TechSurge: Deep Tech Podcast

Fred Thiel, Chairman and CEO of MARA Holdings, dives us into the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency mining. Fred discusses the technological advancements in Bitcoin mining, including significant improvements in energy efficiency, and provides insights into the future of Bitcoin, predicting substantial growth in its value and its linkages with AI inference data centers. He also explains the relationship between Bitcoin and global economic factors, the potential for regulatory changes, and the evolving role of cryptocurrencies in both developed and developing markets, highlighting Bitcoin’s growing role as a store of value and a driver of financial sovereignty in the digital age.CHAPTERS00:00 Understanding Bitcoin Mining and the Bitcoin Network11:05 The State of the Blockchain and Crypto Industry Today18:28 Bitcoin as a Store of Value and Inflation Hedge24:51 Bitcoin's Role in the Developed and Undeveloped World30:26 Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies: Financial Survival and Self-Sovereignty33:17 Bitcoin Mining: Utilizing Excess Energy and Playing a Crucial Role47:55 Bitcoin and AI: Intersecting as a Source of Truth and Power-Hungry Systems51:43 Marathon: Building Symbiotic Relationships with AI Operators and Supplying Infrastructure54:01 The Political Landscape: Republicans More Supportive, Democrats Showing Some Softening59:07 Bitcoin's Price Predictions: Over $10 Million by 2034 and North of $5-7 Million in 10 Years‍LINKShttps://www.mara.com/https://auradine.com/https://unchainedcrypto.com/the-bitcoin-genesis-block-was-mined-15-years-ago-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-significant/https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-price-prediction-2024/

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra discusses his journey in the semiconductor industry and the growing strategic importance of the memory industry in the age of AI. He highlights innovation in high bandwidth memory (HBM), which enables faster data access and lower power consumption. Sanjay also discusses Micron’s plans to build new U.S. semiconductor factories and the role of the CHIPS Act in bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. He shares his insights on the resurgence of hardware innovation and what it takes to drive technological leadership in a rapidly evolving industry.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background08:10 The Resurgence of the Semiconductor Industry17:34 The Importance of High Bandwidth Memory23:13 Bridging the Cost Gap: The Role of the CHIPS Act27:57 Investing in Workforce Development31:01 Building New Fabs to Meet the Growing DemandLinkshttps://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/microns-memory-chip-manufacturing-facility-officially-begins/277-7caa484a-c16f-4ea2-aa42-cbce86fae0c3https://www.reuters.com/technology/micron-set-get-6-billion-chip-grants-us-bloomberg-reports-2024-04-17/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/technology/micron-chip-clay-syracuse.htmlhttps://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/14/ai-boom-to-keep-supply-of-high-end-memory-chips-tight-through-2024.htmlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5OY7D_JfoY&t=1s

Former CEO of PepsiCo and New York Times bestselling author Indra Nooyi joins host Michael Marks for a wide-ranging conversation to share her insights on the growth of big tech companies, the impact of AI, CEO-board relationships, and much more.Indra currently serves on the boards of Amazon, Phillips, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the National Gallery of Art, and is a Dean’s Advisory Council Member at MIT School of Engineering. Her New York Times bestselling memoir My Life In Full offers insight and a call-to-action from one of the world’s most-admired business leaders on how our society can blend work and family — and advance women — in the 21st century. She is widely considered to be one of the world’s top CEOs for her leadership at global giant PepsiCo over 12 years.Chapters00:00 Introduction and State of the Markets02:47 The Disruption of Technology Companies and the Role of AI12:55 The Importance of Board Governance and CEO Succession Planning20:32 Supporting Working Families and Advancing Women in Business30:26 Navigating Geopolitical Challenges in a Global Economy36:17 India's Potential and the Need for Disciplined DemocracyLinkshttps://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Full-Family-Future/dp/0593421329https://www.linkedin.com/in/indranooyi/

Driven both by surging demand and rapid technology advancements, an emerging area of health innovation called “bioconvergence” is driving improvements in human health and sustained interest from investors. This episode will explore these new applications merging engineered technologies with scientific disciplines, including in diagnostics, therapeutics, and elsewhere.Nobel Laureate Dr. Jim Rothman, Dr. Melanie Mathieu of Prellis Biologics, and Daniel Dornbusch of Excision join host Michael Marks for an in-depth discussion covering advancements in CRISPR technology, the role of AI in drug discovery, the future of personalized medicine, and much more.

Legendary technology founder and venture capital investor Vinod Khosla joins host Michael Marks for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of Artificial Intelligence, major tech cycles, and much more. Vinod shares his predictions for the next 25 years of technology advancement and how we should be assessing the risks and benefits as the adoption of AI continues to accelerate. He shares his views on founder friendly and why "hypocritical politeness" is so common in Silicon Valley. Vinod co-founded Sun Microsystems and helped create several technology companies before founding Khosla Ventures in 2004. The firm has since invested in countless game-changing technology companies including OpenAI, Doordash, Impossible Foods, Rubrik, and others.  

The TechSurge Podcast explores topics at the intersection of emerging tech, market forces, and entrepreneurial discovery. Hear directly from Silicon Valley leaders, the next generation of daring founders, and other brilliant minds shaping the future of deep tech. Episodes releasing every two weeks.