Building for the Barbells

Over the next 20 years, Baby Boomers will pass down $30 trillion to the next generation. This will be the greatest wealth transfer in human history, yet only 30% of Americans have a will.

A massive shift in distribution is coinciding with demand for safe, kid-first platforms. This combination creates an opening for startups.

There are two segments of the U.S. population that I’ve started calling “the barbells”: the oldest Americans (~65+) and the youngest Americans (~10 and under). In each segment, major demographic trends are colliding with increased tech adoption.

FreeWill (Seed Stage) is closing this gap by providing free online wills and estate planning. FreeWill has an innovative business model. Customers set up their will at no cost; charitable organizations, meanwhile, pay FreeWill recurring revenue to access FreeWill’s customers, who are given the option to allocate a portion of their estate to charity... See more

The success of YouTube and Netflix means that new content studios can build on top of existing platforms. And YouTube’s and Netflix’s brand issues mean that competitive consumer subscription platforms can emerge.

Telehealth, in particular, can lower costs and broaden access to care. In the last decade, companies like Livongo (chronic disease management) and PillPack (an online pharmacy) emerged to help seniors better access healthcare.

Yet just ~5% of advertising dollars target Boomers.

Both of these segments are underserved by tech products today, and both of these segments are compelling markets for startups.

What’s striking about older Americans is the disconnect between their financial muscle and the number of products and services targeting them.