On today’s episode of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu sits down with Joe Lonsdale—the prolific tech founder and investor known for co-founding Palantir and for building solutions at the intersection of technology and national defense. As concerns mount about America’s readiness in the face of a rising China, Joe shares firsthand insights from decades at the forefront of defense innovation, higher education reform, and the struggle to revive meritocracy in our institutions.

You’ll hear how Joe went from a “naive pro-China camp” to sounding the alarm about CCP crackdowns, corporate espionage, and why our bloated, slow-moving government and defense sectors are failing to keep pace with adversaries abroad. From empowering the next generation of courageous leaders to building autonomous ships and anti-drone tech, Joe reveals what it will take for the U.S. to reclaim its competitive edge.

SHOWNOTES

00:00 China: Government vs. Tech Aspirations

03:02 Founding Palantir Amidst Early Challenges

09:33 Merit-Based Immigration Dynamics

11:32 Cultural Bias vs Merit Concerns

13:17 "Merit-Based Hiring Advocacy"

16:59 US-China Conflict in Biotech Innovation

22:34 Merit Ignored: SpaceX and Paler's Rise

24:49 Palantir's Unexpected Success

27:20 "China's Rising Manufacturing Dominance"

31:05 Efficient Engineering under Scarcity

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