Dreams in progress
10 types of projects I'm manifesting in 2025
If you’re entering the new year with some whiplash from 2024, you’re not alone. The Olympics happened. #BratSummer took over the zeitgeist. The internet collectively thirsted over a murderer. Bitcoin surged past $100K. AI was AI-ing more than ever. Humanoid robots are a tangible reality. Not to mention we had the craziest election year of all time. And now we’re all going Humberman mode with our Dry Januaries and resolution lists to manifest our desires for this coming year.
As we enter a new year, I wanted to share ten opportunity areas I’m especially excited to dig into. I believe each of these categories will play a meaningful part in culture moving forward. So in the spirit of “manifesting,” I’m hoping these shoutouts will help sway some more dream projects into existence at the studio.
01 Crypto Exchanges
Centralized exchanges are crypto’s front door to the masses. But few, if any, give the everyday person a real reason to believe in them. Then Coinbase came along, leading a movement to update the system. This year we had Gemini’s Go Where Dollars Won’t, a fun, dreamlike campaign playfully nodding to a future with crypto that’s filled with endless possibilities.
The entire category is thirsty for tangible stories that elevate crypto’s standing in the hearts and minds of everyday people. The real winners will be companies that operate more like marketing companies, and less like banks or boomer tech brands. I’d love to work with brands bullish on getting the masses on board with the benefits of magical internet money. It’s time to break the stigma that crypto is only about a select few getting rich.
Manifesting collaborations with: Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, Cash App
02 Prediction Markets
Election season catapulted prediction markets into culture and now they’re hitting ridiculous heights. The stereotype persists that they’re niche and shady, but fantasy leagues were too before FanDuel and DraftKings elevated betting into a major part of the sports experience.
The best brands don't just sell a set of features; they inspire a lifestyle. The real winner in this category will be the brand that helps their community live out their aspirations. It would be cool as hell for one of these prediction markets to build an ethos around conviction. Conviction is aspirational and attractive, but harder to practice in a world of information overload. There’s a golden opportunity for one of these brands to celebrate conviction to distinguish themselves in a highly commoditized category and welcome new entrants with a compelling story.
Manifesting collaborations with: Polymarket, Kalshi
03 New Media Channels
People trust traditional news outlets like they trust the expired sriracha sauce in their fridge—it’s hard not to question it. Algorithms play with human emotions and revenue models present inherent conflicts of interests. Incentives are the heart of the problem, which is why I’m excited about companies like OurNetwork for changing how contributors get rewarded.
More people are flocking to unconventional places and paying top dollar for trusted takes on what’s happening. This is a far cry from just a few years ago when subscription models were a losing battle for publications. Post-election, it feels like decentralized media could take off. But this is only possible if companies build brands that speak to people outside of cryto’s inner circle with storytelling that breaks convention.
Manifesting collaborations with: OurNetwork, Farcaster, X, Bluesky, Substack
04 AI Chatbots & Search Engines
Optimizing for SEO instead of the customer experience is bad for businesses. Standard search engines don’t stand a chance against the specificity and delight of using AI chatbots. Google’s reign over information-seeking may be ending.
Companies like Claude and OpenAI have incredible products transforming the way we live and work. But to build long-term relationships with their users, they need to empower people to see themselves in AI. I’m not talking about building deep emotional, Her-esque connections with the AI (though that’s 1000% happening). I’m just saying compelling brands that give audiences something to rally behind are the ones that win. I’ve written a lot about Perplexity and their opportunity to push the envelope around curiosity. The same opportunity knocks for products like Claude & OpenAI—to win, they need to stand for something bigger than utility.
Manifesting collaborations with: Perplexity, OpenAI, Claude
05 Health Tech
Wearables have made it easier than ever to keep tabs on how we’re feeling. The sharing of activity, sleep, and recovery scores has turned health into a status symbol and way to quietly shame your friends. Wellness personalities like Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia are building media brands around mouth taping, Zone 2 Cardio, and neuroplasticity, with massive followings. And RFK’s MAHA movement will continue to drive the conversion even more.
Even though the “why” around health tech has never been stronger, inspiring behavior change is hard and starts with brand. Oura and Eight Sleep are dominating because they’ve turned their products into movements. There’s potential for the market to reach people who need these tools most. But first, those audiences need to understand how the tech fits into their day-to-day. If brands focus on making the aspirational attainable, they won’t only sell their products. They may even make a dent in creating a healthier word.
Manifesting collaborations with: Levels, Throne, Parsley Health, Seed Oil Scout
06 Running
Running is a huge part of my life. I’m a 13x marathoner. Ran Chicago & NYC back-to-back last year. I see more people matching this kind of crazy and have happily concluded that running is peaking in culture.
As a new wave of people enter the market, they need guidance navigating the brands they resonate with. Bandit has done an incredible job tapping into the subculture of NYC running, and with ads like this, they don’t need my help. I do want to help other edge-of-culture brands with unique philosophies to reach all the bradycardiac hearts out there. Especially companies in the running space with original, maybe misunderstood products.
Manifesting collaborations with: Altra, Tracksmith, UCan
07 Artificial Life
The loneliness problem is real, and we’ve reached an inflection point where technology can be nicer/kinder than people. Robot friends are happening whether we like it or not. Many fear that the world is evolving into a Ready Player One dystopia. But I’m a firm believer that artificial life can co-exist in a world of IRL, human relationships.
If we design AI Life from a first principles approach, we can likely do more good than bad. The opportunity lies in positioning artificial life as a complement, not a replacement, to real human-to-human connections. With the right storytelling, even Boomers might be on board with making AI friends.
Manifesting collaborations with: Friend, Ursula
08 Incentive Design
Nick Tomaino, founder of 1confirmation, is one of my favorite follows on X. Seeing his “skin in the game” thesis play out—with huge wins including Polymarket, OpenSea, etc.—has got my wheels turning on how this could play out in other markets. Especially in markets crypto is most poised to solve.
Dating is one that’s especially primed for disruption. Companies want you to stay on the dating apps, but users are dying to get off. Could the next big thing in dating be a staking model where users get rewarded for finding their eligible friends eligible matches? Are there other markets with extremely low NPS scores that are ripe for disruption with new incentives? I want to work on (or even invest in) projects re-imagining incentives from first principles.
Manifesting collaborations with: Blackbird, Matchpool, Degen
09 Hospitality
The hospitality industry is changing rapidly as people crave spaces that don’t fit neatly into boxes. Othership turned contrast therapy into a social experience. Travel titans like Trip Advisor & Airbnb continue to double down on their experience offerings.
Exclusive club restaurants on the rise post-lockdown are booming even more with Ozempic de-prioritizing food as a reason for going out. Feeling seen & welcomed will always be life’s greatest luxury. I’d love to work with brands shaping what this looks like in 2025.
Manifesting collaborations with: Vrbo, Union Square Hospitality Group, Chef Tomer Blachman
10 Airports
We spend too much time in airports for airports to suck as much as they do. Thankfully the post-covid travel boom set off pricey airport overhauls all over the country, including a 19 billion dollar makeover at JFK. Brands outside the retail space are also recognizing the engagement potential of airports, with AG1 rolling out vending machines in select cities.
Airports are the next frontier in experience design. Airports are not just places for welcoming visitors and resident, they are experiential opportunities for branding a city. What if walking through different airports felt like walking through different lands at Disney World? Traveling would be all the more magical if airports were destinations in their own right.
Manifesting collaborations with: MCO, LAX, EWR
Okay, manifestation gods—do your thing.
While this dream list of projects is diverse, it’s not totally random; every client Off-Menu collaborates with tends to have 3 things in common:
They’re challenging how the world works. Nothing excites us more than the opportunity to shake sh*t up.
Audiences don’t understand where their innovation fits into their lives, or how and why they’re better than the competition. They need a brand story that’s clear and unignorable.
Small optimizations won’t get them very far. To win, they need to take big swings.
If this is you or someone you know, I’d love to back your company with some (creative and strategic) capital. Let’s chat. I’d also love to hear from the community—what are some trends/industries/opportunities you're excited about going into the new year?