The transition from the Industrial Age is already underway, and has caused massive disruption and uncertainty. Many people are fearful of change, and react by supporting populist politicians who promote the simplistic message that we should return to the past. This is happening all over the world. We saw it with the vote in the 2016 UK referendum to leave the European Union, and with the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in the same year. I started writing The World After Capital before both of those events, but they underline the importance of a future-oriented narrative that shows a path forward for humanity. Going back is not a viable option, and never has been. We did not continue foraging for food after the invention of agriculture, nor did we remain farmers after the invention of industry (farming is still important, of course, but it is carried out by a tiny percentage of the population). Each of these transitions required us to find new sources of purpose. As we leave the Industrial Age behind, our purpose can no longer be derived from having a job or from an ever-growing consumption of material goods. Instead, we need to find a purpose that is compatible with the Knowledge Age. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found my purpose in advancing innovation through investing in startups, as well as in examining why this transition is happening now and suggesting how we might go about it.