About the Realistic Optimist
Thesis
The startup scene has globalized in the past decade or so. This ushers in new complexities to decipher. Building a startup in Indonesia, Nigeria or Venezuela isn't the same as building one in San Francisco.
The Realistic Optimist is a B2B paid publication unpacking these complexities. To do so, it publishes in-depth, written interviews with founders & VCs from around the world.
It was founded and is written by Timothy Motte.
Who reads it
Paid subscribers include teams at Sturgeon Capital, 54Collective, Norrsken22, 500 Global and Goodwell, to name a few.
Realistic Optimist articles have been republished in TechinAsia, TechCabal and Maddyness.
Buying a subscription
The Realistic Optimist is written exclusively for its paid subscribers. Paid subscribers unlock the entire catalog (80+ pieces) and receive one new weekly piece to their inbox.
Single-seat subscriptions can be purchased directly from the website. For group subscriptions, please email tim@realisticoptimist.io
Navigation guide
The Realistic Optimist is meant to be consumed as an evergreen resource. A tab you bookmark and return to frequently.
The website is organized by region, but readers can filter by region, country or sector in the search bar (picture below).

Ethical disclosure
The Realistic Optimist has never received remuneration from companies it has covered. It doesn't run ads, either.
The publication is editorially independent and doesn’t have external investors. It hasn't received any grants.
Its founder, Timothy Motte, worked on a consulting mission for Digital Africa during the first half of 2024. In September, Tim attended an EU-funded event with Blackbox, for which Blackbox paid for his transportation and housing.
Tim focuses on not letting these sporadic external commitments influence the Realistic Optimist's content. If it feels like it does, do reach out.