Podcasts about innovation ecosystems

Brett Hurt returns to Austin Next for the fourth time, more than any guest in the show's history, to argue that the hardest problem in front of us is psychological. Abundance is already on a clear technological path, and the thing most likely to stop us is the fear center we carried off the savannah. He walks through the four technologies he calls the Superfecta: AI, robotics, quantum computing, and brain-computer interfaces, and why they land together rather than in sequence. The stakes are the Great Filter and to make it through to abundance or destroy ourselves. His book lands June 23, and this conversation is the argument it rests on.Agenda0:00 Love is hard, fear is hijacked 10:21 Cooked food and broken business models 18:04 Mocktails, birth rates, and Bhutan 25:52 Moonshots and the James Webb sublime 30:42 Why aliens would be benevolent 36:13 The Superfecta changes everything 41:52 Capitalism, Chad, and abundance 51:40 Old Austin, wizards, and prophets 58:33 The nuclear math nobody wants 1:02:37 How the podcast made him hopeful 1:11:09 Open source wins the next hingeGuest Bio & LinksBrett Hurt: X, LinkedIn, Love Conquers Fear PodcastLove Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Age of Abundance for AllBrett Hurt is a serial tech entrepreneur, investor, and author. He works at the intersection of AI, leadership, and human values focusing on how society can harness exponential technologies with courage, ethics, and unity.Hurt most recently co-founded and led data-dot-world, which was acquired by ServiceNow on July 7, 2025. He previously co-founded Bazaarvoice (unicorn IPO) and Coremetrics (acquired by IBM). He also co-leads Hurt Family Investments, which is in 150 startups (12 unicorns) and 50 VC funds. He was named Austin's Best CEO (Legacy Award) and is also an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow.Through his Love Conquers Fear holding company, platform, and podcast, Hurt explores how AI and emerging technologies can either amplify fear or help create broad-based human flourishing to eventually reach the Age of Abundance for All. Based in Austin, he's the author of three books and host of the Love Conquers Fear podcast, which has 60 episodes and counting. -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Austin's counterculture is still the ethos. The next chapter is what gets built on top of it. Karen Blashek, the editor-in-chief of Austin Home Magazine, took over a 21-year-old design publication with no editorial background and turned it into one of the city's most consequential platforms for naming what's already happening. We ask why Austin's design talent operates one neighborhood away from its tech talent and neither knows the other exists. What the city is telling people and the cultural infrastructure need to make it all compound: storytellers, convening spaces, named districts, and a  patronage layer.Agenda0:00 Austin Home as civic editing4:22 Why Austin lives outside15:04 Block parties and Old Sixth21:02 Personality vs. values27:07 Ground floors as infrastructure32:10 The public space czar idea37:01 Why Austin is a design capital41:01 Naming districts that exist45:07 Three roles every ecosystem needs53:37 If you don't tell the story, someone else will58:08 The patronage gap1:03:37 Rising stars, the talent leak1:09:50 Tech and culture flywheel1:15:40 Naming what's already hereGuest Bio and LinksKaren BlashekAustin Home MagazineGroundup IdeasCities and Ambition by Paul GrahamThe City That Lingers by Ryan PuzyckiTokyo is Reinventing the Downtown by Making More Than One by Richard FloridaKaren Zabarsky Blashek is Editor-in-Chief of Austin Home Magazine, a Hearst publication covering the intersection of architecture, interiors, development, and culture in one of America's fastest-evolving cities. She is also the founder of Ground Up, a creative studio for the built environment. Before returning to her native Texas, Blashek spent 13 years in New York where she led design for Kushner, one of the country's largest real estate developers with projects nationwide. -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Updated re-release. A year ago we left one question unresolved. Where do foundational AI models end and where do the applications begin? Nick Tippmann returns in a fresh epilogue.  A year on, the tension has only sharpened. Specificity is the differentiator when inches matter. Nick Tippmann, founding partner of TipTop VC, explains how vertical AI is rewriting the software industry by going deeper instead of wider. From the transition beyond SaaS to the gray zone between foundational models and high-stakes applications, we get into how vertical AI can transform laggard industries and why Austin might lead the race.The Agenda00:00 Defining vertical AI05:07 Where general AI fails09:36 Vertical AI software, not just chatbots16:44 Pricing logic after the seat model24:04 Underwriting at pre-seed and seed 27:20 Capital intensity and seed-strapping36:48 TAM analysis and the Frontiers Market example41:46 OpenAI's Instacart hire and the gray zone45:55 Austin as a vertical AI hub58:21 Epilogue: Where the models end and applications beginGuest Links and BiosNick Tippmann, TipTop VCNick Tippmann is the Founder and Managing Partner of TipTop Ventures, an early-stage venture fund focused on Vertical AI. Before becoming an investor, Nick spent nearly a decade as a founding team member and CMO at Greenlight Guru, where he helped scale the company from zero to category leader with more than 250 employees, tens of millions in ARR, and a nine-figure investment from JMI Equity.An operator turned investor, Nick now partners with founders building industry-specific AI and software businesses, bringing hands-on experience in go-to-market strategy, scaling, community building, fundraising, and company development. He has also been an active angel investor since 2021, with more than 100 startup investments. -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

This was not the episode we planned. Will Johnson, founder and CEO of Gyde, and Alex Cohen, founder and CEO of Hello Patient, came on to talk about innovation in the business of health. Instead it became our off the record conversations, but behind the microphone. An unfiltered field report on what it actually feels like to build a startup in Austin right now. The talent math, hunting for mid-size office space, the venture culture, Austin vs Miami, the press gap, and the political friction. All of it from two founders who chose this city, are hiring here, and are naming what needs to change because they want it to work. Agenda0:00 Why Alex and Will chose Austin5:17 The engineering talent gap 14:10 Who gets hired and the conference hustle 20:58 Miami, Palantir, and competing for wins 26:02 What SF's venture culture has that Austin is still building32:58 Operator density problem and the office gap 41:05 Why selling to Main Street works better from Austin 50:16 More storytellers needed59:16 SXSW's decline 1:05:18 King of Austin for a dayGuest Links and BiosAlex Cohen: X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Hello PatientWill Johnson: X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Gyde -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

ICON has been telling the same story since 2018. Humanity has a construction problem that solving for regulations and supply-demand incentives alone won't fix. We need fundamentally new ways to build. Jason Ballard, ICON's founder and CEO, and Will Hurd, the former CIA officer, congressman, and OpenAI board member who just joined as President of ICON Prime, came on to lay out what happens when a non-consensus thesis held for eight years starts to materialize in the real world. The conversation cuts across the full stack, housing, AI, robotics, labor, reindustrialization, and space. The through-line is Ballard's argument that breakthrough technologies are never narrow, that building the technology for a moon base solves the housing and building crisis on Earth. Agenda0:00 What ICON is building and why shelter is broken 6:40 The regulation stack and ICON as a technology company 11:40 Customer shapes, business model, and the innovation stack 17:10 AI, ChatGPT from the inside, and the case for optimism 23:40 The spoons-and-ditches fallacy and Hurd's regulation inversion 30:30 What is ICON Prime and the barracks crisis 36:40 Military construction, Afghanistan, and expeditionary printing 42:40 The moon base, Olympus, and in-situ resource utilization 49:40 Eight years of the same thesis and software's limit 56:40 Austin's talent gravity and the ICON diaspora 1:00:40 The moon in our lifetime 1:04:40  National security, espionage, and Austin as a target 1:08:40 Laser on the moon, 2028 Previous ICON Episode with Evan LoomisGuest Links & BioJason Ballard: X/TwitterWill Hurd: LinkedInICON: Website, ICON Prime, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTubeJason BallardJason Ballard has dedicated his life to working on big problems in service to humanity, most recently and notably as the co-founder and CEO of ICON, the construction technologies company using construction-scale 3D printing to tackle the global housing crisis and prepare to build on other worlds. ICON has been named one of the "Most Innovative Companies in the World" by Fast Company and recently profiled on CBS's 60 MINUTES.  Raising $451 million to date in funding, ICON has delivered communities of resilient 3D-printed homes at high-speed and lower cost in the U.S. and internationally and forged partnerships with world-renowned architects, builders and housing organizations missionally aligned to shift the paradigm of homebuilding. In fall 2022, ICON was awarded $57.2 million from NASA to develop a lunar surface construction system that will target humanity's first-ever construction on another planetary body. In 2019, Ballard was awarded the Austin Under 40 Award in the Technology category. In 2021, Ballard was named to TIME100 Next as one of the emerging leaders shaping the future as well as Newsweek's America's Greatest Disruptors: Visionaries and Innovators Who Are Changing the World. Prior to co-founding ICON, Ballard served as CEO of an eco-friendly home upgrade company that normalized sustainable and healthy approaches to home improvement. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Ballard worked at a homeless shelter, in various roles in sustainable building, and as an environmental consultant for ACRT. Ballard is a GLG Social Impact Fellow and served on the Carbon War Room / Rocky Mountain Institute Energy Think Tank. Ballard hails from East Texas and studied conservation biology at Texas A&M University. He also completed a masters program in Space Resources at Colorado School of Mines in 2022. He enjoys astronomy, ultrarunning, chess, comic books, and outdoor activities when he has free time.  He resides in Austin, TX with his four children.Will HurdThe Honorable Will Hurd is a former CIA officer and congressman whose career spans intelligence, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence policy, and public service. He currently serves as Division President of ICON Prime, a space and defense tech company and will lead ICON Prime's strategy and government partnerships as the company scales its robotic construction technology across the national security enterprise and beyond Earth.  He is also the author of American Reboot: An Idealist Guide to Getting Big Things Done. Hurd brings deep expertise at the intersection of technology, national security, and governance to his board roles and ongoing policy work.Hurd began his career serving overseas in the CIA, where he worked to prevent attacks on the United States and disrupt efforts to smuggle nuclear materials into the country. He later held roles at Crumpton Group and FusionX, helping defend critical infrastructure from cyber threats. In 2014, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Texas's 23rd District, where he served three terms and played a key role in shaping technology and national security policy.Following his time in Congress, Hurd held leadership roles at Allen & Company and CHAOS Industries. He also previously served on the boards of In-Q-Tel and OpenAI.He currently serves on the board of directors for Personal.AI, The Aerospace Corporation, the Council on Foreign Relations, and advisory boards of Palo Alto Networks and the Center for European Policy Analysis.A San Antonio native, Will received a BS in Computer Science from Texas A&M University.  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

What if the innovation economy has always had a gender problem—and we just couldn't see it? Despite a wave of visibility for women entrepreneurs, the numbers are stark: 90% of inventors in Canada are male, and women-led ventures receive less than 5% of available funding. In this episode, UBC Sauder School of Business assistant professor Angèle Beausoleil (PhD'17)—a researcher, serial entrepreneur, and self-described "pracademic"—unpacks why innovation culture skews masculine, what groupthink costs organizations that ignore it, and why the traits society calls "feminine" might actually be the entrepreneurial superpowers we've been undervaluing all along.Links for this episodeTranscriptContact CarolContact JeevanFrom Here ForwardPodium Podcast CompanyContact Dr. Angele BeausoleilLearn more about Dr. Beausoleil's researchJeevan & Carol's Fave Canadian Businesses | Blume Skincare | Dexy Paws | Stranger Tails (00:00) - Introduction (01:56) - Meet Dr. Angele Beausoleil (04:24) - Is innovation “too masculine” & what does that mean? (06:51) - The numbers: inventors, founders, and venture funding (07:49) - The history: the “heroic innovator” and gendered norms (12:56) - The risk of ignoring bias (15:41) - Examples of women-led innovation (19:08) - How to begin to create change in innovation (21:44) - The Innovation Self-Assessment Study (26:48) - What needs to change (education, language, policies) (29:09) - Conclusion

Joe Liemandt built Trilogy, recruited 2,000 Ivy League graduates to Austin, and is now running what he considers the higher-leverage version of the same play, K-12 education. Our host, Jason Scharf, brings a perspective no other interviewer has. He is an Alpha School parent, and he uses that to ask the questions no one else has put to Liemandt. What happens when the app breaks mid-rollout, why diagnostic scores terrify new parents, and whether the motivation model survives past year one. But the bigger story is what Alpha and Austin's growing cluster of experimental schools are doing to the city itself. Families are relocating for schools that do not exist anywhere else. This education frontier is pulling learning scientists, game designers, and startup educators onto the same flywheel. The talent gravity is compounding in two complementary directions. The parents moving in are building and funding Austin's unicorns, and the kids coming out of these schools are the next generation of founders and operators. Agenda0:00 Intro and the Alpha School model 5:44 Good AI versus bad AI in the classroom 11:43 Diagnostic shock and what gifted students miss 16:04 Motivation and life skills versus vocational skills 21:08 Students making real money with AI tools 23:39 Hiring guides at $100K 26:34 The selection effect and founding families 31:51 Running a school like a startup 36:07 Iterating in public 42:27 Motivational models that actually work 47:01 Teaching kids to fail 49:33 Austin as the education capital 55:02 Education as the 20-year talent pipeline 57:52 Millionaires in high school 1:04:37 What college becomes next Guest Links & BioJoe Liemandt, Alpha SchoolJoe Liemandt is principal at Alpha School, a growing nationwide network of K-12 schools dedicated to creating self-driven learners. Using TimeBack™, an AI-driven education OS, Alpha students master academics in two hours per day, allowing them to spend their afternoons developing essential life skills, including leadership, teamwork, and entrepreneurship. His goal is to improve education for 1 billion students over the next 20 years.In the 1990s, Mr. Liemandt dropped out of  Stanford to found Trilogy, where he developed the first AI product to achieve $1 billion in revenue. He brings decades of experience in AI and technology to transforming K-12 education. -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Directed energy weapons, autonomous drones, and combat AI agents are not just real. They are deployed.Jim Rebesco, cofounder and CEO of Striveworks, breaks down what's driving this moment, and the second and third-order effects most people aren't tracking yet. AI can't be bolted onto legacy systems and expected to perform. It demands a blank sheet of paper. New design philosophy, new economics, new operational infrastructure. The old model of pitching a PowerPoint and billing for development is already crumbling. What replaces it is being built right now.Agenda0:00 We're already living in the cyberpunk era of war 5:34 When do you trust an agent with your credit card 14:04 The blank sheet of paper and the F-16 19:34 From Wall Street algorithms to battlefield AI 24:34 What Gen Alpha already takes for granted 32:34 When science fiction becomes reality 38:34 The $500 drone and the new economics of defense 45:34 The trust stack and the agentic AI revolution Guest Links & BioJim Rebesco: LinkedInStriveworks: WebsiteStriveworks Raises Growth Capital Led By Washington Harbour Partners Dr. Jim Rebesco is CEO and a co-founder of Striveworks, an artificial intelligence company focused on the deployment of AI/ML models at scale. He is a board member for Sayari Labs, a leading financial intelligence company, and has served as a consulting member of the Army Science Board. Prior to founding Striveworks, Dr. Rebesco worked at Virtu Financial, a leading electronic market-making firm, where he led trading and data science teams as a partner in the firm. He was instrumental in building Virtu's capabilities from the beginning in data science and analytics and played a critical role in the firm's IPO in 2015. Dr. Rebesco has been engaged with the Federal Reserve Board, elements within the Department of Defense, the United States Military Academy, and others as a recognized subject matter expert in both Al and its applications to various industries, including finance and national defense. Dr. Rebesco earned his B.S. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology and his PhD in computational neuroscience from Northwestern University.  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Patricio Ovalle Woods, Senior Innovation Advisor | Expert in Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystems, Providencia, Chile.

The hype that landed on Austin in 2021 was correct and at the same time ahead of the curve. Nait Jones, serial founder and former a16z partner who arrived in Silicon Valley in 2011 at the Web 2 moment and moved to Austin during the pandemic, argues that the fundamentals have now caught upJones traces what he calls a spiritual succession. A direct genealogy from Arthur Rock's invention of venture capital through Fairchild, Intel, Dell, and UT research into the current generation of robotics, defense, and energy infrastructure concentrated within a 200-mile radius. The city's defensible moat is where intelligence meets the physical world, the hardware and the software built as one.  The result will look nothing like what came before it.Agenda0:00 Intro + Silicon Valley 2011 and the Web 2 Gold Rush 9:17 How The Social Network Changed the Talent Pipeline 11:16 Inside the a16z Partner Meeting 14:48 Spiritual Succession from Arthur Rock to Austin 18:06 The 2021 Hype Was Real, Just Early 20:26 California and Delaware's Self-Inflicted Wounds23:43 The 200-Mile Radius26:26 Permission to Build and the Sunlight Metaphor 30:20 Foundational Models Belong to SF 34:48 Third Places and Connective Tissue 42:29 The Storytelling Gap 45:44 Six-Month Vesting in the AI Era 49:04 Seedance, Suno, and the Creation-Consumption Collapse 54:59 The Barbell of Synthetic Media and Analog Craft 59:27 Copyright, IP, and the Entertainment Layer Cake Guest LinksNait Jones: X, LinkedInAdtwin: Website, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

American universities stopped optimizing for students a long time ago. The University of Austin was built as a direct counter to that failure. Carlos Carvalho, its president, brings a statistician's precision to the diagnosis, tracing the causal chain from dropped standards to credential collapse while building an institution with no tuition and no government money, staking its survival entirely on student outcomes 20 years out. The conversation moves from the financial architecture of a university, through a curriculum that starts with Plato before it touches Python, to the deeper question of what a university owes a civilization in the age of AI and whether Austin is the right place to answer it.Agenda0:00 Intro + Three Years In 9:42 The $300M Bet 15:42 The Conglomerate Problem 21:42 Western Canon First 28:42 What AI Changes About Teaching 34:42 The Bastrop Lab 41:42 UATX in the Austin Ecosystem 48:42 Atoms vs Bits in Texas 53:42 American Exceptionalism as Mission 59:42 The Hit Pieces 1:06:42 The UCSD Math Collapse 1:11:42 Grade Inflation as Decay 1:14:42 AI and the Soul ProblemGuest BioCarlos Carvalho is the President of the University of Austin. Prior to taking on this role, he spent 15 years as a professor at the University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business, where he held the La Quinta Centennial Professorship and founded the Salem Center for Policy. A native of Brazil, Dr. Carvalho earned his doctorate in statistics from Duke University and has also taught at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research focuses on Bayesian statistics in complex, high-dimensional problems with applications ranging from economics to genetics to public policy. At UATX, he is leading a bold effort to build a new university that stands for American principles and academic excellence.Guest LinksUniversity of Austin: Website, Substack, Instagram, X, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The decision to bootstrap a business or raise venture capital is not just financial. It is physics. You are choosing which system to operate within, which rules will govern your company, and whose incentives will shape your options at every inflection point. Rob Taylor has lived both realities. He spent years building venture-backed companies, raising millions in institutional capital. His brother Chris bootstrapped a company for 20 years and owned nearly 100% at exit. They sold their companies the same year and ended up in roughly the same place financially. The question is what do you optimize for, and the nature of that question is changing daily in the age of AI. Recorded live at Red Fridge Society.The Agenda0:00 Intro + Defining Bootstrap vs. VC 7:23 Is Your Business VC-Backable 11:54 The Ecosystem You Gain with Institutional Capital 15:03 The Ownership Curve 20:36 Control and Governance 26:24 Disruption in the AI Era 32:41 How Fund Size Shapes Investment Behavior 37:43 The Bootstrap-VC Overlap 40:54 Choosing Your Partner 45:14 The Incremental Approach to RaisingGuest LinksRob Taylor: LinkedIn, Silverton PartnersRed Fridge Society -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The current venture market is defined by a dangerous decoupling of capital from reality. While the industry chases $10B seed valuations and trillion-dollar infrastructure bets, Brian Smith and S3 Ventures are executing a "Discipline Arbitrage." They argue that the real returns in AI will not come from the massive CapEx spenders, but from the application layer that solves boring, regulated, enterprise problems. This episode audits the structural risks of the current AI wave and explains why staying as a small fund may be the ultimate competitive advantage. Agenda01:30 Cisco Moment & 28 Bellagios06:31 Applications First, Agents Next19:06 2021 Bubble vs 2025 Reality32:55 Defining Patient Capital44:09 Strategic Advantage of Small Funds53:03 Return to AtomsGuest LinksBrian Smith, S3 Ventures (Website, X, LinkedIn)  -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

The market is mispricing the human brain. Some Investors view Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and other neurotech as the next iteration of the medical device, a slightly better stent or a more advanced catheter. This is a category error. As Matt Angle (Paradromics) and Connor Glass (Phantom Neuro) articulate its not a product, its the next modem.The parallel is the internet in 1993. We are moving from a low-bandwidth, text-based era of biology into a streaming, high-fidelity era. This shift requires a convergence of disciplines, Material science, analog engineering, and machine learning, mirroring the semiconductor boom of the 1960s. Austin, with its unique trinity of industrial scale, software speed, and risk-tolerance, has emerged as the global command center for this revolutionThe Agenda:0:00 - Intro 02:48 - Electrical Input and Output of the Body 08:13 - Navigating the Valley of Death via DARPA 16:54 - Moral Hazard of Regulatory Caution 23:45 - BCI as the Next Internet 37:51 - Capital Stack and the Platform Shift 50:31 - Declaring Austin the Global Neurotech Capital 55:23 - Convergence of Semiconductor DisciplinesGuest LinksMatt Angle: LinkedIn, Paradromics (Website, X, LinkedIn)Connor Glass: LinkedIn, Phantom Neuro (Website, X, LinkedIn) -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

Nosipho Radebe is in conversation with Fabian Sukulu, Business Development Manager at B-Lab East Africa See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Guo, Program Manager at Carnegie Mellon's Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, shares how he's helping CMU founders scale through the VentureBridge accelerator (alumni have raise over $200M and are valued at over $500M) and a thriving alumni innovation network. With a systems-thinking approach to building startup ecosystems, Steven reveals how community, mentorship, and collaboration fuel lasting impact.

In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, Dane Carlson sits down with Molly Howey, CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, to discuss how Topeka is redefining what is possible for mid-sized U.S. cities. Molly shares how uniting economic development, downtown revitalization, tourism, and the chamber under one strategic umbrella helped the city align its vision and accelerate growth. From transforming a once-quiet airfield into a future industrial hub, to building momentum in the Animal Health Corridor and nurturing homegrown startups, Molly reveals the creative thinking and community grit driving Topeka forward. Her story offers powerful lessons for any economic developer aiming to build sustainable, people-centered progress in their community. Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! Ten Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers Build coalitions that outlast personalities. Lasting economic momentum comes from strong systems, not single champions. Create structures that unite business, government, and community voices under shared priorities that continue beyond individual leaders. Treat your community as your product. Successful economic developers are storytellers and brand builders. Invest in placemaking, amenities, and perception as deliberately as you do in incentive packages and infrastructure. Leverage what already works. Identify your city's natural strengths--industry clusters, geographic advantages, or workforce skills--and double down on them. Sustainable growth often comes from amplifying existing assets, not chasing trends. Make collaboration your default setting. Align chambers, tourism groups, and EDOs so they speak with one voice. Shared data, messaging, and strategy save resources and multiply your impact. Blend local grit with global reach. Topeka's partnership with Plug and Play shows how even smaller markets can attract international innovation by thinking globally while staying true to local identity. Focus on people as much as projects. Workforce, childcare, housing, and livability are no longer "supporting factors" but central pillars of competitiveness. Put people at the center of every initiative. Tell your story relentlessly. Economic development is half execution and half narrative. Share wins, celebrate progress, and communicate constantly to reshape how residents and outsiders view your community. Simplify your strategy to amplify impact. Broad plans can dilute focus. Concentrate on a few bold goals that your team and partners can rally around, and measure success through consistent, visible progress. Encourage entrepreneurship as a civic value. Support for small businesses, startups, and innovation hubs builds resilience and broadens economic opportunity across every layer of the local economy. Keep learning, listening, and adapting. The best economic developers are curious. Study other regions, borrow ideas shamelessly, invite new perspectives, and stay flexible as industries and demographics evolve. Special Guest: Molly Howey.

Valentina Assenova is the Edward B. and Shirley R. Shils Endowed Term Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is renowned for her insightful research on entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in how cultural and societal factors influence entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. She recently released a study “Exploring the relationship between accelerator program design and startup performance.” She has a Ph.D. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the University of Cambridge and has collaborated with organizations like FINCA International and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to advance entrepreneurship globally. We discuss the dynamics of Capital and Ideas, and define what an accelerator is, why program design matters so much, and how corporates can receive and deliver the most value from their work with entrepreneurs.

Prof. James Evans, a University of Chicago sociologist and data scientist, believes we're training AI to think too much like humans—and it's holding science back.In this episode, Evans shares how our current models risk narrowing scientific exploration rather than expanding it, and explains why he's pushing for AIs that think differently from us—what he calls “cognitive aliens.” Could these “alien minds” help us unlock hidden breakthroughs? And what would it take to build them?

In this episode of the AlchemistX Innovators Inside Podcast, Ian Bergman sits down with Victor Mulas, the first Chief Innovation Officer at Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), to unpack a 20-year journey that stretches from telecom deregulation in Europe to shaping startup hubs on three continents. Victor reveals the Panini Effect—his practical framework for sandwiching top-down vision with grassroots momentum—to push bold ideas through even the most risk-averse organizations.Key takeaways include:Activate the Glue. Why vibrant “networking assets” (events, mentors, super-connectors) are the real catalyst that binds university talent, capital, and policy into a living ecosystem.Incentives Over Talk. How Victor aligns systems and rewards so innovation isn't just a slogan from the C-suite but a career accelerator for project managers on the ground.From Pilot to Platform. Lessons from scaling CIC's community model from Cambridge to Tokyo—and how any company can globalize a proven playbook without losing local soul.The Sandwich vs. The Panini. Tactics for pressing resistance out of large institutions, drawn from Victor's decade steering billion-dollar World Bank programs.Whether you're a corporate intrapreneur wrestling with red tape or a government leader designing the next startup cluster, Victor's stories deliver a punchy, field-tested roadmap for turning bureaucracy into breakthroughs.For more episodes and resources, visit https://www.alchemistaccelerator.com/podcasts.

How do we make our communities more resilient to extreme weather events? How do we become smarter about using and recycling water, one of the most precious resources on our planet? And how can we turn the textile industry into a more circular and sustainable economy that reduces waste and develops new fibers and materials?Welcome to season seven of Ecosystems for Change, where I'll be talking with the innovators and changemakers tackling these kinds of complex issues, not just within their own communities, but for the world at large.Throughout this season, I'm going to introduce you to the Regional Innovation Engines Program, a program funded by the US National Science Foundation. In partnership with the Builder Platform I will highlight nine so-called Engines, and their place-based strategies to these wicked problems.To start us off, I sat down with three key players in the implementation of this nationwide program: Ben Downing, Patricia Grospiron, and Emily Knight.Ben Downing is Vice President of Public Affairs at The Engine. Before joining The Engine, Ben was Vice President for New Market Development at Nexamp, a veteran-founded, Boston-based clean energy company. Prior to this, Ben represented the state's largest Senate district while serving as State Senator for 52 communities in Western Massachusetts. Patricia Grospiron is the Executive Director of The Builder Platform, where she is responsible for leading the strategic direction to foster the development of the NSF Regional Innovation Engines. Patricia has several decades of experience in innovation ecosystem building thanks to her roles at Avery Dennison, JumpStart, Inc and Ohio Aerospace Institute. Emily Knight is the President of The Engine, where she is responsible for shaping the organization's strategic direction and building partnerships with industry leaders and educational institutions to foster an environment where Tough Tech teams can thrive and innovate. Listen to the full episode to hear:How the NSF funding is acting as a catalyst for innovative, place-based economic development while tackling some of our thorniest problemsWhy the program is committed to innovation that supports communities from withinHow The Builder Platform developed a human-centered approach to engaging with the NSF Engines and providing ongoing partnership and supportHow The Engine's experience and history helps them collaborate with the regional EnginesWhy learning together, collaboration, and flexibility are key to developing in-place innovationLearn more about Ben Downing:Connect on LinkedInLearn more about Patricia Grospiron:Connect on LinkedInLearn more about Emily Knight:Connect on LinkedInLearn more about Anika Horn:Social VenturersSign up for Impact CuratorInstagram: @socialventurersResources:The EngineThe Builder PlatformInsisting on the Impossible: The Life of Edwin Land, Viktor K. McElhenyLean Launchpad, Steve BlankWatt It Takes with Emily KirschThe Rise of the Rest: How Entrepreneurs in Surprising Places Are Building the New American Dream, Steve Case

The Texas innovation ecosystem is accelerating at breakneck speed as technologies like AI and institutions such as the Texas Stock Exchange reshape what is possible. Samantha Lewis, Partner at Mercury Fund, recently relocated to Austin from Houston to strengthen the firm's presence in the region. Our conversation reveals how the founders and funders in the Texas Triangle are positioning themselves during this tech revolution, and why the connections between Austin, Houston, and Dallas are a superpower that is just getting started.Episode HighlightsMercury Investment ThesisExpansion to AustinAI Competition LandscapeImportance of Founder VisionGood Businesses vs VC Backable Bits Meet AtomsHealthcare Innovation FrontiersAustin Growth OpportunityTexas Stock Exchange Impact High Speed Rail vs AirportsTexas Innovation Triangle and CollaborationHouston Industry ChallengesTech Inspiration MomentsWhat's Next Austin?"We're so excited to just hang out and see everybody, meet entrepreneurs, hopefully build a big fintech community here as time goes on...The more VC firms that are here, the better. The more entrepreneurs that are getting funding here, the better"Samantha Lewis: X/Twitter, LinkedInMercury Fund: Website, X/Twitter, LinkedIn -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedInEcosystem Metacognition Substack

We explore the power of self-managing teams, innovation ecosystems, and the art of consensus-building with John Taylor McIntyre, the Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer of Mutual Prosperity. We discuss his unique upbringing in a multicultural home, his journey through theatre, and his experiences in Japan that shaped his leadership philosophy. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including the challenge of breaking the ‘Curse of Babel' in organisations, the importance of Nemawashi for effective decision-making, and how businesses can scale leadership while fostering autonomy. SHOWNOTES are here: http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-wisdom Planet Human: China creates world's first two-way brain-computer interface. https://interestingengineering.com/science/worlds-first-2-way-bci-china Join the Power Games advance notice here: https://www.zoerouth.com/power-games Key Quotes: "When we align our language, we unlock collaboration." – John Taylor McIntyre "Leadership is not about control; it's about empowering others to make great decisions." – Zoë Routh "True innovation happens when we create space for new ideas to take root." – John Taylor McIntyre   Questions Asked: 1. What does it take to build truly self-managing teams? 2. How can organisations break through communication barriers and align their language? 3. What is the Nemawashi principle, and how does it help organisations scale leadership? 4. How do we foster a culture of innovation while maintaining strong leadership? 5. What role does personal connection play in shaping high-performing teams?   Take Action: 1. Review your decision-making processes—are they inclusive and effective? 2. Reflect on the concept of Nemawashi: How can you better prepare your team for change? 3. Start a leadership journal to document key decisions and assess their long-term impact. 4. Encourage more open conversations about power, influence, and collaboration within your team.   Tip of the Week: Align your team's language to enhance collaboration. Conduct a ‘Language Audit' in your organisation to identify jargon, miscommunications, and gaps in understanding.   Join the community here: https://www.zoerouth.com/podcast-news   You'll receive 40 book summaries and recommendations on Leading Strategy and Performance, plus a special secret audio from my award-winning book, People Stuff.   Key Moments 00:00 – Introduction and Weekly Question 00:20 – Breakthrough in Brain-Computer Interfaces 01:34 – Training for the Australian Alpine Walking Track 02:09 – Upcoming Book: Power Games 03:21 – Exploring the Concept of Power 06:44 – Interview with John Taylor McIntyre 23:40 – Servant Leadership and Innovation Ecosystems 24:16 – Understanding Technology Transfer 28:06 – Breaking the Curse of Babel 30:11 – The Nemawashi Principle 36:11 – Scaling Leadership and Autonomous Teams 41:23 – The Fast Three: Future Tech, Leadership Tips, and Current Reads 47:36 – The Importance of Personal Relationships in Business 49:52 – Conclusion and Additional Resources   #leadershipskills #leadershipdevelopment #leadershiplessons #leadershiptraining #innovation #selfmanagingteams #futureofleadership

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 06:30:00 +0000 https://tap.podigee.io/47-platfom-classics-six a4a83ed7bcfd612587c374c70b3bf1bd How the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations Paper covered in this episode Adner, R., & Kapoor, R. (2010). Value creation in innovation ecosystems: How the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations. Strategic Management Journal, 31(3), 306-333 Disclaimer This podcast is generated using artificial intelligence technology, drawing content from published scientific papers. While we strive for accuracy, please note: The episode synthesizes and interprets scientific literature, not original research. AI-generated content may contain errors or misinterpretations. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or medical advice. Listeners are encouraged to refer to the original scientific papers for comprehensive and authoritative information. The views expressed may not necessarily reflect those of the original authors or their institutions. We welcome feedback and corrections. Please consult with qualified professionals before applying any information presented in this podcast. full How the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations no innovation ecosystems Daniel Trabucchi, Tommaso Buganza and Philip Meier

Lucia Chierchia è Chief of Open Innovation Ecosystems Gellify, Innovation Factory internazionale che supporta le aziende nei processi di innovazione. Laureata in Ingegneria Meccanica presso il Politecnico di Milano, e con un Executive Master in Technology & Innovation Management presso la Bologna Business School, oggi Lucia è anche Professore Aggiunto presso Politecnico di Milano GSoM, Bologna Business School e University of Bologna, su tematiche di gestione di innovazione e tecnologia. Numerosi gli incarichi ricevuti in 25 anni di esperienza: ha ricoperto posizioni manageriali in area R&D & Industrial Operations a livello globale. Mantiene ruoli in attività di formazione, è entrata a far parte di diverse Advisory Board e, attraverso la sua carriera e i suoi riconoscimenti, è un esempio di managerialità femminile in continua crescita. È programm director di Forward Factory, acceleratore Manufacturing della Rete Nazionale CDP gestito da GELLIFY, piattaforma internazionale che supporta le aziende nei processi di innovazione, la cui terza edizione si è tenuta da poco. Anima Blockchain, AWRobotics, Boxxdocks, Mach3D, Meddle, Mon5 e Qtool sono le 7 startup partecipanti al programma finale e protagoniste del Demo Day. Gli elementi fondamentali che hanno guidato la selezione sono stati le potenzialità del prodotto, le competenze del team, la maturità del mercato di riferimento e la strategia di fundraising. A caratterizzare invece le tecnologie di questa edizione, sono stati gli ambiti di grande impatto e crescita che ricoprono, includendo settori avanzati come Blockchain, Modeling & Simulation, Industrial IoT, Cyber Security, e Digital Robotics & Machines, ognuno dei quali offre soluzioni all'avanguardia per rispondere alle sfide globali e alle esigenze dei mercati moderni.Siti, app libri e link utiliPaper POLIMI Paper GELLIFY https://gellify.com/news-and-events/the-9-types-of-corporate-innovation-vehicles/https://gellify.com/news-and-events/5-step-guide-to-creating-an-innovative-culture/FORWARD FACTORY articolo su FORWARD FACTORYChief of Open Innovation EcosystemsIl Chief of Open Innovation Ecosystems posiziona l'azienda in iniziative strategiche e partnership al fine di aumentare la brand awareness, favorire lo sviluppo del business, accedere a una rete esterna di nuove competenze e tecnologie e attivare iniziative di co-investimento. Ad esempio, GELLIFY è una fabbrica di innovazione, perché supporta le imprese nell'esecuzione di progetti innovativi e essa stessa si rinnova ogni giorno. L'obiettivo del Chief of Open Innovation Ecosystems è di progettare modelli di collaborazione che generino un impatto positivo su tutte le linee di business dell'impresa. Per ricoprire questa posizione è fondamentale avere un background tecnico, che comunque richiede un aggiornamento continuo poiché le tecnologie emergenti sono in evoluzione con un rate di cambiamento altissimo. Essenziale è inoltre la capacità di coordinare persone appartenenti a ecosistemi diversi tra loro, oppure culture diverse, generazioni diverse. L'elemento cruciale è la capacità di interagire con le persone e di valorizzare i loro punti di forza per farle crescere, crescendo insieme in un percorso che non è solo professionale ma è innanzitutto personale.

What does it take to develop a thriving innovation ecosystem in biotech? How can partnerships between academia, industry, and startups drive long-term growth? In this fan-favorite episode, Mark Crowell, RTTP, Executive Entrepreneur in Residence at UNC Chapel Hill, joins host Patrick Reed, RTTP, to explore these questions. Drawing on his experiences from Research Triangle Park and beyond, Mark discusses key elements in ecosystem development and shares insights into his startup company, Arkane Innovation. In this episode, you'll discover: The critical components of a successful innovation ecosystem and how to foster collaboration. Lessons learned from Research Triangle Park and how to apply them to up-and-coming regions like the Gulf South. The importance of authentic partnerships and how they drive value beyond just financial returns. Tune in to gain valuable insights into ecosystem development and partnerships in the biotech world! Links: Connect with Mark Crowell, RTTP. Check out Mark's Fireside Chat on Ecosystem Development at BIO on the BAYOU. Learn more about UNC Chapel Hill's Eshelman Institute for Innovation. Learn more about Arkane Innovation. Connect with Patrick Reed, RTTP, and learn about his position as Auburn University's Executive Director of the Intellectual Property Exchange. Check out BIO on the BAYOU and make plans to attend October 2025. Learn more about BIO from the BAYOU – the podcast. Bio from the Bayou is a podcast that explores biotech innovation, business development, and healthcare outcomes in New Orleans & The Gulf South, connecting biotech companies, investors, and key opinion leaders to advance medicine, technology, and startup opportunities in the region.

It's YOUR time to #EdUp  In this episode, #958, brought to YOU by the InsightsEDU 2025 conference YOUR guest is Viviana Gropengiesser⁠, CEO, ⁠Talent Kick⁠ YOUR cohost is ⁠Rick Dwyer⁠, Fractional Revenue Executive, ⁠Background Performer YOUR host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio How is Talent Kick fostering entrepreneurship among Swiss university students? What strategies does Talent Kick employ to build strong, diverse startup teams? How does the program balance technical skills with soft skills in entrepreneur development? What role do university partnerships & mentors play in Talent Kick's success? How is Talent Kick adapting to serve both local & global innovation ecosystems? Listen in to #EdUp! Ad-Free & extended conversation ONLY for #EdUp subscribers includes: Viviana's insights on managing stakeholder relationships, including investors & corporations Talent Kick's approach to developing founder agreements & conflict resolution Thoughts on the impact of AI on startups & entrepreneurship education Want to accelerate YOUR professional development? Want to get exclusive early access to ad-free episodes, extended episodes, bonus episodes, original content, invites to special events, & more? Want to get all this while helping to sustain EdUp, for only $2.99 a month? Then subscribe today to lock in YOUR $2.99/m life long founders rate! This offer will end on December 31, 2024!  BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TODAY! Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp! Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ● Join YOUR EdUp community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The EdUp Experience⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! We make education YOUR business!

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Demetria Gallagher, VP, Innovation Ecosystems, VentureWell. VentureWell fosters collaboration among the best minds from research labs, classrooms, and beyond to advance innovation and entrepreneurship education and to provide unique opportunities for STEM students and researchers to fully realize their potential to improve the world.In this episode:VentureWellCourse & Program (C&P) grants program, which provided over $15.2 million to 275 colleges and universities to further their I&E work. Size + Scope of VentureWellPosition + ResponsibilitiesVP, Innovation EcosystemsInnovation work with HBCUs and MSIsFLIPspace Advanced Mobility in NW Arkansas New pilot program focusing on specifically on addressing the transportation challenges of the region, offering participants the opportunity to develop and commercialize new mobility technologies that will shape the future of transportation.Support the show

Jon Nordby is the managing partner at investment firm Anthropy Partners and founder of EconWerx. With over a decade of experience in the Houston innovation community in various roles, Jon talks about the work he's doing now as a human potential tech investor and innovation ecosystem builder and adviser. He also zooms in on what he sees as achievements and needs within Houston's own innovation machine.

In this episode of The Business Development Podcast, Kelly Kennedy sits down with Derek Armstrong, Director of Calgary Economic Development and former Manager of Innovation Ecosystems at Prairies Economic Development Canada. They dive deep into the role of PrairiesCan in driving economic growth and diversification across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Derek shares insights on how PrairiesCan is fueling innovation by investing in key sectors such as clean tech, ag tech, and life sciences, while also emphasizing the importance of collaboration and ecosystem building. The discussion highlights the various challenges faced by entrepreneurs, including access to capital, talent acquisition, and navigating the complex landscape of available resources. Throughout the conversation, Derek underscores the significance of regional economic development agencies like PrairiesCan in shaping the future of Alberta's economy. He discusses the strategic initiatives and partnerships that are empowering local innovators and entrepreneurs to thrive, offering a glimpse into the impactful work being done to create a more resilient and diversified economic landscape in the Prairies. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a business leader, or someone interested in economic development, this episode provides valuable insights into the opportunities and support systems available in Alberta and beyond.Key Takeaways:1. PrairiesCan focuses on diversifying the economy in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba through innovation.2. The agency provides crucial financial and non-financial support to help businesses scale and succeed.3. Collaboration within the innovation ecosystem is vital for entrepreneurial growth.4. Access to capital, talent, and infrastructure are the main challenges for entrepreneurs in the Prairies.5. PrairiesCan prioritizes high-growth sectors like clean tech, ag tech, and digital tech.6. The energy transition sector, particularly hydrogen, is a major economic opportunity for Alberta.7. The agency supports initiatives that can be scaled across multiple provinces, ensuring regional growth.8. PrairiesCan advocates for regional economic needs within the federal government.9. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to leverage available resources and not go it alone.10. Diverse perspectives are essential for addressing Alberta's energy future and driving innovation.Transform Your Business with Kelly KennedySuccess isn't just about ideas—it's about the right processes and the encouragement to keep going. With Kelly Kennedy's expert coaching, you'll master effective strategies tailored to your business, empowering you to achieve sustainable growth. Experience the power of a structured approach combined with the support you need to excel. Start your transformation today at [Capital Business Development Coaching](https://kelly-kennedy-f640.mykajabi.com/capital-business-development-coaching).

Ellie Charles Mann Hummel   Innovating Corporate KPIs - Ellie Amirnasr and Charles Vaillant    Driving Progress with Mann+Hummel's Hunter Strategy   In this episode of the Corporate Explorer series, we dive into innovative business practices with Mann+Hummel's CTO/CDO Charles Vaillant and Digital Ventures Manager Ellie Amirnasr. The guests discuss the pitfalls of applying traditional KPIs too early in new business ventures and advocate for non-financial progress metrics. They introduce the 'Hunter Strategy' for pursuing business validation and scaling within exploration-type projects. The conversation covers how to manage resource allocation efficiently, the evolution of their innovation framework, and essential advice for corporate explorers. This episode is sponsored by Wazoku, a leader in creating sustainable innovation ecosystems.   00:00 Introduction to Business Innovation 01:10 Sponsor Acknowledgment 01:49 Meet the Guests: Ellie Amirnasr and Charles Vaillant 02:54 Understanding Mann and Hummel 04:56 Challenges with Traditional Metrics 10:54 Hunter Strategy Explained 17:21 Implementing Effective Metrics 23:59 Resource Allocation in R&D 30:18 Advice for Corporate Explorers 34:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts   Business Innovation, KPIs, Venture Management, Non-Financial KPIs, Innovation Ecosystems, Corporate Exploration, Growth Validation, Hunter Strategy, Mann and Hummel, Wazoku, Aidan McCullen, Ellie Amirnasr, Charles Vaillaint, Corporate R&D, Digital Ventures, Strategic Metrics, Innovative Processes, Resource Allocation, R&D Investments, Corporate Transformation   Find Charles: Find Ellie: Find Aidan:

Developing an Ecosystem Playbook for Corporate Innovation with Best Buy Case Study   In this episode, we delve into the strategies corporate explorers need to develop successful partnerships and co-innovate to deliver value propositions to their consumers. Our guest, Christine Griffin, shares a six-step process for creating an ecosystem playbook, using Best Buy's expansion into the home health market as a compelling case study. We examine how Best Buy transitioned from a retail giant to an orchestrator of home health services through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Additionally, we explore the importance of understanding value creation, identifying market breakpoints, mapping ecosystem players, and assessing financial flows. This episode also highlights the critical roles of scaling path, capabilities, capacities, and customer access in achieving business success.    Special thanks to our sponsor, Wazoku, for supporting corporate innovation.   00:00 Introduction to Corporate Innovation 00:39 Sponsor Acknowledgment and Guest Introduction 01:52 Overview of Best Buy's Home Health Strategy 03:16 Best Buy's Acquisitions and Initial Footprint 03:55 Building Partnerships in the Healthcare Ecosystem 05:12 Mapping the Ecosystem and Identifying Break Points 10:04 Understanding the Players and Their Roles 12:35 Evaluating Incentives and Profit Pools 15:12 Developing a Scaling Path 18:03 The Importance of Stakeholder Involvement 19:46 Conclusion and Further Resources   Corporate Explorers, Innovation Strategy, Innovation Ecosystems, Best Buy Case Study, Christine Griffin, Scaling Startups, Corporate Innovation, Business Ecosystems, Strategic Partnerships, Innovation Show, Wazoku, Sustainable Innovation, Hubert Joly, Ecosystem Playbook, Technology Adoption, Corporate Explorer Series, Corporate Strategy, Innovation Tools, Best Buy Health, Business Development, Innovation Leadership, Change Logic, Healthcare Innovation, Digital Health, Startup Scaling, Entrepreneurship, Business Growth, Market Strategy, Innovation Mapping, Corporate Transformation   Find Christine here: Find Wazoku here:

Episode 127 with Elizabeth Rossiello, who is the CEO and founder of AZA Finance, an established provider of currency trading solutions that accelerate global access to frontier markets through innovative infrastructure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology in its flagship products, TransferZero and BFX, AZA is able to significantly lower the cost and increase the speed of business payments to and from frontier markets.AZA is now a market maker in every major African currency and facilitates payments into G20 currencies directly. Elizabeth expanded the company from Nairobi, Kenya, to operations in 20 markets across Africa and Europe. What We Discuss With ElizabethHow has the payment infrastructure in Africa evolved since AZA Finance's inception in 2013?What role has technology played in lowering costs and increasing the speed of your payments process?Could you elaborate on AZA Finance's role as a market maker in major African currencies and how it impacts the facilitation of business payments to and from these markets?How did you navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across the African continent to establish AZA's presence in 20 markets?How important has it been to address talent challenges within the payments space, particularly in retaining top talent in order to grow and expand the company?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How the Africa Oxford Initiative is Supporting African Research and Innovation Ecosystems? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Elizabeth  on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Rossiello, and Twitter (X) @e_rossiello Do you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group. Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk

Jim Joyce and I are trying to stay consistent with #TheShot of Digital Health Therapy" though life gets in the way! Nonetheless, here we are... a day late with the upload but we know it was worth the wait as we get into deep convo with Stephen Konya, Senior Advisor to the Deputy National Coordinator at Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) From his early days in the Marine Corps to building innovation ecosystems at local and federal levels, Stephen's journey is nothing short of inspiring:

Episode 126 with Anne Makena, who is Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) is a cross-university platform for academic and research collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions.The Initiative aims to support the work of universities and research institutions across Africa and to facilitate the development of equitable and extensive collaborations between Oxford and African institutions.What We Discuss With AnneWhat are the specific mechanisms AfOx utilises to facilitate collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions?What are the challenges faced by African researchers and institutions when cooperating with international initiatives? How does AfOx ensure equitable participation and benefit-sharing in collaborative research projects?What role can private capital play in advancing research and development efforts in Africa?How important are research collaborations in driving economic development in Africa?Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using the Best of Tech and Human Touch to Solve Human Capital Challenges for Businesses in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamuConnect with Anne  on LinkedIn at Anne Makena, and Twitter (X) @Kesh_AnneDo you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group. Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk

Hanae is an impact tech entrepreneur and certified international project manager with 10 years of overall professional experience, including 5 years in social impact stewardship at a multi-award non-profit and 2 years of operational stewardship at a high growth tech startup. She developed a fluency across borders and sectors with an understanding of how different sectors (governments and international development institutions, civil society, business, and finance) impact systems-change, both locally and globally. Her areas of interest and expertise are at the intersection of technology, sustainability, inclusion, entrepreneurship and international development. Hanae is the founder of Douar Tech, an inclusive tech hub that helps build the resilience of vulnerable youth, especially women, from precarious backgrounds in rural and peri-urban areas, empowering them with digital skills. She recently helped define the strategy of the pan-African organization Smart Africa for Startups and Innovation Ecosystems on the continent, to support member countries to create favorable conditions for startups. Buy her book at my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4aBI1Ie Connect with Hanae Bezad online: https://beehane.org/ https://www.instagram.com/beehane For more information on how you can Own Your Awkward with Andy Vargo, check out https://www.awkwardcareer.com/ #podcast #awkward #ownyourawkward #acceptance #authentiicity #motivation #inspiration #coach #connection #energy #positive #technology #tech #inclusion #inclusivity #other --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/own-your-awkward/support

Hanae is an impact tech entrepreneur and certified international project manager with 10 years of overall professional experience, including 5 years in social impact stewardship at a multi-award non-profit and 2 years of operational stewardship at a high growth tech startup. She developed a fluency across borders and sectors with an understanding of how different sectors (governments and international development institutions, civil society, business, and finance) impact systems-change, both locally and globally. Her areas of interest and expertise are at the intersection of technology, sustainability, inclusion, entrepreneurship and international development. Hanae is the founder of Douar Tech, an inclusive tech hub that helps build the resilience of vulnerable youth, especially women, from precarious backgrounds in rural and peri-urban areas, empowering them with digital skills. She recently helped define the strategy of the pan-African organization Smart Africa for Startups and Innovation Ecosystems on the continent, to support member countries to create favorable conditions for startups. Buy her book at my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4aBI1Ie Connect with Hanae Bezad online: https://beehane.org/ https://www.instagram.com/beehane For more information on how you can Own Your Awkward with Andy Vargo, check out https://www.awkwardcareer.com/ #podcast #awkward #ownyourawkward #acceptance #authentiicity #motivation #inspiration #coach #connection #energy #positive #technology #tech #inclusion #inclusivity #other --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/own-your-awkward/support

This episode of the Corporate Explorer series features a discussion with Bea Schofield, a specialist in Challenge-Driven Innovation (CDI), and various co-authors of the 'Corporate Explorer Field Book'. The podcast, supported by Wazoku, delves into how large organisations can foster innovation through a sustainable ecosystem using 'Connected Collective Intelligence'. The conversation focuses on the principles of CDI, detailing a framework dubbed 'LASSO' for crafting effective challenges that stimulate creative solutions. It underscores the importance of setting clear boundaries to fuel creativity, ensuring challenges are actionable and specific, and aligning them with strategic goals to facilitate ownership and support within the organisation. The episode also covers strategic challenge framing, stakeholder engagement, solution evaluation, and prioritisation, offering insights into blending creativity with systematic processes for corporate innovation. Bea Schofield shares her perspective on the role of corporate innovators and the necessity of balancing ideation with execution to drive meaningful organisational change.  00:00 Welcome to the Corporate Explorer Series: Launching the Field Book 00:15 Introducing Wazoku: Powering Sustainable Innovation 01:07 Diving Into the World of CDI with Bea Schofield 03:59 Exploring the LASSO Framework for Effective Challenges 07:44 The Importance of Support and Ownership in Innovation 17:19 Navigating Corporate Innovation: Strategies and Tools 20:41 Selecting the Right Channels for Innovation Challenges 21:58 Wrapping Up and Where to Find Bea Schofield Corporate Explorer Series, Innovation Ecosystems, CDI (Challenge Driven Innovation), Connected Collective Intelligence, Ideation Process, Challenge Design, LASSO Framework, Problem Solving,  Collaboration,  Corporate Innovation

In this episode of GeoTech Wars, Kirti is joined by Dr. Sujai Shivakumar, director of the Renewing American Innovation Project at CSIS. Their conversation explores how a robust manufacturing sector is essential for spurring innovation and how the United States can reshore manufacturing.

To flourish, innovation hubs need the right combination of talent, tech, funding, and market access. Rob and Jackie sat down with Jessica Corrigan, the director of M&T's Tech Academy, to discuss how smaller regions can become powerful innovation ecosystems.MentionedRobert D. Atkinson, “Comments to the Commerce Department Regarding Implementation of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program,” (ITIF, March 2023).RelatedMatt Ashare, “At M&T Bank, modernization and talent strategies intersect in the cloud,” (CIO Dive, June 2023).Robert D. Atkinson, “Understanding the U.S. National Innovation System, 2020,” (ITIF, November 2023).

Episode 73. Julio de Unamuno IV is the Founder & CEO of LabFellows and Executive Director of HomeLab, the biotech accelerator at UC San Diego's Center for Novel Therapeutics. He did his undergrad in Biochemistry at the University of San Diego and an MBA at the UC San Diego, Rady School of Management. 

In this episode, learn about Prairies Economic Development Canada, the federal government's boots on the ground in the prairies, from Derek Armstrong, Manager of Innovation Ecosystems. Derek explains how they operate as a funding agency to support the innovation around us. By helping to grow, scale and diversify the economy, Derek has plenty of valuable insights into the ecosystem and our challenges and opportunities.Derek and his team of five spend plenty of time in the sectors that matter in the Prairies, from CleanTech and energy transition to AGtech and life sciences. His goal is to understand how to best invest in and support entrepreneurs and SMEs and this episode will inform you how they do it. Whether you're growing, scaling or thinking about your next move, this episode will remind you there are plenty of organizations in your corner with the investment capital to help you succeed. Derek highlights how Prairies Economic Development has been at the forefront of fields like hydrogen and how de-risking projects means more individuals have a willingness to be ‘first' and take bold risks.

When we think about IP systems, we often think of national or regional IP Offices (IPOs) and policies. Yet, IPOs heavily defer to, rely on, and follow the tracks of the World IP Organization, which remain the highest authority when it comes to developing balanced and effective IP systems supporting innovation and creativity. Cooperating closely with IPOs, over the last couple of years the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) has participated in the discussions and policymaking to address most of the recent and new challenges felt by IPOs – think pandemic, export control issues, supply chain disruption, and markets turmoil – and developed tools, programs, task forces, to support IPOs efforts and more importantly IP protection and innovation through these unprecedented times. How does WIPO envision its mission in 2023? What sort of initiatives does the organization carry out to ensure they stay in tune with innovators, businesses big and small, and the market at large? How much of a transformative force is WIPO for the IP world today?  To discuss WIPO's actions and priorities, our first guest is Marco Alemán, whose role is Assistant Director General IP and Innovation Ecosystems at WIPO, which he joined in 1999. During over 20 years at WIPO, Marco Alemán assumed several key roles including Director of the Patent Law Division. Prior to joining WIPO, Marco headed the Colombian Industrial Property Office. Our second guest is Lisa Jorgenson, who has been Deputy DG Patents & Tech at WIPO for 2 years. Over the past 30 years, Lisa has served in a variety of legal positions, including Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and Group Vice President, Intellectual Property and Licensing, of STMicroelectronics, where she spent over 24 years.Brand & New is a production of the International Trademark AssociationHosted by Audrey Dauvet - Contribution of M. Halle & S. Lagedamond - Music by JD BeatsFOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT INTA.ORGTo go further: About Lisa Jorgenson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-jorgenson/About Marco M. Alemán: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-m-alemán/Also of interest:https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/frontier_technologies/news/2022/news_0001.htmlhttps://www.who.int/news/item/10-11-2022-who--wipo--wto-to-hold-technical-symposium-on-response--preparedness-to-future-pandemicshttps://www.wipo.int/en/green-technology-book/https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3a24ca2a-7ba9-430c-a107-f3a91fe1cf50

Episode 56 and we are excited to welcome Axel Deniz to the show. Axel has extensive experience building digital products and has led numerous digital innovation projects with large multinationals. Currently, he is Director for Corporate Development & Innovation at PwC, leading open innovation strategy & corporate venturing. Tune in when Axel talks about the resilience of business ecosystems, the role of external infrastructure, and how specific frameworks help to implement ecosystems in the firm daily.   We hope you enjoy this episode! You can find all show notes and links mentioned in the episode on our website   Chapters (0:48) Gerrit's introduction of Axel (2:20) Axel's journey from founder to consultancy  (07:00) Axel's first experiences when arriving at PwC (08:22) Shortage of talent in multinationals and local ecosystems (11:10) Convincing companies of the need for ecosystems  (15:38) Tools & frameworks for establishing an ecosystem firm on a daily basis (20:25) The role of regulatory infrastructure in fostering business ecosystems (28:55) Needed change of mindsets in ecosystems players regarding industry transformation (37:25) Gerrit's take on future industries and diversifying (38:40) What is the motivation for adapting the long-term focus of a company? Fear vs. opportunity (43:43) How do ecosystems deal with current geopolitical challenges? (48:30) Axel's motivation to do academic research (50:40) Axel shares his advice for young entrepreneurs & innovators (53:13) Book recommendation (55:55) Axel's recommendations for podcasts and books

In episode 48 of the Most Awesome Founder Podcast, we introduce Ron Adner, Professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He is one of world's leading thinkers and an award-winning researcher. he is also an advisor to companies around the world and the founder of the Strategy Insight Group. In this episode, Ron shares his research and experience with us on innovation ecosystems and throws light on how today's businesses need to approach value creation to build great ecosystems around their business. He argues how ecosystem-based strategies have alignment at the core and how today's leaders need to have a coalition-first approach. He also throws light on the concept of minimal viable ecosystems and how today's startups especially need to pay more attention to their ecosystem dynamics to increase their chances of success. You can access all the chapters discussed in the episode as well as other amazing literature at ronadner.com. Hope you enjoy listening to the episode as much as we did producing it. Chapters: (00:49) Intro of Ron Adner (02:43) Ron Adner's story and journey (06:56) Are there examples out there where execution was great but ecosystems were not ready for the innovation? (10:46) What is an innovation ecosystem? (16:31) How should managers approach alignment-based strategies? (20:02) What kind of businesses should adopt an innovation ecosystem approach? (26:21) How should one use ecosystem tools and frameworks for their startup? (27:42) What is a minimum viable ecosystem? (32:50) Did any business successfully execute ecosystem carryover? (37:54) The concept of Egosystem (41:02) Ron's thoughts on Meta's metaverse moves. Is it an egosystem? (46:27) Are these tools relevant for the real world of building startups? (49:26) The ecosystem strategy and importance of tools (56:16) How companies can defend their position using the ecosystem approach? (64:27) What advice would Ron give to the next generation of entrepreneurs? (69:23) Ron's book recommendations (71:10) What's cycling on Ron's playlist?

677: In this interview, Teddy Bekele, SVP & CTO of Land O'Lakes, and Ryan Snyder, SVP & CIO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, discuss how innovation ecosystems act as a source of growth for their respective companies. Teddy describes what Land O'Lakes's innovation ecosystem looks like, IT's role within it, and how those ecosystems interact. Ryan then talks about how he connects the dots across the business and influences innovation and why he believes single-instance tech applications are the right move for Thermo Fisher instead of firm-wide consolidation. Finally, Teddy and Ryan speak about how they interact with C-suite peers to work with these ecosystems and drive broader innovation across the company.

677: In this interview, Teddy Bekele, SVP & CTO of Land O'Lakes, and Ryan Snyder, SVP & CIO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, discuss how innovation ecosystems act as a source of growth for their respective companies. Teddy describes what Land O'Lakes's innovation ecosystem looks like, IT's role within it, and how those ecosystems interact. Ryan then talks about how he connects the dots across the business and influences innovation and why he believes single-instance tech applications are the right move for Thermo Fisher instead of firm-wide consolidation. Finally, Teddy and Ryan speak about how they interact with C-suite peers to work with these ecosystems and drive broader innovation across the company.

In this episode, Dr. Ramanathan discusses best practices in Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and Academic partnerships, alliance management, and innovation.

Enjoy this podcast episode Where Christian and Jennifer speak about: How to build innovation ecosystems or clusters that lead to a sustainable growth Who is Jennifer Wilde? Jenny is currently serving as Managing Director at Innovation Ecosystem, an organisation offering practical tools and support to deliver a step change in innovation effectiveness. A leader in System Innovation, they enable organisations to solve challenging problems, and find the right solutions to build high impact change. Are the questions you need answered in future episodes? Suggest topics for future podcast episodes: https://meetchrisbartsch.com/how-you-can-suggest-a-podcast-topic-for-the-growth-zone-show/ Are you looking to achieve true market innovation? If you are a tech founder you will have realised that developing a perfect market is a long journey. A product idea alone does not make a valuable investment. Investors expect to see a proof or concept and market fit. A new product that tackles an untouched market segment needs time to build a revenue growth curve. "Know what to do - when and how. The why will lead you to your destination", Christian Bartsch. According to Christian, that companies are most successful when they understand why and how to implement a strategy. To be consistent you must know the "where" of your organisational journey. Christian is passionate about technology driven business models and enjoys conversations with company leaders who are willing to put in the effort to build a sustainable business driven by an effective purpose. That is why he is a board member of tech companies and advises corporate leaders in multiple countries. He guides the CEOs along the the necessary steps. You need to know what to do when and how. 

556: In this interview, Angela Yochem, the executive vice president and Chief Transformation & Digital Officer at Novant Health, and George Llado, the senior vice president and chief information officer of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, focus on the power of ecosystems. Angela discusses the importance of leveraging ecosystems to drive innovation at scale, and she shares the story of how Novant Health formed an “unconventional partnership” with Stewart-Haas to build ICU carts for overrun hospitals. Meanwhile, George discusses Alexion's strategy of cultivating relationships with startups and venture capital firms to accelerate innovation, as well as his approach to strategic planning.