Stranded Technologies Podcast

Niklas speaks with Silicon Valley-based serial entrepreneur John Chisholm.Over the last 35 years, John has founded, grown, or sold four companies in Silicon Valley, including Decisive Technology, now part of Google; and CustomerSat, now part of FocusVision. He has served as president and chair of the worldwide MIT Alumni Association, and as trustee of MIT and the Santa Fe Institute. Today, John is CEO of John Chisholm Ventures, a startup advisory, and angel investment firm. He is the author of “Unleash Your Inner Company: 10 Steps to Discover, Launch, and Scale Your Ideal Business.”Among much else, Niklas & John explore the thesis of entrepreneurship as a stranded technology. Technology can be stranded by failing to attract sufficient investment to compete, such as automobiles propelled by steam as compared to internal combustion engines in the early 20th century; or by being superseded by other technologies, such as fax has been replaced by email and messaging; or by regulation, such as nuclear energy today. Similarly, entrepreneurship is increasingly being stranded. Across the United States, entrepreneurship is on the decline. According to the Kauffman Foundation, as a percentage of all businesses, new firms have dropped from 16% in 1977 to fewer than 8% in 2010. This encompasses all new businesses – sole proprietorships, retail stores, service providers, restaurants, consultants – not just high-tech.In this session with John Chisholm, we’ll see how a combination of factors, both external & regulatory, on the one hand, and internal & psychological on the other, is holding back entrepreneurs today. John offers recommendations both for aspiring entrepreneurs on how to discover, launch and scale a business ideal for them, and also for lawmakers and regulators on how to make their jurisdictions more economically resilient, humane, and friendly to startups and innovation, via such techniques as localism, sunset clauses, and special economic zones. Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas speaks with Zina Sarif, the Founder and Managing Director of Yendou, a company on a mission to accelerate clinical research and make it universally accessible to patients, clinicians, and scientists.Zina starts by talking about her familial experiences with cancer during her upbringing in Morocco, and how it motivated her to dedicate her life to combating cancer.During her career as.a cancer scientist in Germany, Zina experienced the inefficiencies and bureaucratic obstacles to bringing solutions from the science to market.It takes 12 years and $800m in cost to bring a new treatment to market, and the shortened patent life cycle pushes for non-patient-centric incentives."We are currently not winning the war against cancer," so Zina.However, Zina has identified hope for patients.Clinical trials contain the most innovative treatments for cancer, and they typically take place in large hospitals with great infrastructure and care options for patients,Yet only 8% of cancer patients globally are participating in clinical trials, and it takes 18 months to get access - often too long to have a chance at survivalWith Yendou, Zina aims to reduce the time to access new treatments from 18 to 4 months and enable more patients to access them.But this is only the beginning. Long-term, Yendou aims to reduce the time for clinical trials from 12 to 7 years and reduce costs from $800m to $300m.We learn in the conversation how medical innovation in oncology is held back by a Kafkaesque bureaucracy, a frustrating reality that takes a toll on innovators.Yet, Zina is bent on overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles and encouraging hope that the war against cancer is not over.Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Sebastian A. Brunemeier, Co-Founder of Healthspan Capital and ImmuneAGE Pharma, shares his insights on the future of human longevity. He discusses groundbreaking advancements in longevity biotech and the urgent need for innovative, decentralized approaches in healthcare. Brunemeier critiques the current regulatory landscape and advocates for new funding models to foster scientific innovation. He also emphasizes the potential of DAOs and blockchain technology to transform research and empower patients, envisioning a future where longevity is accessible and driven by collaborative efforts.

Niklas speaks with Grant Taylor. Grant is the Founder & CEO of Quotanda, a company that is digitising financial aid for educational institutions and students.Over the past 40 years, college has developed from an offering for an elite of knowledge workers to a job entry requirement for a majority of the population.Grant argues that college is overutilised in developed countries such as the United States, but underutilized in less developed countries such as Mexico.The higher education system he knows intimately from his experience in the USA, Spain and Mexico is massively mismatching students with jobs.A couple of key innovations can help overcome that gap: 1) bootcamps of 3-6 months that teach job-relevant skills quickly. Students in Mexico can earn 5x more with a coding BootCamp compared to working in a call center. 2) Income share agreements (ISAs) between universities or financial institutions and students.Grant talks about how ISAs have gained a bad reputation and regulatory attention in the USA after some flawed marketing messages. Yet Grant sees lots of opportunities for ISAs to become widespread. There are no regulatory barriers in many countries in Latin America, allowing an underserved market to access higher education.We invite you to join us at the frontier to build the education system of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas speaks with Cameron Sorsby, the CEO of Praxis, a college alternative that builds your skills, your network, and leads to a full-time job at a growing business.Over the past 40 years, college has developed from an offering for an elite of knowledge workers to a job entry requirement for a majority of the population.However, during the past 2 years enrollment rates have been dropping rapidly.During covid-19, students and parents were comparing "Zoom University" with free, or better alternatives to a 4-6 year commitment with potentially $100ks in student debt.Covid-19 supercharged college alternatives such as Praxis.Cameron talks about the benefits of "a vocational MBA" when it comes to costs and time spent. He also shares insights as an entrepreneur starting in a small niche, growing through word-of-mouth and becoming a premier talent pool for fast-growing tech companies that value tenacity and skills over the signal of a college degree.We invite you to join us at the frontier to build the education system of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas speaks with Michael Gibson, co-founder and General Partner at 1517, a VC firm that backs dropouts, renegade students & deep tech scientists at the earliest stages.Michael is the author of the book “Paper Belt on Fire - The Fight for Progress in an Age of Ashes”, coming out on November 8, 2022 (pre-order on Amazon).Michael dropped out of his philosophy PhD program and was then picked by Peter Thiel to run the now legendary Thiel Fellowship Program from Day 1. With no traditional VC background, Michael then founded 1517 to find young entrepreneurs willing to leave the traditional paths to build the next great thing.One such renegade entrepreneur Michael backed early was Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, whom he noticed early to be a voracious self-learner who taught himself not only the necessary coding and math but also to speak Mandarin Chinese.In this wide-ranging conversation, we learn about the failures of the higher education model and science funding ("the paper belt" from NYC, Washington to Boston), and "The Great Stagnation" in technological progress starting in 1971.Michael talks about the notion of the "frontier", a place where you can go to if the established institutions are corrupt and favor insiders over outsides, to do it all differently. In American History, the frontier was the West.The new frontiers now seem to be the internet, the crypto/blockchain movement, and charter cities. We invite you to join us at the frontier to build the industries of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Healthtech Summit, September 23-25, 2022Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Prospera Fintech Summit, November 18-20, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas speaks with Sandra Carillo, the Professor in charge of Cannabis Research and Education, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Panama.Sandra has been advocating and promoting the use of medical cannabis as an educator, advisor to policymakers, and a medical doctor treating 1.500 patients in Colombia.Cannabis for medical use is a great example of a stranded technology. It's prohibited by many governments and faces cultural resistance, even though the benefits have been proven for a long time in epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and as a pain reliever.Sandra talks about the endogenous cannabinoid system, or "endocannabinoid system" —named for the plant that led to its discovery—one of the most important physiologic systems involved in establishing and maintaining human health.We learn that both the scientific and political establishments have long resisted change coming from these insights, and the regulations have been blocking progress in developing better treatments for patients for decades.Sandra is at the forefront of the campaign to legalize medical cannabis in Latin America and all over the world, and her journey provides insightful lessons into what's required to unleash the potential of a stranded technology.We invite you to join us to build the industries of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Healthtech Summit, September 23-25, 2022Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Prospera Fintech Summit, November 18-20, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas speaks with Joseph McKinney, the CEO of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone (CDEZ).The CDEZ is the Is the first jurisdiction within the United States created for fintech and digital asset growth.Governance is possibly the most stranded technology imaginable. The governance industry, typically run by state governments around the world, is roughly 40% of global GDP and has gotten more expensive and lower quality over time.The CDEZ is one of the most exciting and ambitious startups set to disrupt the governance-as-a-service industry. by using blockchain technology.The ambition of CDEZ is no less than to disrupt Delaware by providing better company incorporation laws than any jurisdiction in the world.The fundamental problem they are solving first is the lack of regulatory clarity around digital assets, including NFTs, DAOs, and cryptocurrencies.Joseph walks Niklas through how the Catawba have a unique opportunity as a sovereign Native American tribe within the United States to make their own laws, how they can be much faster in developing better laws and regulations than any US state, and the thought process leading up to the forthcoming comprehensive set of incorporation laws for crypto/web3 companies.We invite you to join us to build the industries of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Healthtech Summit, September 23-25, 2022Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Prospera Fintech Summit, November 18-20, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

Niklas shares some of his own thoughts and insights after 3 months of podcasting. He starts with Adam Smith's 1776 masterpiece "The Wealth of Nations". Smith believes in the best case, humanity could produce 3-4x than what he observed in the present day. What happened is that more like a 30-40x improvement.In 1930, John Maynard Keynes reasoned that response was a compounding interest of 2% annual growth, and he believed in an even greater future for his grandchildren.But who says 2% is the best we can do? In this podcast, we talked about several improvements in the legal system that would make it possible to add several layers of growth by disrupting the largest industries in the world. Additionally, a more open world for ideas, capital, and people, could amount to close to 5% annual growth.Niklas concludes that it does seem possible to 100x humanity over a 100-year period.The way to achieve it is through improvements in legal systems, and startup cities are the frontiers where legal innovations can happen.To explore this frontier, we invite you to join us to build the industries of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Prospera Healthtech Summit, September 23-25, 2022Prospera Edtech Summit, October 28-30, 2022Prospera Fintech Summit, November 18-20, 2022Niklas on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NiklasAnzingerInfinita Fund Website: https://infinitafund.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/Z4H6UjbubK This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

This is a special episode. Niklas has a free-flowing conversation with Trey Goff, the CMO and Chief of Staff of Prospera, the startup city in Honduras.If there is such an industry as “network states”, “network societies” or “startup cities”, Trey is one of the most influential executives in the field.Governance is possibly the most stranded technology imaginable. The governance industry, typically run by state governments around the world, is roughly 40% of global GDP and has gotten more expensive and lower quality over time.The book "The Network State" (available for free online) is a manifesto to address this challenge. It is written by Balaji Srinivasan, the former CTO of Coinbase and Partner at a16z, and one of the leading thinkers in crypto and blockchain technology.Trey & Niklas discuss the book, bringing our unique perspectives as an executive of possibly the most advanced startup city project in the world and as a venture capitalist that is investing in companies running on better governance software.We overall like the book a lot. However, we disagree with some of the core concepts. Trey highlights that Prospera is not about "nation building", it's about co-development together with the country of Honduras.For Trey and Prospera, it's not about building new institutions from scratch, it's about taking what works best, reconfiguring and introducing it to a unique set of local institutions, people, and culture.We notice the book's great innovations, such as deconstructing some of the core concepts of nation, state, and governance, how blockchain technology can be a driving force in creating better governance protocols by designing immutable records of transactions, and starting with a "one commandment" moral innovation.While it is a step in the right direction of directing technology entrepreneurs towards building lasting institutions to steer human progress, we warn against taking an adversarial approach to existing institutions - and instead build new forms of governance in an inclusive, not an escapist way.We invite you to join us to build the industries of the future together on Roatan, Honduras, a beautiful Caribbean island:Infinita VC Website: https://infinitavc.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com