Josh Schlisserman is a solo GP at Picks & Shovels who focuses exclusively on picks and shovels infrastructure for crypto and fintech while serving as employee #1 and Chief of Staff at Series, a crypto-enabled financial infrastructure company, giving him live operator context inside the type of companies he backs. He's known for writing very small $0-100k pre-seed and seed checks as true first money in, often committing before a lead is set, and has built his reputation through an unusually academic obsession with the business of VC itself rather than just founder access.

• Focus on proprietary data and applied data strategies as a primary defensive moat for startups. Identifies specific industries like real estate, government, and insurance as areas where hard-to-access information is valuable. Views major tech giants like Uber and Spotify less as service providers and more as companies that succeeded by leveraging applied data.
• Interest in unsexy AI applications that handle messy data extraction and integrations rather than flashy agents that promise to replace workers. Believes the real short and long-term wins in artificial intelligence come from solving boring implementation problems, citing tools that make mundane tasks seamless.
• Belief that the intersection of design and engineering is the next major frontier for automation. Actively explores tools that sync design platforms with coding environments, noting that while code has been automated effectively, the emotional and interpretive nature of user interface design remains a massive opportunity for better tooling.
• Preference for developer tools and frameworks that prioritize reliability and observability over hype. Champions specific TypeScript-first frameworks that allow developers to build durable AI workflows without switching languages, highlighting features like tracing and debugging as critical for moving from a hacky demo to a maintainable product.
• Emphasis on the rate of learning and iteration as a more important metric than the initial pitch idea. Advises founders to avoid seeking validation from friends and family to prevent false signals, suggesting that nailing a product for a tiny group of cold prospects is better than a mediocre response from a larger group.
• A passion for the tattoo industry and culture, having over 30 tattoos himself. Expresses a specific desire to invest in brands that modernize this space, particularly those that tap into nostalgia, social media appeal, and the concept of traveling specifically to get tattooed.
• Strong advocacy for consistent investor communication, regardless of the news. Conviction that founders should send updates at least every quarter to keep backers engaged through pivots and to prepare for future board dynamics, noting that this reveals which investors are actually reading and willing to help.