Why One VC Thinks Quantum Is a Bigger Unlock Than AGI

Venture capitalist Alexa von Tobel is ready to bet on quantum computing--starting with hardware. Alexa von Tobel is fully aware that her big bet on quantum computing may never pay off. "The risk of being too early is a real risk," she says. She's speaking to me via Zoom from the New York City office of Inspired Capital, the early-stage venture capital firm she runs with former US commerce secretary Penny Pritzker. In addition to personally investing in blue-chip brands like Uber and Airtable, von Tobel has backed a number of AI startups through Inspired Capital, including BrightAI (a platform that monitors critical infrastructure) and PreemptiveAI (a startup building a foundation model to map human physiology and predict health outcomes).