Mount Rushmore Death Framework

A VC shared his investment framework focused on the four main causes of death, which he uses to identify promising biotech investments instead of taking thousands of random meetings.

The Mount Rushmore of Death Framework

• Four main causes account for 80% of all deaths:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Dementia/Alzheimer's/Neurocognitive degeneration

Investment Strategy

• Instead of taking 1000+ random meetings per year like most VCs:
  • Identifies the major causes of death
  • Looks for best biotech companies targeting these areas
  • Focuses only on solutions that seem plausible to work
  • Found major winner using this targeted approach

Key Principles

• Avoid getting overwhelmed with too much inbound deal flow
• Focus on clear, large-scale problems with definable solutions
• Look for companies addressing fundamental human health challenges
• Target areas with massive potential market size
• Filter for scientific/technical credibility of proposed solutions

This framework helped the VC find and invest in a company that later sold for $3 billion by being more selective and focused in their investment approach.