Relentless

Keller Cliffton, the co-founder and CEO of Zipline, shares his journey of revolutionizing delivery with drone logistics. He recounts the unique decision to launch in Rwanda, navigating regulatory challenges while saving lives. Cliffton discusses the scrappy beginnings of Zipline and iterative prototypes like Snapcatch. He highlights the impact of local hiring on community health and provides insights on scaling safely in the U.S. with a focus on real-world challenges and customer needs. Cliffton’s mission-oriented mindset illustrates how Zipline reshapes consumer behavior.

Ian Brooke, founder and CEO of Astro Mechanica, dives into the future of affordable supersonic travel. He discusses the lessons learned from Concorde's failure and the importance of targeting niche markets first. Ian shares how his childhood tinkering shaped his obsession with quality design and engineered solutions for real-world maintenance. He emphasizes the need for integration across aviation sectors, financial outlay over tech hurdles, and cultivating a culture that values persistence and innovation, all aimed at making high-performance air travel attainable for everyone.

Laurence Allen, Co-founder and CEO of Terranova, dives into revolutionary underground wood-chip slurry technology aimed at raising land while mitigating flooding. He explains how his background at SpaceX shapes the company's efficiency and innovation. Laurence discusses the political hurdles in securing funding for resilience projects, the remarkable advantages of using wood chips, and how AI helps model geological conditions. With a focus on scalability and real-time construction, he highlights the potential for transforming cities like Miami using waste wood.

Zach Dell and Justin Lopas, co-founders of Base Power, share insights on building their rapidly growing energy startup. They emphasize their 'base pace' for urgent execution and the importance of team-specific metrics. The duo discusses scaling from 40 to 240 employees, evolving product strategies, and overcoming manufacturing challenges. They also highlight balancing intensity with focus, the value of customer feedback, and maintaining a flat, open culture. Their commitment to lowering electricity costs remains a vital part of their mission.

Clem Delangue, Co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, shares his vision for democratizing AI through open-source robotics, featuring the Richie Mini. He emphasizes the significance of affordable, community-driven tools in AI development. Clem discusses the need for transparency in robotics to reduce fears and advocates for a future filled with specialized models rather than a few giants. He highlights China's surprising lead in open-source contributions and emphasizes collaboration over competition to drive innovation in AI.

In a captivating chat, Ben Wilson, creator of 'How To Take Over The World' and historian, dives into the mindsets of conquerors and founders. He explores how modern leaders mirror historical figures like Napoleon, blending finance with power. The conversation touches on the delicate balance of risk and strategy in building legacy, the value of worthy adversaries, and the necessity of creating chaos for innovation. Sporting a unique view on obsession, Ben advocates for relentless focus as a cornerstone of greatness—an addict's pursuit of their true calling.

Lada Nuzhna, Founder and CEO of General Control, specializes in epigenetic therapies for age-related diseases. She shares her fascinating journey from physics to aging research, driven by a passion for extending healthy life. Lada discusses the transformative power of the epigenome and her innovative approach to disease-driving gene expression. With insights on funding, early human trials in China, and the challenges of aging research, she emphasizes the importance of agile biotech teams. Her personal story of growing up in Eastern Ukraine adds depth to her visionary ambitions in longevity.

Shaun Maguire, a Partner at Sequoia Capital, shares insights from his experiences evaluating tech founders and working with Elon Musk. He discusses Elon's unique talent assessment strategies, emphasizing aligning roles with innate skills and promoting rapid responsibility among high performers. Shaun explores the importance of specific traits for startup success, and he reflects on unconventional paths leading to resilience. He also delves into understanding nonlinear companies and the critical role of iterative learning in innovation.

Joshua Browder, founder and CEO of DoNotPay, shares his remarkable journey from a young iPhone jailbreaker to a legal tech pioneer. He discusses how his father's human rights activism shaped his fearless approach to business. Browder highlights the value of hands-on learning in entrepreneurship and the importance of early personal connections to problems. He gives insights into his unique company philosophy, prioritizing profitability and ethical impact, while also sharing anecdotes about interviewing Warren Buffett and living in the historic Facebook house.

Ariana Thacker, cofounder and CEO of Moldco, shares her journey from personal mold-related illness to developing a virtual clinic for effective treatment. She discusses the overlooked nature of mold illnesses, highlighting genetic susceptibility and the chronic impacts of exposure. Ariana explains her three-step clinical protocol and the importance of treating the majority first. Additionally, she addresses how mold can affect mental health, metabolism, and the need for greater public awareness, all while sharing insights on scaling healthcare solutions in the mold space.