field of brain optimisation and performance is opening up with some exciting new innovations. My Garmin watch tells me about my body battery levels and friends who wear an Oura ring seem to like the data. I keep hearing about the benefit of cryotherapy or cold-water immersion that may have a positive impact on brain performance. There are many more innovations that are emerging that I won’t go into without expert medical oversight but as a VC that has spent my whole career looking at tech innovations, I am excited about the future. One that is perhaps worth a mention is VR Simulation. Some psychology professionals now offer VR services to simulate a range of scenarios and actions that stimulate different parts of your brain to prepare you for real life scenarios. Building on the earlier theme of Neurobics, it is exciting to see emerging uses of the metaverse to improve our brains. 

So, let's look after our brains and perhaps we can stay ahead of those AI bots for a little longer! I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on the topic.

 #backingfounders at Oxford Capital #mindfulVC, #mentalhealthweek #VentureCapital