What is the atomic unit of event for my product? | Eric Seufert - General Partner, Heracles Capital | Ep. 32

Eric Seufert is an analyst and expert in mobile development, tech
marketing, and data analysis. Eric is General Partner at Heracles
Capital, a pre-seed stage venture capital fund investing in the
future of mobile tech. Eric has also worked at notable
consumer  mobile tech companies including Skype, Wooga, and
Rovio Entertainment, where he was the VP of User Acquisition for
the developer behind the popular Angry Birds franchise.


 


In this episode, Matt and Eric dig into  Eric’s career in
mobile tech startups, including the benefits of a ‘freemium’
model, strategies for launching mobile apps successfully, and
where the future of mobile tech investments is headed.


 


Key Takeaways:


Core product experience should be complete and universal,
even at the freemium price point. In order for this to occur,
founders should leverage techniques that engage both new and
existing users to monetize effectively

User acquisition is not just about growth… It is an
opportunity for discrete product testing to improve and iterate
based on real user data

The mobile tech industry’s shift towards web-based
storefronts driven by privacy regulations has opened  new
opportunities for mobile tech experimentation and personalization

When constructing your team, select candidates highly skilled
in monetization and user experience based on prior startup
successes



Chapters


(0:02)  Eric Seufert's journey in mobile tech and venture
capital


(3:25)   Freemium economics and strategies for startup
growth and retention


(5:56)  The economics and ethics of free-to-play gaming


(8:14)  The evolution and dominance of freemium models in
mobile apps


(12:42)  Generative AI Enables Total Personalization in User
Experience


(13:15)  Maximizing value and engagement in freemium
business models


(17:57)  The pitfalls of viral app launches and sustainable
growth


(22:28) The slow, iterative process of launching a consumer app


(27:25)  The Growth Trap: balancing organic and paid user
acquisition


(32:10) Optimizing product success through flexible data
analytics


(38:11)  Balancing needs of new and old users in product
growth


(42:49) Key criteria for investing in mobile startups


(48:28) The future of mobile engagement and web-based
monetization


(52:10 ) Conclusion and closing remarks


Link to Transcript