Tyler Cowen is a professor at George Mason University, creator of the Marginal Revolution blog, founder of the Emergent Ventures grant program, podcast host of "Conversations with Tyler," and author of numerous books, including "The Great Stagnation."Evaluating Economists and Their ContributionsIn Tyler’s latest book, "GOAT: Greatest Economist Of All Time," he explores the contributions of renowned economists like Milton Friedman, John Maynard Keynes, Friedrich Hayek, John Stuart Mill, Malthus, and Adam Smith.The Post-Great Stagnation Era Has BegunIn his 2011 book, "The Great Stagnation," Tyler Cowen argued that technological progress had slowed significantly since 1973. While initially met with skepticism, this idea gained acceptance over time. Cowen's central thesis was that low-hanging technological fruit had been picked, but optimism emerged from the potential of the internet to drive a new wave of innovations.However, already in his 2011 book, Cowen believed that society has moved beyond the Great Stagnation due to a new wave of innovation enabled by the internet.. In the past few years, we have seen breakthroughs like mRNA vaccines and AI. That is good news. However, regulatory challenges persist, particularly in biotech and pharmaceuticals. There is still lots more that can be done through deregulation or innovation in governance.Small Jurisdictions & SEZs as Governance Experiments.There’s potential for smaller countries to enact significant reforms and catalyze positive change. Tyler witnessed New Zealand's successful reforms in the early 1990s. He views charter cities and special economic zones as great drivers for innovation in governance. A key challenge is the reluctance of governments to permit these experiments, often driven by concerns about their reputation or sovereignty, particularly in less stable regions.But there are many successes with these zones; the overall record is quite robust, and we now have a clear understanding of how to execute these actions effectively. It's not merely a formula but rather a proven approach, looking at examples from China, Ireland, or the Dominican Republic.Soon, Tyler is visiting the Próspera ZEDE, a special economic zone in Honduras, for Vitalia – a two-month longevity biotech acceleration camp. If you want to visit us there, apply here →More about Tyler’s work:* LinkedIn* Twitter* Conversations with Tyler Podcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

* Iyinoluwa (“E”) Aboyeji had an outsized influence on the startup landscape in Africa with Andela and Flutterwave (both top-10 unicorns in Africa)* Surprisingly, to become a successful startup entrepreneur he had to become a policy entrepreneur and remove regulatory bottlenecks* With Itana, a charter city in a free zone in Lagos, Nigeria, E is doubling down on creating an enabling policy environment for African’s tech talentE’s entrepreneurial journey began with a spark of inspiration - watching the movie “The Social Network” and a fortuitous introduction to the world of startups by a friend and finding an early mentor in Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale.E went on to build one of the first successful tech startups in Africa and cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2019.Andela: One Of The First Successful Tech Startups In AfricaIn its early days, Andela had to establish a new culture in Nigeria. This cultural shift, emphasizing principles such as punctuality and performance, profoundly impacted Nigeria's entrepreneurship and tech landscape. Andela pioneered remote work and empowered technical talent, inspiring other companies to follow suit.Regulation often presents significant hurdles to innovation, a challenge particularly pronounced during Andela's early days in Africa's startup landscape.A key lesson from Iyinoluwa's experiences is the paramount importance of aligning with others' objectives and the value of proactive engagement with regulators, e.g. to shape favorable regulations before the business launch proved invaluable.Itana: Africa’s First Digital Free Zone – Crafting Digital Economy And Financial ServicesItana aims to become a hub for the digital economy and financial services sectors. Unlike traditional free zones primarily designed for manufacturing and trade, Itana focuses on the unique needs of service-oriented and digital businesses.Itana's innovation operates on two fronts. It creates an inviting policy environment through business incorporation and access to financial services. It also addresses infrastructure gaps, offering workspaces and well-run electricity and internet.Initiatives like Itana's free zone status are needed to transform Africa. Its entrepreneurs lack stable legal, financial and even physical infrastructure to thrive.E’s work perfectly aligns with Infinita’s mission to support founders in overcoming regulatory bottlenecks to unleash a new wave of technological progress.More about Iyinoluwa’s work:* LinkedIn* Twitter* Itana – Build a global business in Nigeria This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

In this episode, we debate with two major thinkers with different philosophies but also commonalities about governance and social evolution. Max Borders, author of “The Decentralist,” "The Social Singularity," and “After Collapse,” (a previous guest on the show) and Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation and author of “The Political Economy of Peer Production”.The definition of “commons” is already a challenge, but we typically refer to inherited and collectively created goods, like air, oceans, and wildlife and shared institutions such as libraries, public spaces or scientific research. In Michel Bauwens definition, what is peculiar about commons is that they are governed by a community - not by market-only or state-only mechanisms.Michel is critical of both the market and state-led suppressions of local governance solutions to commons problems, where Max Border has a more proprietarian approach. These differences evolve into a deep discussion.To Michel, proprietarian solutions aren’t necessarily bad - they can be enabling solutions for commons governance, especially empowered by the internet and blockchain technologies. Max Borders replies that this is a feature, not a bug - proprietarian / libertarian solutions are meant to enable pluralism.Michel’s vision is one of "cosmo-local" dynamics, depicting a globally connected yet locally optimized system. As an open value network, co-production became pivotal in reallocating value from old systems to new ones through peer-to-peer capacities.We discuss the role of cryptocurrency for community-focused economic networks, the paradox of "trustless" systems and the importance of peer-to-peer exchange. We also talk about the right "exit strategies", the concept of network states and the importance of building societies that benefit local communities. All of us want to encourage more governance experimentation. Experimentation allows us to try out different ideas, and technology empowers us to scale those solutions that work from the local to the global level.More about Michel’s work:* P2P Foundation* LinkedInMore about Max’s work:* Underthrow Newsletter* LinkedIn This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

Ever wondered where SEZs in Latam are already a backbone of the economy? It’s in Uruguay, a country with stable governance, clear legal frameworks and many other advantages for export-focused businesses. Uruguay did many things right to create a business-friendly environment. It’s touted as the safest spot in Latam, and enjoys a high degree of civil and economic freedom. Now meet David Luftglass, the founder of the “Zenith” (TBD) Special Economic Zone. One of many zones, each with its unique flavor, from industrial science parks to towering structures tagged with the World Trade Center brand.David illuminates how the SEZ program works. They’re in the works of getting an approved 10-year renewable tax exemption, a great starting advantage for new industrial businesses that already struggle with high capital costs. It's like a sandbox for entrepreneurs, and the best part? The process is not a black box like it is for many other SEZs (Honduras had a great advantage there too, but the new government in power is damaging this). There are clear processes, templates, and even law firms to guide you through.But here's the beauty of it—these benefits aren't exclusive to big players. David is an experienced founder, but it’s still a new business not backed by $100+ millions like a big corporation. Tax exemptions for income, corporate gains, VAT, and export taxes for a startup. Imagine that!So, what's the plan? David is building more than just a city; he's building a community that builds many things from ag-tech to health and wellness, from true algae marvels to longevity labs, and even a nod to the cannabis and mushroom enthusiasts—these SEZs can become melting pots.Think co-working on steroids, with incubators and spaces where dreamers meet doers. And the perks? They're not reserved for the elite. Anyone stepping into the SEZ world gets a taste of the benefits.So, if you're reading this and your entrepreneurial spirit is tingling, Uruguay is calling. Uruguay's SEZs aren't just zones; they're an invitation to be part of a movement.Connect with David:* LinkedInLearn more about how Infinita supports founders overcoming regulatory bottlenecks through startup cities, network states, and crypto rails, to unleash a new wave of technological progress. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

If you’re not excited *yet* about insurance regulation, this episode is for you!Matthew Queen and I uncover the often underestimated impact of insurance regulation on the global economy. In this podcast, we learn the importance of the legal structures of societies, and what SEZs like Próspera can do to improve them.Insurance is a peculiar product. It’s purely digital. It’s math about risks & probabilities.It is an important backbone of the global economy, not only for people to have a fallback when they’re experiencing misfortune, but also for businesses to manage risk.Risks abound for businesses, in a changing world. However, no external firm can assess your risk better than yourself - which is where captive insurance comes in: you can insure your risk yourself.Captive insurance is a sophisticated financial risk instrument for companies.Matthew Queen provides insights into the regulatory barriers for captive insurance, and how different jurisdictions are currently enabling the formation of captive insurance companies. The regulatory dynamics offer potential for small, nimble and digital jurisdictions like Próspera to offer efficient alternatives. There is a balance between regulation and innovation in the insurance market - it’s a market not naturally attuned to small companies to disrupt easily because of large capital requirements. This episode is a valuable resource not only for insurance entrepreneurs navigating industry complexities, but for any entrepreneurs with the ambition to build multinational companies to whom captive insurance can be a powerful tool.More about Matthew’s work:* Book: Modern Captive Insurance* Twitter* LinkedIn This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

Magatte Wade is an entrepreneur, author and promoter for African entrepreneurship. Magatte shares her impactful personal journey of migration, education, and entrepreneurship and calls attention to the economic difficulties in African countries. She discusses her book "Heart of a Cheetah", where she explores the misrepresentations of African poverty and how startup cities can help unleash entrepreneurship for Africa's development. She shares anecdotes from her entrepreneurial journey, highlighting bureaucratic hindrances she has encountered in Africa versus the U.S. and advocating for the establishment of startup cities in Africa as a radical, immediate solution to alleviate poverty and drive economic growth. Magatte previously appeared on Lex Fridman and Jordan Peterson. She recently interviewed Vitalik Buterin on her own video series.More about Magatte's work: * MagatteWade.com* SkinIsSkin.com - Magatte's company* Twitter* Instagram* YouTube* Facebook* LinkedIn* TikTok This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

Richard Hanania is the founder and president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology, and author the books “The Origins of Woke” and “Public Choice Theory and the Illusion of Grand Strategy”.This is a far-ranging conversation with an emerging star public intellectual.In this episode we discuss:* Political theory: Nietzschean Liberalism, the worldview that greatness is a higher value than equality coupled with the insight that the liberal institutions of markets & democracy are the best delivery mechanism for greatness* The influence of law on society: it's a recurring topic of this podcast how legal systems influence economic growth. Hanania argues that even culture such as "wokeism" is downstream of key US legal decisions made in the 1960s* Public choice in International Relations (IR): many IR theorists assume states are rational actors. Richard debunks this theory, arguing that collective guilt and responsibility of a "people" is morally not the right lens to view the world This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

Andrew Côté is a nuclear fusion engineer at Stellerator Systems and a scout at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). He has a Substack called "Ulysses".Right in time with the release of Marc Andreessen's "The Techno-Optimist Manifesto", this episode has good news: nuclear fusion has a real shot.There are engineering challenges, but the science has paved the way for some promising methods to achieve energy superabundance from nuclear fusion.Is fusion even necessary? Isn't nuclear fission enough? What's great about fusion is that it doesn't start with a regulatory uphill battle. Instead the US Department of Energy (DOE) decided fusion is regulated like particle accelerators, not like nuclear power plants are under the NRC.This is fantastic news. There is no real anti-fusion political movement, so there's a chance a rapidly accelerating near-permissionless industry can develop.In this episode, we relish in the major upside for humanity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com

Janine Leger and Niklas discuss the concept of Zuzalu-inspired network societies, with a focus on Vitalia. They explore the role of governance models in accelerating technological progress and the higher standard of living in Vitalia. They also highlight the values and principles of Zuzalu, including radical tolerance and experimental innovation. The episode invites listeners to join the community and learn about their ambitious venture.

This is a two-part episode - in the first part Janine Leger, one of the driving forces behind Zuzalu talks about community development and Zuzalu's future.In the second part, Niklas introduces Vitalia - a Zuzalu-inspired network society that aims to radically accelerate the development of life extension technologies.Engage with Zuzalu here: https://zuzalu.city/Engage with Vitalia here: https://vitalia.city/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.strandedtechnologies.com