The Syndicate

Nick Thompson is the editor-in-chief of WIRED, the 5th since its founding. Under his leadership, WIRED has broken massive stories about Facebook, cyber-warfare, the Robert Mueller investigation, and numerous other topics. Prior to WIRED, he was the editor of newyorker.com. Nick is also a co-founder of The Atavist, a software company and National Magazine Award-winning digital publication that was acquired by WordPress in 2018. He’s the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War and has appeared multiple times on every major cable and broadcast news network. He has given public speeches on the most important issues facing the tech industry, the future of narrative journalism, how computers are changing our minds, the role of tech in political revolutions, and the way that Silicon Valley thinks about circular economics. Nick’s also testified in front of the Mexican Senate about fake news and moderated/spoken at events hosted by WIRED, The New Yorker, the World Economic Forum, CES, Google Zeitgeist, Google I/O, and many more… Listen and Learn: * The future of media and state of fake news * A deeper dive into the issues of social media and how to address them * Why Nick’s optimistic Facebook can become a force for good * An insider’s perspective on the Huawei debate and China trade war * Possible ways to redesign democracy * Nick’s thoughts on AI and its potential to upend existing power structures * Why Nick is very concerned with the prospect of nuclear war * How Nick thinks about privacy, convenience, and future of the internet * Why there’s no impeachment coming from Mueller’s investigation * An in-depth examination of existential risk * What the government should do about big tech * The reason Nick’s not worried about AGI * How AI can empower individuals or inspire tyranny * Why climate change is still the biggest problem to tackle * Can we save journalism Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow. Nick Thompson is the editor-in-chief of WIRED, the 5th since its founding. Under his leadership, WIRED has broken massive stories about Facebook, cyber-warfare, the Robert Mueller investigation, and numerous other topics. Prior to WIRED, he was the editor of newyorker.com. Nick is also a co-founder of The Atavist, a software company and National Magazine Award-winning digital publication that was acquired by WordPress in 2018. He’s the author of The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War and has appeared multiple times on every major cable and broadcast news network. He has given public speeches on the most important issues facing the tech industry, the future of narrative journalism, how computers are changing our minds, the role of tech in political revolutions, and the way that Silicon Valley thinks about circular economics. Nick’s also testified in front of the Mexican Senate about fake news and moderated/spoken at events hosted by WIRED, The New Yorker, the World Economic Forum, CES, Google Zeitgeist, Google I/O, and many more… Listen and Learn: * The future of media and state of fake news * A deeper dive into the issues of social media and how to address them * Why Nick’s optimistic Facebook can become a force for good * An insider’s perspective on the Huawei debate and China trade war

Bruce Friedrich is co-founder and executive director of The Good Food Institute (@GoodFoodInst), a nonprofit that promotes plant, dairy, and eggs-based meats as well as clean meat (also known as cultured meat and cell-based meat), as alternatives to the products of conventional animal agriculture. Bruce is a TED Fellow (whose TED Talk has been viewed over 1M times), Y Combinator alum, and popular speaker on food innovation. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and many other publications and appeared on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, TED Radio Hour, and a variety of programs on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN Listen and Learn: * The pros and cons of the various types of clean meat alternatives * How market dynamics will determine the adoption of plant and cell-based meats * Why animal agriculture is one of THE BIGGEST contributors to climate change * Why Bruce believes lab-grown meat will ultimately be the biggest alternative meat * The reason Bruce started a non-profit rather than a benefit corp * How effective altruism makes non-profits more impactful * What YCombinator startups taught Bruce about successful charity organizations * How to engineering healthier meat * What does the future of agriculture really look like * Bruce’s thoughts on GMOs and their future * Why plastic straws aren’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things * Why individuals should evaluate their efforts and possible effect before choosing careers Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow. Bruce Friedrich is co-founder and executive director of The Good Food Institute (@GoodFoodInst), a nonprofit that promotes plant, dairy, and eggs-based meats as well as clean meat (also known as cultured meat and cell-based meat), as alternatives to the products of conventional animal agriculture. Bruce is a TED Fellow (whose TED Talk has been viewed over 1M times), Y Combinator alum, and popular speaker on food innovation. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and many other publications and appeared on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, TED Radio Hour, and a variety of programs on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN Listen and Learn: * The pros and cons of the various types of clean meat alternatives * How market dynamics will determine the adoption of plant and cell-based meats * Why animal agriculture is one of THE BIGGEST contributors to climate change * Why Bruce believes lab-grown meat will ultimately be the biggest alternative meat * The reason Bruce started a non-profit rather than a benefit corp * How effective altruism makes non-profits more impactful * What YCombinator startups taught Bruce about successful charity organizations * How to engineering healthier meat * What does the future of agriculture really look like * Bruce’s thoughts on GMOs and their future * Why plastic straws aren’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things * Why individuals should evaluate their efforts and possible effect before choosing careers Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

James Maskell is the founder of Functional Forum, the world’s largest integrative medicine conference and KNEW Health, a transformation alternative health-sharing insurance model. He’s health advocate and entrepreneur, that’s spent a decade encouraging a shift from conventional western medicine toward a wellness-centered, functional medicine model—starting with the doctors themselves. He’s also the founder of the Evolution≠ of Medicine, a community e-commerce platform for highly customized , tools, products, and services, to embark on a new way of managing healthcare. His book of the same name is available now. James lectures internationally and has been featured on TEDMED, Huffpost Live, TEDx, the HuffingtonPost and more. Listen and Learn: * What Western healthcare got wrong with medicine and health * Ways to fix the healthcare incentive problem, which actually work * How growing up on a commune influenced James’ life * The problem with pharma’s quick-fix silver bullet * Why James decided to reinvent the healthcare system * How community and belonging can beat out any medicine * What James thinks about wearables and genetic testing * The one constant among Blue Zone societies * Why functional medicine is the solution to health * How to design health into our societies * Why we need direct democracy * The surefire way to avoid regret * Why AI and brain-machine interfaces worry James * The scary truth about soil quality * What you NEED to know about Obamacare and insurance * Why regenerative agriculture needs more focus now Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.James Maskell is the founder of Functional Forum, the world’s largest integrative medicine conference and KNEW Health, a transformation alternative health-sharing insurance model. He’s health advocate and entrepreneur, that’s spent a decade encouraging a shift from conventional western medicine toward a wellness-centered, functional medicine model—starting with the doctors themselves. He’s also the founder of the Evolution≠ of Medicine, a community e-commerce platform for highly customized , tools, products, and services, to embark on a new way of managing healthcare. His book of the same name is available now. James lectures internationally and has been featured on TEDMED, Huffpost Live, TEDx, the HuffingtonPost and more. Listen and Learn: * What Western healthcare got wrong with medicine and health * Ways to fix the healthcare incentive problem, which actually work * How growing up on a commune influenced James’ life * The problem with pharma’s quick-fix silver bullet * Why James decided to reinvent the healthcare system * How community and belonging can beat out any medicine * What James thinks about wearables and genetic testing * The one constant among Blue Zone societies * Why functional medicine is the solution to health * How to design health into our societies * Why we need direct democracy * The surefire way to avoid regret * Why AI and brain-machine interfaces worry James * The scary truth about soil quality * What you NEED to know about Obamacare and insurance * Why regenerative agriculture needs more focus now Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Galit Ariel is a transdisciplinary creative and strategic thinker and self-defined Digital Hippie, very focused on augmented reality and experiential tech. Her book Augmenting Alice – The Future of Identity, Experience and Reality explores the manner in which Augmented Reality’s diffusion will shift cultural and functional paradigms and redefine core concepts related to culture, space, experience and ethics. Her agency, Wondarlands, helps clients and brands shape their augmented futures, exploring immersive narratives, interaction tools, brand touch-points, and experience creation. She’s an international speaker and mentor that’s been featured at TED, The Next Web, SXSW, Fifteen Seconds, Slush Tokyo, IVRPA and many more. She is also a member and co-founder of a UK based think-and-do-tank connected to the Ravensbourne University Architecture research center, looking at the future of urban environments and how they might influence the human experience. Listen and Learn: * Life beyond move fast and break things * How augmented reality will connect us in unexpected ways * What Galit thinks about automation, jobs and more… * Why Galit’s worried about the lack of humanity in tech * How to tackles society’s biggest challenges through collective action * When can you expect AR epicness and where will it come from * The reason the attention economy is so destructive * Why AR will trump VR and be the next major paradigm * What Apple means for the future of AR * Why holograms and AR are already here * The reason Google Glass failed and visual AR isn’t ready yet * Why Galit’s worried about privacy and rights going forward Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow. Galit Ariel is a transdisciplinary creative and strategic thinker and self-defined Digital Hippie, very focused on augmented reality and experiential tech. Her book Augmenting Alice – The Future of Identity, Experience and Reality explores the manner in which Augmented Reality’s diffusion will shift cultural and functional paradigms and redefine core concepts related to culture, space, experience and ethics. Her agency, Wondarlands, helps clients and brands shape their augmented futures, exploring immersive narratives, interaction tools, brand touch-points, and experience creation. She’s an international speaker and mentor that’s been featured at TED, The Next Web, SXSW, Fifteen Seconds, Slush Tokyo, IVRPA and many more. She is also a member and co-founder of a UK based think-and-do-tank connected to the Ravensbourne University Architecture research center, looking at the future of urban environments and how they might influence the human experience. Listen and Learn: * Life beyond move fast and break things * How augmented reality will connect us in unexpected ways * What Galit thinks about automation, jobs and more… * Why Galit’s worried about the lack of humanity in tech * How to tackles society’s biggest challenges through collective action * When can you expect AR epicness and where will it come from * The reason the attention economy is so destructive * Why AR will trump VR and be the next major paradigm * What Apple means for the future of AR

Nir Eyal (@nireyal) is a writer, entrepreneur, teacher and investor focused on the intersection of psychology, technology, and business MIT’s Technology Review dubbed “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Nir founded two tech companies since 2003 and has taught at the Stanford Grad School of Business and Institute of Design and is the author of the bestselling book, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, his writing has been featured in The Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch, and Psychology Today. Nir is an active investor in habit-forming technologies and his past investments include Eventbrite, Product Hunt, Anchor.fm and a series of other very successful companies.   Listen and Learn * Why the anti-tech trend is wrong about the big picture * The ways to incentivize productivity and happiness * How to overcome habit-forming products and be indistractable * Why liberals overemphasize tech’s role in electing Trump * What Nir thinks about surveillance, corporations and government * The destructive–and constructive–power of social media * Why regulation isn’t the answer to tech addiction * Nir’s thoughts on pros and cons of privacy * The important distinction between regrets and results * Why Facebook and Google are inherently good and what we can do about it * Are algorithms to blame for increasing radicalization * Simple smartphone hacks to make you happier * Why tech is more like cannabis than cocaine Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow. Nir Eyal (@nireyal) is a writer, entrepreneur, teacher and investor focused on the intersection of psychology, technology, and business MIT’s Technology Review dubbed “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Nir founded two tech companies since 2003 and has taught at the Stanford Grad School of Business and Institute of Design and is the author of the bestselling book, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, his writing has been featured in The Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch, and Psychology Today. Nir is an active investor in habit-forming technologies and his past investments include Eventbrite, Product Hunt, Anchor.fm and a series of other very successful companies.   Listen and Learn * Why the anti-tech trend is wrong about the big picture * The ways to incentivize productivity and happiness * How to overcome habit-forming products and be indistractable * Why liberals overemphasize tech’s role in electing Trump * What Nir thinks about surveillance, corporations and government * The destructive–and constructive–power of social media * Why regulation isn’t the answer to tech addiction * Nir’s thoughts on pros and cons of privacy * The important distinction between regrets and results * Why Facebook and Google are inherently good and what we can do about it * Are algorithms to blame for increasing radicalization * Simple smartphone hacks to make you happier * Why tech is more like cannabis than cocaine

Abe Cambridge is a serial energy entrepreneur who establishes businesses and projects around the world that use solar energy to bring about out major socio-economic shifts. In 2010, he pioneered utility-scale solar in Britain and in 2012 one of his businesses, The Renewable Energy Co-operative, was nominated ‘International Co-operative of The Year’ in the United Nations Year of Co-operatives. In 2014, Abe launched Sun Exchange—a global solar micro-leasing marketplace that closes the funding gap for commercial- and community-scale solar projects in emerging markets, while streaming monetized sunshine all over the world. Sun Exchange has been named Best Bitcoin & Blockchain Business in Africa two years in a row and Abe delivers keynote speeches around the world. Listen and Learn: * How to speed the transition to renewables and why it’s inevitable * What blockchain and Bitcoin means for governments and commerce * Why cryptocurrency is the future but the ownership is up for grabs * What Facebook’s Libra coin means for the rest of the world * The reason decentralization is so valuable and needed in our world * Why Africa has a more sophisticated payments system than America * What crowdfunding infrastructure means for emerging markets * What areas are most ripe for blockchain-based disruption * Pros and cons of decentralization * Why climate change is 100% real regardless of global warming * What distributed solar really means for the world Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Abe Cambridge is a serial energy entrepreneur who establishes businesses and projects around the world that use solar energy to bring about out major socio-economic shifts. In 2010, he pioneered utility-scale solar in Britain and in 2012 one of his businesses, The Renewable Energy Co-operative, was nominated ‘International Co-operative of The Year’ in the United Nations Year of Co-operatives. In 2014, Abe launched Sun Exchange—a global solar micro-leasing marketplace that closes the funding gap for commercial- and community-scale solar projects in emerging markets, while streaming monetized sunshine all over the world. Sun Exchange has been named Best Bitcoin & Blockchain Business in Africa two years in a row and Abe delivers keynote speeches around the world. Listen and Learn: * How to speed the transition to renewables and why it’s inevitable * What blockchain and Bitcoin means for governments and commerce * Why cryptocurrency is the future but the ownership is up for grabs * What Facebook’s Libra coin means for the rest of the world * The reason decentralization is so valuable and needed in our world * Why Africa has a more sophisticated payments system than America * What crowdfunding infrastructure means for emerging markets * What areas are most ripe for blockchain-based disruption * Pros and cons of decentralization * Why climate change is 100% real regardless of global warming * What distributed solar really means for the world Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Richard Brion is the founder of Revolution Agriculture—a patent-pending solution to the food security challenge—and an ex-US Navy officer focused on making farming more adaptable to a climate change-driven world with less resource 60% less water, faster production, and higher yields. He’s the winner of the USAID & Humanity United Tech Challenge to Prevent Mass Atrocity, has lived in 66 countries and has a wealth of experience in every corner of the business.   In today’s episode we discuss: * The future of agriculture: both big and small * How humanity can solve our food shortage going forward * Politics and realities of eating organic * How Richard’s deployment in Afghanistan shaped his world outlook * Why Richard’s worried about GMOs and unintended consequences * The aquaponics and reinventing the future of food * Why GMOs have faced such harsh criticism * What Richard likes about the Swiss system of forced military service * Why political leaders need more military perspective to govern effectively * What happened with the Drug War and the law of unintended consequences * The reason isolationism isn’t a good policy for the US or anyone * Why AI is more dangerous than we think * The scary truth about Trump’s rhetoric on Europe and NATO Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.    Richard Brion is the founder of Revolution Agriculture—a patent-pending solution to the food security challenge—and an ex-US Navy officer focused on making farming more adaptable to a climate change-driven world with less resource 60% less water, faster production, and higher yields. He’s the winner of the USAID & Humanity United Tech Challenge to Prevent Mass Atrocity, has lived in 66 countries and has a wealth of experience in every corner of the business.   In today’s episode we discuss: * The future of agriculture: both big and small * How humanity can solve our food shortage going forward * Politics and realities of eating organic * How Richard’s deployment in Afghanistan shaped his world outlook * Why Richard’s worried about GMOs and unintended consequences * The aquaponics and reinventing the future of food * Why GMOs have faced such harsh criticism * What Richard likes about the Swiss system of forced military service * Why political leaders need more military perspective to govern effectively * What happened with the Drug War and the law of unintended consequences * The reason isolationism isn’t a good policy for the US or anyone * Why AI is more dangerous than we think * The scary truth about Trump’s rhetoric on Europe and NATO Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.    

Paul Root Wolpe is the Raymond F. Schinazi Distinguished Research Chair in Jewish Bioethics, a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Biological Behavior, and Sociology, and the Director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University and spent 15 years as Senior Bioethicist at NASA and is now their first Chief of Bioethics. Paul sits on a number of national and international non-profit organizational boards, has testified twice to the President’s Commission on the Study of Bioethical Issues in DC. He’s a popular speaker internationally, has won the World Technology Network Award in Ethics, has been featured in a TED talk, and was profiled in the November 2011 Atlantic Magazine as a “Brave Thinker of 2011.” He is also been featured on 60 Minutes and profiled in the Science Times of the New York Times. Listen and Learn: * The most important biotech ethics issues of our day * How China’s CRISPR babies change the game for genetic engineering * Why synthetic biology is so promising and problematic from an ethics perspective * How to deal with black swan bioterror risks and rewards * When we will start to see more in terms of gene therapy * The prospect of superhumans * Ways gene therapies can avoid issues of conventional pharma * Why Ray Kurzweil’s wrong about the singularity * The reason biology and AI will merge into one * Why AI is more dangerous and uncontrollable than biotech * The arguments against cloning * How AI can empower individuals or inspire tyranny * What to do about reincarnating wholly mammoth and T-Rex Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Paul Root Wolpe is the Raymond F. Schinazi Distinguished Research Chair in Jewish Bioethics, a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Biological Behavior, and Sociology, and the Director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University and spent 15 years as Senior Bioethicist at NASA and is now their first Chief of Bioethics. Paul sits on a number of national and international non-profit organizational boards, has testified twice to the President’s Commission on the Study of Bioethical Issues in DC. He’s a popular speaker internationally, has won the World Technology Network Award in Ethics, has been featured in a TED talk, and was profiled in the November 2011 Atlantic Magazine as a “Brave Thinker of 2011.” He is also been featured on 60 Minutes and profiled in the Science Times of the New York Times. Listen and Learn: * The most important biotech ethics issues of our day * How China’s CRISPR babies change the game for genetic engineering * Why synthetic biology is so promising and problematic from an ethics perspective * How to deal with black swan bioterror risks and rewards * When we will start to see more in terms of gene therapy * The prospect of superhumans * Ways gene therapies can avoid issues of conventional pharma * Why Ray Kurzweil’s wrong about the singularity * The reason biology and AI will merge into one * Why AI is more dangerous and uncontrollable than biotech * The arguments against cloning * How AI can empower individuals or inspire tyranny * What to do about reincarnating wholly mammoth and T-Rex Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Frans von der Dunk is a Professor of Space Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Director of Black Holes Consultancy, and is generally recognized as one of the world’s leading space law experts. Franz has served as an adviser to a number of governments, the European Commission, ESA, the United Nations, the OECD, various national space agencies, the Association of Space Explorers, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and a number of companies. He is Director Public Relations of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Member of the Board of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), and Member for the Netherlands in the International Law Association’s (ILA) Committee on Space Law. He is also Member of the International Editorial Board of ‘Space Policy’ and many other long acronyms, incredibly important organizations and initiatives focused on space.   Listen and Learn: * The issue of ownership and sovereignty in space * How regulation helps and hurts our the future of space * Why current space treaties are anything but adequate for space exploration * What you need to know about asteroid mining and space settlements * The brewing issues in space which could provoke war * Why solving the Kessler crisis NEEDS to be a top priority for space operators * Thoughts private enterprises role in space exploration * What Frans thinks about Trump’s Space Force * The realities of extraterrestrial space life and the law * What technologies most worry Frans most * Why social media and data privacy are such big issues to contend with * The scary truth about cyber, and space Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Frans von der Dunk is a Professor of Space Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Director of Black Holes Consultancy, and is generally recognized as one of the world’s leading space law experts. Franz has served as an adviser to a number of governments, the European Commission, ESA, the United Nations, the OECD, various national space agencies, the Association of Space Explorers, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and a number of companies. He is Director Public Relations of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Member of the Board of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL), and Member for the Netherlands in the International Law Association’s (ILA) Committee on Space Law. He is also Member of the International Editorial Board of ‘Space Policy’ and many other long acronyms, incredibly important organizations and initiatives focused on space.   Listen and Learn: * The issue of ownership and sovereignty in space * How regulation helps and hurts our the future of space * Why current space treaties are anything but adequate for space exploration * What you need to know about asteroid mining and space settlements * The brewing issues in space which could provoke war * Why solving the Kessler crisis NEEDS to be a top priority for space operators * Thoughts private enterprises role in space exploration * What Frans thinks about Trump’s Space Force * The realities of extraterrestrial space life and the law * What technologies most worry Frans most * Why social media and data privacy are such big issues to contend with * The scary truth about cyber, and space Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like t...

Charles Mann is a science-focused journalist and award-winning author. He’s the author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus which won the National Academies Communication Award for best book of the year which he followed up with 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. Charles has co-authored four books, is contributing editor for Science, The Atlantic Monthly, and Wired and has also written for Fortune, NYTimes, Smithsonian, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post. He is a three-time National Magazine Award finalist and a recipient of writing awards from the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Physics, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Lannan Foundation. In 2018, Mann published The Wizard and the Prophet, which details two competing theories about the future of agriculture, population, and the environment. Listen and Learn: * The important distinctions between today’s wizards and prophets on the future * What are the biggest risks of geoengineering * Why the future of agriculture is inevitably GMOs, and why that’s a good thing * How we can design a better, more 21st-century government * Ways to change the incentives and structures governing society to automatically attack climate change * The reason social media is a cesspool and what to do about it * What are the biggest myths about the history of the Americas * Thoughts on clean meat, mass agriculture and more… * How do we handle growing inequality * Why the West was never won * The reason libertarianism and communism are two sides of the same coin * Why there’s such a distrust of science to the detriment of all * What is there to be hopeful about emissions and the environment Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Charles Mann is a science-focused journalist and award-winning author. He’s the author of 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus which won the National Academies Communication Award for best book of the year which he followed up with 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created. Charles has co-authored four books, is contributing editor for Science, The Atlantic Monthly, and Wired and has also written for Fortune, NYTimes, Smithsonian, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post. He is a three-time National Magazine Award finalist and a recipient of writing awards from the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Physics, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Lannan Foundation. In 2018, Mann published The Wizard and the Prophet, which details two competing theories about the future of agriculture, population, and the environment. Listen and Learn: * The important distinctions between today’s wizards and prophets on the future * What are the biggest risks of geoengineering * Why the future of agriculture is inevitably GMOs, and why that’s a good thing * How we can design a better, more 21st-century government * Ways to change the incentives and structures governing society to automatically attack climate change * The reason social media is a cesspool and what to do about it * What are the biggest myths about the history of the Americas * Thoughts on clean meat, mass agriculture and more… * How do we handle growing inequality * Why the West was never won * The reason libertarianism and communism are two sides of the same coin * Why there’s such a distrust of science to the detriment of all

Mark Diesendorf teaches, researches and consults in the interdisciplinary fields of sustainability & energy, energy policy, urban transport, ecological economics, and practical sustainability Prior to joining the Institute of Environmental Studies, UNSW Australia, he’s been a Principal Researcher and lecturer at various higher institutions. Mark’s work with organisations including AusAID, Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Hydrocool Pty Ltd, Minister for Minerals & Energy (Western Australia), StateRail (NSW), Sustainable Energy Development Authority of New South Wales, Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria, WWF Australia, and various municipal and local governments in Australia and China. He has been at various times secretary of the Society for Social Responsibility in Science (Canberra), co-founder and vice-president of the Sustainable Energy Industries Council of Australia, co-founder and president of the original Australasian Wind Energy Association, president of the Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics (ANZSEE) and vice-president of Appropriate Technology for Community and Environment (APACE). Mark is co-editor of the interdisciplinary book Human Ecology, Human Economy: Ideas for an Ecologically Sustainable Future and the author of Greenhouse Solutions with Sustainable Energy and Climate Action: A Campaign Manual for Greenhouse Solutions and Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change. Listen and Learn: * What the truth of climate change looks like now * Why we’re probably headed for at least a 6-8 deg F increase in global temperatures * How we can design a better world from the ground up * Why governments are so incompetent when it comes to handling climate change * The reason renewables have already won and where we’ll be 10 years * Why AI and automation will displace a ton of jobs and necessitate a totally new economic and societal system * How nuclear power makes our world less stable and more dangerous * Where Mark sees the most innovative climate solutions being enacted * Why we’ll still need hydrogen fuel in a green world * What systems design teaches us about sustainability and economics * Why the world is as risky as it has ever been with respect to nuclear war Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Mark Diesendorf teaches, researches and consults in the interdisciplinary fields of sustainability & energy, energy policy, urban transport, ecological economics, and practical sustainability Prior to joining the Institute of Environmental Studies, UNSW Australia, he’s been a Principal Researcher and lecturer at various higher institutions. Mark’s work with organisations including AusAID, Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Hydrocool Pty Ltd, Minister for Minerals & Energy (Western Australia), StateRail (NSW), Sustainable Energy Development Authority of New South Wales, Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria, WWF Australia, and various municipal and local governments in Australia and China. He has been at various times secretary of the Society for Social Responsibility in Science (Canberra), co-founder and vice-president of the Sustainable Energy Industries Council of Australia, co-founder and president of the original Australasian Wind Energy Association, president of the Australia New Zealand Society for Ecological Economics (ANZSEE) and vice-president of Appropriate Technology for Community and Environment (APACE). Mark is co-editor of the interdisciplinary book Human Ecolo...

Zack Abbott is the CEO and co-founder of ZBiotics, a company developing bioengineered probiotics for optimum human performance. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Michigan and developed ZBiotics’ core technology: probiotic bacteria genetically engineered to express targeted protein therapies directly inside the body. By building genetically engineered products that solve real human needs, he hopes to reverse the misinformation and lack of understanding that has contributed to the negative public perception of GMOs. In a past life, he worked with Rhesus monkeys to develop potential vaccines or cures for HIV and other infectious diseases. Listen and Learn: * Why GMOs are critical to humanity’s future * The reason GMOs (and vaccines) have such a public image problem * Why probiotics and the gut microbiome are actually are a really big deal * The secret cause of nearly all chronic and neurological diseases * Why the best solutions to climate change are almost inevitably GMOs * How to think about startups and IP in the biotech realm * The future of personalized medicine * Why LeBron’s poop could help you lose weight * The real risk of bioterrorism * What fields of synthetic biology are the most promising Zack Abbott is the CEO and co-founder of ZBiotics, a company developing bioengineered probiotics for optimum human performance. He holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Michigan and developed ZBiotics’ core technology: probiotic bacteria genetically engineered to express targeted protein therapies directly inside the body. By building genetically engineered products that solve real human needs, he hopes to reverse the misinformation and lack of understanding that has contributed to the negative public perception of GMOs. In a past life, he worked with Rhesus monkeys to develop potential vaccines or cures for HIV and other infectious diseases. Listen and Learn: * Why GMOs are critical to humanity’s future * The reason GMOs (and vaccines) have such a public image problem * Why probiotics and the gut microbiome are actually are a really big deal * The secret cause of nearly all chronic and neurological diseases * Why the best solutions to climate change are almost inevitably GMOs * How to think about startups and IP in the biotech realm * The future of personalized medicine * Why LeBron’s poop could help you lose weight * The real risk of bioterrorism * What fields of synthetic biology are the most promising

Michele Romanow is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, the youngest Dragon on Canada’s famed Dragon’s Den and one of the most badass women in tech. Before that, she co-founded SnapSaves (acquired by Groupon in 11 months), Buytopia.ca and Clearbanc (a transformational funding company to help startups avoid giving up equity). Michele is ranked on WXN’s “100 Most Powerful in Canada” and listed as the only Canadian on Forbes magazine’s “Millennial on a Mission” list. Michele is a prolific angel investor and the winner of Angel Investor of the Year award. She co-founded the Canadian Entrepreneurship Initiative with Richard Branson to encourage entrepreneurship and is a director of Shad International, a transformational program that develops the entrepreneurial potential of exceptional Canadian youth.   Listen and Learn: * What it was like as world’s youngest Dragon’s Den investor * The future of ecommerce and entrepreneurship * Why venture capital is so messed up and how to fix it * How to get more women in tech and more female-led businesses * The reason today’s startup landscape is unsustainable * How to redesign education for the future * Why all monopolies eventually fall * What Michele thinks about the reason crop of tech IPOs and economic future * How to rethink ride sharing and what it may mean * What’s off with universal basic income * Why San Francisco isn’t necessarily the best place to build a startup * What Facebook and Google’s advertising economy has done to all of us * The risks of social media and cell phones * Why Michele is worried about the risk of AI Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Michele Romanow is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, the youngest Dragon on Canada’s famed Dragon’s Den and one of the most badass women in tech. Before that, she co-founded SnapSaves (acquired by Groupon in 11 months), Buytopia.ca and Clearbanc (a transformational funding company to help startups avoid giving up equity). Michele is ranked on WXN’s “100 Most Powerful in Canada” and listed as the only Canadian on Forbes magazine’s “Millennial on a Mission” list. Michele is a prolific angel investor and the winner of Angel Investor of the Year award. She co-founded the Canadian Entrepreneurship Initiative with Richard Branson to encourage entrepreneurship and is a director of Shad International, a transformational program that develops the entrepreneurial potential of exceptional Canadian youth.   Listen and Learn: * What it was like as world’s youngest Dragon’s Den investor * The future of ecommerce and entrepreneurship * Why venture capital is so messed up and how to fix it * How to get more women in tech and more female-led businesses * The reason today’s startup landscape is unsustainable * How to redesign education for the future * Why all monopolies eventually fall * What Michele thinks about the reason crop of tech IPOs and economic future * How to rethink ride sharing and what it may mean * What’s off with universal basic income * Why San Francisco isn’t necessarily the best place to build a startup * What Facebook and Google’s advertising economy has done to all of us * The risks of social media and cell phones * Why Michele is worried about the risk of AI Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Jack Horner (@dustydino) is one of the best-known paleontologists in the world, the inspiration for (and advisor of the Jurassic Park films and Dr. Alan Grant and discovered and named Maiasaura, providing the first clear evidence that some dinosaurs cared for their young. His research is now focused on reactivating dormant dinosaur DNA in birds to hatch modern-day dinosaurs. Horner’s face is familiar to millions from his appearances in many television documentaries about dinosaurs. Listen and Learn: * Why Steven Spielberg just had to have his Jurassic monsters * What is was like as the advisor to Jurassic Park * The little known truths about dinosaurs and our their extinction * Why Jack is working on creating a dino-chicken * How to use dormant DNA to rebirth extinct creatures * The value of sci-fi in forecasting and forewarning the future * Why the public isn’t always so interested in science * How we shifted our entire understanding of dinosaurs * What are the big risks of biotech and why Jack’s not worried * Why dinos were probably much more intelligent than we thought * The actual way radioactive and carbon dating works * What areas is Jack most excited about and why * The truth and misconceptions about evolution Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Jack Horner (@dustydino) is one of the best-known paleontologists in the world, the inspiration for (and advisor of the Jurassic Park films and Dr. Alan Grant and discovered and named Maiasaura, providing the first clear evidence that some dinosaurs cared for their young. His research is now focused on reactivating dormant dinosaur DNA in birds to hatch modern-day dinosaurs. Horner’s face is familiar to millions from his appearances in many television documentaries about dinosaurs. Listen and Learn: * Why Steven Spielberg just had to have his Jurassic monsters * What is was like as the advisor to Jurassic Park * The little known truths about dinosaurs and our their extinction * Why Jack is working on creating a dino-chicken * How to use dormant DNA to rebirth extinct creatures * The value of sci-fi in forecasting and forewarning the future * Why the public isn’t always so interested in science * How we shifted our entire understanding of dinosaurs * What are the big risks of biotech and why Jack’s not worried * Why dinos were probably much more intelligent than we thought * The actual way radioactive and carbon dating works * What areas is Jack most excited about and why * The truth and misconceptions about evolution Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures focused on underserved markets. Prior to that, Managing Director at Peninsula Ventures in Palo Alto, to cofounder & COO of Cogent Technologies, an enterprise software company that was acquired by a public company. Listen and Learn: * Why Greg moved to the Midwest to focus on middle-of-the-country investing * The 4x cheaper reason to invest in the Midwest * Why Greg doesn’t regret passing on investing in Tesla * The big differences between the coasts and Wisconsin when it comes to entrepreneurs and funding * Greg’s thoughts on the creation of mega VC funds and what it does to the ecosystem * Are we in an investment bubble * When to think about corporate venture partners Greg’s Main Projects: 4490 Ventures Greg’s Angellist Profile Twitter: @gregrobinson4490 Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow. Greg Robinson is the Managing Director of 4490 Ventures focused on underserved markets. Prior to that, Managing Director at Peninsula Ventures in Palo Alto, to cofounder & COO of Cogent Technologies, an enterprise software company that was acquired by a public company. Listen and Learn: * Why Greg moved to the Midwest to focus on middle-of-the-country investing * The 4x cheaper reason to invest in the Midwest * Why Greg doesn’t regret passing on investing in Tesla * The big differences between the coasts and Wisconsin when it comes to entrepreneurs and funding * Greg’s thoughts on the creation of mega VC funds and what it does to the ecosystem * Are we in an investment bubble * When to think about corporate venture partners Greg’s Main Projects: 4490 Ventures Greg’s Angellist Profile Twitter: @gregrobinson4490 Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.