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"Can't Be Done"

Technology Podcasts

Join Boost VC’s Founder & Managing Director Adam Draper, to learn about emerging technology from leading figures in the industry. Each episode we interview founders and investors to explore topics like startup strategy and venture capital, as well as incredible technology like bitcoin, virtual reality, AI, exoskeletons, drones, space and more.

Location:

United States

Description:

Join Boost VC’s Founder & Managing Director Adam Draper, to learn about emerging technology from leading figures in the industry. Each episode we interview founders and investors to explore topics like startup strategy and venture capital, as well as incredible technology like bitcoin, virtual reality, AI, exoskeletons, drones, space and more.

Twitter:

@BoostVC

Language:

English


Episodes
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Max Haot - Mission for Infinite Humanity

6/17/2025
Join Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with Max Haot, CEO of Vast. Max shares his wild ride from Livestream founder to launching a space startup acquired by Vast. They explore his vision for humanity in space, from private stations to cosmic bathrooms. Expect deep insights, big dreams, and a lot of laughs in this inspiring, future-focused episode on tech, space, and what it all means for us. Max is an aerospace, consumer electronics, and internet entrepreneur. Founded, scaled, and successfully sold four companies including Launcher (acquired by Vast), Mevo (acquired by Logitech), and Livestream (acquired by IAC/Vimeo). Connect with Max Haot Company website https://www.vastspace.com/ Vast Space on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/vastspace/ Vast Space on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vastspacestation/ Vast Space on X https://x.com/vast Max on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaot/ Max on X https://x.com/maxhaot Connect with Boost VC Boost VC https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=true Boost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en

Duration:00:43:57

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James Sinka - We Can Save Ourselves

4/3/2025
Join Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with James Sinka, Chief Scientific Officer at BIO Protocol. They dive into sci-fi novels, leadership, and the challenges Sinka faced on his journey. Beyond personal insights, they explore DeSci, the crucial role of scientists, and how researchers can secure financial rewards alongside recognition for groundbreaking work. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation on science, motivation, and innovation! Science Lead @ Bio.xyz - YCW19 Alum, repeat founder, and chemist. Connect with James Sinka Bio Protocol https://www.bio.xyz/ Bio Protocol on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bioprotocol/ Bio Protocol on X https://x.com/bioprotocol James on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessinka/ James on X https://x.com/jamessinka Connect with Boost VC Boost VC https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=true Boost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en

Duration:00:44:00

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Andrew Bakst - "Cure hair loss, obviously"

3/25/2025
Adam Draper, Founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, sits down with Andrew Bakst, Co-Founder of HairDAO, to explore how decentralized research is transforming hair loss treatments. They discuss HairDAO’s mission as an open-source R&D network, the role of crypto in reshaping technology, and why DAOs are redefining scientific funding. Plus, they dive into changing perceptions of hair loss and the flaws in traditional testing models. "The answer to life is in your hair follicles.” - Douglas Adams Co-founder/Chief Technocrat of HairDAO; MechE turned BioE; Stanford 2018. Connect with Andrew Bakst HairDAO https://www.hairdao.xyz/ HairDAO on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/hairdao/ HairDAO on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hairdao/ HairDAO on X https://x.com/HairDAO_?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor HairDAO on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hairdao?lang=en Andrew on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-bakst-78b21b100/ Andrew on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/apballer4/?hl=en Andrew on X https://x.com/andrew_bakst Andrew on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewbakst242?lang=en Connect with Boost VC Boost VC https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=true Boost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en

Duration:00:41:37

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Patrick Joyce - "Nullius in verba"

3/18/2025
Join Adam Draper, Founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with Patrick Joyce, Co-Founder of ResearchHub. They dive into the challenges of modern science, the DeSci movement, and how ResearchHub is transforming funding for researchers. Joyce shares insights on “shorting academia” and reimagining the scientific process. This conversation is a must-watch for anyone passionate about the future of research and innovation. Patrick is a former PhD and medical student who dropped out of two separate academic institutions because of the broken incentives that govern the global economy for scientific research. He cofounded ResearchHub to accelerate science by building a modern venue for the decentralized publication of scholarly literature that leverages cryptocurrency rewards to align incentives and increase knowledge creation. Connect with Patrick Joyce Research Hub https://www.researchhub.com/ Research Hub on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/researchhubtechnologies/ Research Hub on X https://x.com/ResearchHub Patrick on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-joyce-396b953b/ Patrick on X https://x.com/joycesticks Connect with Boost VC Boost VC https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=true Boost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en

Duration:00:42:37

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Jordan Kutzer - Overcoming Rejection, Visceral Virtual Connections, and VR as a Car for the Internet

12/10/2024
Join Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Jordan Kutzer, founder of Throwback Studios, about how Jordan correlates the competitive nature of starting a company to baseball, especially regarding his mission to become the biggest VR brand and media company in the world. During this high velocity discussion, Jordan details the overcoming of multiple rejections, "coaching" customers, building visceral relationships in VR, and his inherent instinct to win. Tune in for key insights into the world of VR! Jordan holds a Stanford University B.A. in Science, Technology & Society with a concentration in Information Technology, Media and Society (2015). Former Stanford Student-Athlete and Pitcher. Working to empower the next generation of game creators. Connect with Jordan Kutzer Throwback Studios https://throwback.studio/ Throwback Studios on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/throwbackvr/ Throwback Studios on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/throwback.vr/ Throwback Studios on X https://x.com/throwbackvr Throwback Studios on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@throwbackvr Jordan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordankutzer/ Jordan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jordankutzer/?hl=en Jordan on X https://x.com/jordankutzer Jordan on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jordankutzer Connect with Boost VC Boost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc

Duration:00:48:30

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Sampriti Bhattacharyya - An Awakening, Flying Boats, and Maritime Dynamism

12/3/2024
Join Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Sampriti Bhattacharyya, founder of Navier. She shares her journey from a small city in India to building a next-gen maritime company in the U.S. From sun-tracking solar panels to dodging marriage and surviving a landslide, Sampriti’s story is one of overcoming challenges. She highlights the value of exceptional people, persistence through failures, and her mission to transform the future of waterways. Tune in for an inspiring episode! Sampriti is a 3x founder and the CEO of Navier, a pioneering company at the forefront of innovation in sustainable, maritime transportation. Sampriti's journey began with a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after completing projects with NASA. Her academic pursuits span diverse fields including Electrical Engineering, High Energy Physics, Aerospace Engineering, MechE/Robotics/Control & AI. Driven by a passion for tackling fundamental technological challenges with global implications, Sampriti thrives on creating products that push the boundaries of exploration and discovery. Her work reflects a deep-seated commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to address pressing societal needs and unlock new frontiers of possibility. Connect with Sampriti Bhattacharyya Navier https://www.navierboat.com/ Navier on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/navierboat/ Navier on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/navierboat/?hl=en Navier on X https://x.com/navierboat Sampriti on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampriti-bhattacharyya-40368a3/ Sampriti on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sampriti_bh/?hl=en Sampriti on X https://x.com/sampritibh?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Connect with Boost VC Boost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc

Duration:00:49:09

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AJ Forsythe - from 2000lb Crystals, to Cracked iPhones, to Chickens on Mars

11/26/2024
Join Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with AJ Forsythe, founder of Coop, about his not-so-illustrious journey as a founder, and the rewarding yet challenging components of building companies. Discover how AJ’s journey evolved from his first steps building iCracked to his ambitious mission of putting chickens on Mars. Adam and AJ reflect on the nature of entrepreneurship and the importance of seizing life's fleeting moments. Tune in for another fun episode filled with shark diving, fossils, and more! AJ is going to put chickens on mars. He’s a serial entrepreneur and absolutely loves the startup life (mainly because he’s probably unemployable 😂). In college he founded YC-backed iCracked which was a multinational on-demand phone repair and insurance company that grew to 6 countries and a few thousand technicians. They were acquired by Allstate in 2019 and now he’s running Boost VC backed company, Coop, which builds AI powered chicken coops for anyone’s backyard. AJ has been recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list , was #23 on INC 5000, and continues to innovate at the intersection of agriculture and tech – and wakes up with a smile everyday because he’s building his dream company. Connect with AJ Forsythe Coop https://smart.coop.farm/ Coop on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/coop-inc/ Coop on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesmartcoop/ Coop on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thesmartcoop Coop on X https://x.com/thesmartcoop AJ on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajforsythe/ AJ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aj__forsythe/ AJ on X https://x.com/spudzeee Connect with Boost VC Boost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc

Duration:00:49:08

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Collin West - Rowing across the Arctic, Near Death Experiences, and Venture Capital

11/12/2024
Join Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Collin West, founder of Ensemble VC, about his incredible journey rowing across the Arctic Ocean and how it changed his approach to decision-making and team management. Learn how this experience influences Ensemble’s data-driven approach to assessing startups. Adam and Collin dive into the evolution of venture capital and reflect on their near-death experiences. Tune in for laughs, insights, and a fresh perspective on adventure and opportunity in VC! Collin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ensemble VC, which focuses on using data to identify top teams building companies that can impact a billion people. Collin is also a Guinness World Record holder for leading the first-ever crossing of the Arctic Ocean. His team of four rowed non-stop and unsupported for 41 days through the biggest storm season in Arctic history - this is where he learned just how important a great team is pursuing a mission that's never been done before. Collin's prior investments include Zoom Video (NASDAQ: ZM), Carta, Groww, ICON, Saronic, Sidecar Health, and many others. Previously, Collin was a founder of the Kauffman Fellows VC fund and on the founding fund team at the pioneering data-driven VC firm Correlation Ventures. An avid competitor, Collin spends his free time training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mountain biking, and climbing mountains. Connect with Collin West Ensemble VC https://www.ensemble.vc/home/#ensemble Ensemble VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ensemblevc/ Collin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/collinwest/ Collin on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/collinrwest/?hl=en Connect with Boost VC Boost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc

Duration:00:46:39

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Bringing Scientific Expertise to the VC Market—with Arkady Kulik of RPV

9/12/2023
According to a BCG report, only 19% of VCs have some kind of scientific or technological competence. And that creates a translation problem between deep tech founders and investors. To close that gap, Arkady Kulik and his cofounder, Tamaz Khunjua, built RPV, a venture fund that brings scientific expertise to the market and helps scientists become strong entrepreneurs. On this episode of The Boost VC Podcast, Arkady joins us to explain how the RPV team’s extensive background in science and entrepreneurship serves deep tech startups. Arkady describes how starting a venture fund differs from founding other companies and shares his excitement around ‘being at the edge of science’ as a frontier tech VC. Listen in for Arkady’s unique take on what it means to be useful to others and learn how RPV is working to make talented scientists billionaires! Topics Covered The idea behind RPV How Arkady got into venture capital Arkady’s biggest accomplishment before age 20 How starting a venture fund differs from starting other companies What part of being a VC Arkady enjoys the most The secret skills Arkady is most proud of How Arkady thinks about being useful to others The most valuable thing RPV provides for deep tech startups Arkady’s ‘deathbed test’ to measure success Connect with Arkady Kulik RPV https://rpv.global/ RPV on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/rpvglobal/ Arkady on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arkady-kulik/ Arkady on X https://twitter.com/arkadykulik Resources Starburst Aerospace https://starburst.aero/ Cantos VC https://cantos.vc/ Countdown https://countdown.capital/ Fifty Years https://fiftyyears.com/ Productivity Planner https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/productivity-planner Terraforming Mars https://www.fryxgames.se/games/terraforming-mars/ Breakfast with Pops: A Venture Capital Handbook by Adam Draper and William H. Draper III https://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Pops-Venture-Capital-Handbook/dp/B0C1JHXTQF Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on X https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:42:02

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DeepTech Series Ep # 4: Betting on Mission-Driven Deep Tech—with Maryanna Saenko of Future Ventures

6/12/2023
If a VC is excited about a deep tech company upfront, what can we do to temper our enthusiasm and make a rational decision on whether to invest? Maryanna Saenko is Cofounder and Partner at Future Ventures, an early-stage VC firm that focuses on mission-driven companies at the cutting edge of disruptive technology. Future Ventures looks to back visionaries who push the boundaries of possibility. Some of their recent investments include Beeflow, Deep Genomics and Earthshot Labs. On this episode of Boost VC, Maryanna joins us to share her definition of deep tech, describing how Future Ventures looks for opportunities ‘unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.’ Maryanna offers her take on why the two-person structure of a venture firm is ideal and discusses some of the deep tech deals she wishes she’d been closer to. Listen in for Maryanna’s insight on building organizations around big shifts in science or technology and learn her process for dialing down the excitement after a pitch to decide whether her YES will hold. Topics Covered Maryanna’s biggest accomplishments before age 20 How Maryanna got into venture capital The most important lessons Maryanna has learned as a VC How Maryanna defines deep tech What Maryanna does when she’s all-in on a company right away Why Maryanna prefers the two-person structure in venture Maryanna’s superpowers as a venture investor What deals Maryanna wishes she had been closer to Maryanna’s definition of success Connect with Maryanna Saenko Future Ventures https://future.ventures/ Future on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FutureVenturesVC Future on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/future.ventures/ Future on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureventures/ Maryanna on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryannasaenko/ Maryanna on Twitter https://twitter.com/FutureSaenko Resources Lux Research https://www.luxresearchinc.com/ DARPA Grand Challenge https://www.darpa.mil/about-us/timeline/-grand-challenge-for-autonomous-vehicles Airbus BizLab https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/innovation-ecosystem/airbus-bizlab Beeflow https://www.beeflow.com/ Decoding the World by Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-World-Questioner-Po-Bronson/dp/1538734311 Redwood Materials https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/ American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin https://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-audiobook/dp/B000OZ0J0W/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:50:27

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DeepTech Series Ep # 3: What to Look for in a Deep Tech Founder—with Greg Castle of Anorak Ventures

6/5/2023
Deep tech founders are either technically gifted or great at building a business. But it's seldom both, at least in the beginning. So, what should venture investors pay attention to when we’re choosing founders in these disruptive technologies? Greg Castle is Founder and Managing Director at Anorak Ventures, a firm that invests in early-stage deep tech startups. An entrepreneur and corporate marketer turned VC, Greg has invested in 120 companies, including Oculus, Flexport and Mux. On this episode of Boost VC, Greg joins us to explore how his view of venture investing has changed since he wrote his first check, explaining what he looks for in a founder and how he evaluates deep tech startups differently. Greg shares his mixed feelings about the VR market right now and how he benefits from having a partner to engage in conviction-based decision-making. Listen in for Greg’s advice on where to deploy capital in deep tech and learn how Anorak chooses founders who apply disruptive technologies to business problems in any industry. Topics Covered How Greg got into venture capital The most important lessons Greg has learned as a VC What Greg pays attention to when he’s choosing founders The questions Greg asks himself before he invests in a startup How Greg evaluates deep tech companies differently Greg’s mixed feelings about the VR market right now Greg’s thoughts on Apple entering the VR/AR market The Anorak investment thesis Greg’s advice on where to deploy capital in deep tech How Greg thinks about scale in venture investing How Greg benefits from taking on a partner Greg’s biggest accomplishments before age 20 Greg’s definition of success Connect with Greg Castle Anorak Ventures https://www.anorak.vc/ Anorak on Medium https://anorakvc.medium.com/ Anorak on Twitter https://twitter.com/AnorakVentures Anorak on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/anorak-ventures/ Greg on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycastle/ Greg on Twitter https://twitter.com/gpcastle12 Resources Greg Castle on Boost VC EP001 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PyO3LpZD9Q Greg Castle on Boost VC EP089 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qYRcDMoemjrMHDxKONu4A Oculus https://www.meta.com/quest/ GOLF+ https://www.golfplusvr.com/ FitXR https://fitxr.com/ Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman https://www.amazon.com/Neverwhere-Novel-Neil-Gaiman-ebook/dp/B000FC130E Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Crash-Novel-Neal-Stephenson-ebook/dp/B000FBJCJE/ Hyperion by Dan Simmons https://www.amazon.com/Hyperion-Cantos-Book-1-ebook/dp/B004G60EHS/ Neuromancer by William Gibson https://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-Sprawl-Trilogy-William-Gibson-ebook/dp/B000O76ON6/ Breakfast with Pops: A Venture Capital Handbook by Adam Draper & William Henry Draper, III https://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Pops-Venture-Capital-Handbook/dp/B0C1JHXTQF ‘Perception Is Reality’ Presentation https://www.anorak.vc/post/perception-is-reality-8-startup-marketing-principles Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:45:22

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DeepTech Series Ep # 2: Thesis Development for Deep Tech—with Seth Winterroth of Eclipse Ventures

5/21/2023
How does a venture firm approach investments in deep technology? Seth Winterroth is Partner at Eclipse Ventures, a VC firm that partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build companies that redefine physical industries. Seth has nine years of experience in venture capital, serving as Associate at GE Ventures before he joined the team at Eclipse. On this episode of Boost VC, Seth joins us to explore how Eclipse thinks about investing in emerging technologies, explaining how the team engages with customers and leverages internal expertise to identify high-magnitude market opportunities. Seth shares his interest in robotics, discussing why the acquisition of Kiva Systems sparked his interest in this particular deep tech field and how he identified the opportunity to invest in 6 River Systems—the first deal he led at Eclipse. Listen in for Seth’s advice to young VCs on cultivating patience and responding to chaos with calm, engaging with founders in a way that’s rational and devoid of fear. Topics Covered The thesis at Eclipse Ventures How Seth thinks about investing in emerging technology What gets Seth excited about robotics The success of Seth’s first investment at Eclipse, 6 River Systems How Seth identified the opportunity to invest in 6 River Systems Eclipse’s institutional process of thesis development Eclipse’s internal venture equity program What Eclipse does to win deals The part of a deal Seth is most excited about What Seth would tell his 25-year-old self What differentiates Eclipse from other venture firms Seth’s biggest accomplishments before age 20 Connect with Seth Winterroth Eclipse Ventures https://eclipse.vc/ Eclipse on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/eclipse-vc/ Eclipse on Twitter https://twitter.com/eclipseventures Seth on Twitter https://twitter.com/Sethwinterroth Seth on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethwinterroth/ Resources Kiva Systems Acquisition https://techcrunch.com/2012/03/19/amazon-acquires-online-fulfillment-company-kiva-systems-for-775-million-in-cash/ Willow Garage https://www.businessinsider.com/a-look-back-at-willow-garage-2016-2 DARPA Grand Challenge https://www.darpa.mil/about-us/timeline/-grand-challenge-for-autonomous-vehicles 6 River Systems https://6river.com/ Bright Machines https://www.brightmachines.com/ BrightInsight https://brightinsight.com/ Foxglove Studio https://foxglove.dev/ Kevin Kelly’s Blog ‘You Are Not Late’ https://medium.com/message/you-are-not-late-b3d76f963142 Richard Hamming’s Talk ‘You and Your Research’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1zDuOPkMSw Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin https://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0743270754 Lincoln https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:43:53

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DeepTech Series Ep # 1: Making Global-Scale Impact Through Deep Tech—with Ian Rountree of Cantos

5/15/2023
What inspires a venture firm to focus on deep tech? Ian Rountree is Founder and General Partner at Cantos, a venture fund that invests in potentially world-changing deep tech startups. Cantos focuses on hardware and bio investing at the intersection of climate and industrials, life sciences and AI, aerospace and defense, and next-generation computing. On this episode of Boost VC, Ian joins us to share his definition of deep tech and explain why he underwrites technical risk rather than market risk. Ian discusses the value of founder empathy, challenging VCs to see the entrepreneur as their customer and LPs as shareholders in the portfolio. Listen in to understand what drives Ian to make a global-scale impact, backing founders who tackle climate change, disease, armed conflict, poverty and existential risk. Topics Covered Ian’s biggest accomplishment before age 20 Ian’s take on who is the customer in venture capital What inspired Ian to focus on deep tech How losing his father early informs Ian’s work The criteria Ian uses to decide if a startup is ‘important’ How Ian defines deep tech How Ian thinks about growing the Cantos organization What’s behind Benchmark’s equal partnership structure Why a deep tech VC doesn’t need to be technical What differentiates software investing from deep tech Ian’s diligence criteria Connect with Ian Rountree Cantos https://cantos.vc/ Cantos on Twitter https://twitter.com/cantos Ian on Twitter https://twitter.com/ianrountree Ian on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianrountree/ Near Frontier Podcast https://nearfrontier.castos.com/ Resources Fred Wilson’s Blog ‘The VC’s Customer’ https://avc.com/2005/11/the_vcs_custome/ Fred Wilson’s Blog ‘The VC’s Customer (Continued)’ https://avc.com/2009/07/the-vcs-customer-continued/ Radiant https://www.radiantnuclear.com/ Tim Urban’s TED Talk on Procrastination https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator/c Benchmark https://www.benchmark.com/ eBoys: The First Inside Account of Venture Capitalists at Work by Randall E. Stross https://www.amazon.com/eBoys-Inside-Account-Venture-Capitalists/dp/0812930959 Benchmark Part I on the Acquired Podcast https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/benchmark-capital Benchmark Part II on the Acquired Podcast https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/benchmark-part-ii-the-dinner Union Square Ventures https://www.usv.com/ Cerebras https://www.cerebras.net/ Eric Vishria on Twitter https://twitter.com/ericvishria Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:41:09

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DeSci Ep # 7: How DeSci Bridges Academia and the Startup World—with Niklas Rindtorff of LabDAO

12/13/2022
Many independently minded, young scientists are too ambitious for academia… But the startup world isn’t quite right for them either. How might decentralized science provide a space for these innovators to do their work? Niklas Rindtorff is the classical scientist behind LabDAO, an online home for inventors that builds open tools for scientific research. Niklas coauthored his first paper before the age of 20, and he has expertise in CRISPR and cancer research. On this episode of Boost VC, Niklas joins us to explain how classical science emerged after World War II and explore the problems with the NIH grant funding process. Niklas shares his open-access approach to consuming scientific media and describes how DeSci is experimenting with different ways to measures the importance of new science. Listen in to understand how decentralized science can serve as the bridge between research organizations and science startups, building an ecosystem for inventors who don’t fit into the nonprofit or for-profit world. Topics Covered How Niklas defines science How World War II changed the way we do science How the importance of new science is determined How Niklas consumes scientific media What LabDAO does for scientists What inspired Niklas to build LabDAO The age distribution of NIH grant recipients How we might equalize the demographic of NIH winners How we might invest in a portfolio of science How LabDAO itself is funded The relationship between academia and DeSci Niklas’ definition of success Connect with Niklas RIndtorff LabDAO https://www.labdao.xyz/ LabDAO on Discord https://discord.com/invite/labdao LabDAO on GitHub https://github.com/labdao LabDAO on Snapshot https://snapshot.org/#/labdao.eth LabDAO on Medium https://medium.com/@labdao LabDAO on Twitter https://twitter.com/lab_dao Niklas on Twitter https://twitter.com/niklas_tr Resources Broad Institute https://www.broadinstitute.org/ ‘Science the Endless Frontier’ 1945 Report to Congress https://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/nsf50/vbush1945.htm National Institutes of Health https://www.nih.gov/ Public Library of Science https://plos.org/ bioRxiv https://www.biorxiv.org/ New Science https://newscience.org/ VitaDAO https://www.vitadao.com/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:38:02

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DeSci Ep # 6: Commercializing Science for Climate Solutions—with George Church & Ben Lamm of Colossal

11/29/2022
In academia, most scientists publish their ideas and stop there. But if we want our breakthroughs to benefit society, we have to take it a step further. So, what does it look like to commercialize scientific research? What mindset do academics need to work at the intersection of science and industry? Ben Lamm has a career of building successful deep tech businesses, and George Church has a career of commercializing academic science. Together, they are the cofounders of Colossal, a breakthrough bioscience and genetic engineering company that is pioneering animal de-extinction technology to restore lost ecosystems for a healthier planet. On this episode of Boost VC, Ben and George join us to explain how bringing back the woolly mammoth addresses climate change and explore their approach to the ethical concerns around de-extinction. They discuss the benefits of Colossal technology beyond Arctic rewilding, describing how their work helps endangered animals and promotes conservation. Listen in for Ben and George’s insight on commercializing science and learn how to get comfortable enough with risk to turn academic ideas into industry. Topics Covered How George defines science Why Ben & George are bringing back the woolly mammoth How Ben & George approach the ethical concerns re: de-extinction Why George works at the intersection of academia and industry Why Colossal needs government collaboration and support How woolly mammoths promote carbon removal The benefits of Colossal technology beyond Arctic rewilding How Ben & George think about commercializing science What makes Ben & George’s partnership work George’s advice to academics on commercializing products How Ben & George think about taking big risks The impact Ben & George hope to make with Colossal How Ben & George define success Connect with George Church & Ben Lamm Colossal https://colossal.com Colossal on Twitter https://twitter.com/ItIsColossal Colossal on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itiscolossal/ Colossal on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/itiscolossal/ George on Twitter https://twitter.com/geochurch Ben on Twitter https://twitter.com/federallamm Resources Citizen Science https://www.citizenscience.gov/# Personal Genome Project https://www.personalgenomes.org/ How to Grow (Almost) Anything https://www.media.mit.edu/courses/htgaa/ DIYbio https://diybio.org/ Church Lab https://arep.med.harvard.edu/ Hypergiant https://www.hypergiant.com/ Pleistocene Park https://pleistocenepark.ru/ Chris Mason Author Talk https://mitpress.mit.edu/blog/author-talk-the-next-500-years-by-christopher-e-mason/ Prehistoric Planet https://tv.apple.com/us/show/prehistoric-planet/umc.cmc.4lh4bmztauvkooqz400akxav Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:56:55

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DeSci Ep #5: An Investor’s Perspective on DeSci—with James Sinka of Orange DAO

11/9/2022
Why invest in decentralized science? James Sinka is a classically trained chemist and materials engineer and DeSci investor at Orange DAO, a fund for crypto projects supported by an alliance of Y Combinator alumni. On this episode of Boost VC, James joins us to discuss where he sees opportunities in DeSci, describing the benefit of publishing null results and how open science helps us get to the truth more quickly. James explains how the Orange Fund and Orange DAO work together to finance crypto projects and shares his advice to scientist-founders on generating your own luck through action. Listen in for James’ insight on the first use cases for decentralized science and learn how investing in DeSci can democratize access to research and help rebel scientist-entrepreneurs ship products in the real world! Topics Covered How James defines science What attracted James to DeSci How James got into crypto How Orange DAO works James’ advice for founders Where James sees opportunity in DeSci What’s wrong with academic science now How the Alzheimer’s fraud happened What inspires James to invest in DeSci James’ take on the first use case for DeSci James’ definition of success Connect with James Sinka Orange DAO https://www.orangedao.xyz/ Orange DAO on Discord https://discord.com/invite/DVncb7UxGB Orange DAO on Snapshot https://snapshot.org/#/orangedaoxyz.eth Orange DAO on Etherscan https://etherscan.io/token/0x1bBD79f1Ecb3f2cCC586A5E3A26eE1d1D2E1991f Orange DAO on OpenSea https://opensea.io/collection/alumni-gems Orange DAO on Twitter https://twitter.com/OrangeDAOxyz James on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamessinka Resources Through the Wormhole https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1513168/ Y Combinator https://www.ycombinator.com/ NEAR Protocol https://near.org/ Algorand https://www.algorand.com/ Blockchain Capital https://blockchain.capital/ The Memo by Howard Marks https://link.chtbl.com/thememobyhowardmarks Multicoin Capital https://multicoin.capital/ Solana https://solana.com/ Exploring Decentralized Science with Balaji Srinivasan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrcRI_hYDtQ Naval https://nav.al/ Brian Armstrong https://twitter.com/brian_armstrong Epsilon3 https://www.epsilon3.io/ Benchling https://www.benchling.com/ Amplitude https://amplitude.com/ Sci-Hub https://sci-hub.se/ Patrick Joyce on the Boost VC Podcast https://www.boost.vc/bvc/2022/08/04/desci-ep-2-addressing-the-misalignment-of-incentives-in-science DeSci Labs https://desci.com/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:01:08:06

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DeSci Ep #4: Decentralizing Drug Development—with Paul Kohlhaas & Tyler Golato of Molecule

9/8/2022
Under the current centralized system, drug development happens in silos. Pharmaceutical companies don’t share information. Scientists run the same failed experiments over and over again. And the process of bringing a drug to market typically takes ten-plus years. But Paul Kohlhaas and Tyler Golato are building a new way to do drug development. A system that allows for collaboration and dramatically increases the speed of breakthroughs in healthcare. CEO Paul and CSO Tyler are the Cofounders of Molecule, a decentralized biotech protocol that establishes a Web3 marketplace for research-related intellectual property. On this episode of Boost VC, Paul and Tyler join us to explain how their personal experiences with the failures of healthcare inspired their interest in changing the system. They discuss Molecule's end-to-end ecosystem for bringing drugs to market, describing how their IP-NFT both protects innovation and makes it more open, sharable and collaborative. Listen in for insight on Eroom's Law and learn how open science leads to enormous efficiency gains in the drug development process. Topics Covered How Paul & Tyler define science What inspired Paul & Tyler’s interest in science Paul & Tyler’s failed experiment with crowdfunding How Molecule has evolved since 2019 How to make scientists more open to sharing The power of Molecule’s IP-NFT framework The value prop for open science Jack Scannel’s naming of Eroom’s Law The goals for DeSci over the next decade How Paul & Tyler define success Connect with Paul Kohlhaas & Tyler Golato Molecule https://www.molecule.to/ Molecule on GitHub https://github.com/moleculeprotocol Molecule on Discord https://discord.com/invite/uAGW7K4hQU Molecule on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWYW5ho3L_d0EO_a619E7RQ Molecule on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/molecule-protocol Molecule on Twitter https://twitter.com/molecule_dao Paul on Twitter https://twitter.com/paulkhls Tyler on Twitter https://twitter.com/GolatoTyler Resources Linum Labs https://www.linumlabs.com/ Molecule’s Crowdfunding Experiment with the University of Toronto https://www.molecule.to/blog/psychedelics-on-the-blockchain NIH Grants and Funding https://www.nih.gov/grants-funding Simon de la Rouviere on Bonding Curves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k4M6QAW2pM Jack Scannell on Eroom’s Law https://refoundable.com/research/life-after-erooms-law-interview-with-jack-scannell.html Meme Lordz https://memelordz.io/ North American Association of Technology Transfer http://aim.autm.net/ Ray Kurzweil https://www.kurzweilai.net/ Peter Diamandis https://www.diamandis.com/ Abundance 360 https://www.abundance360.com/summit Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:54:49

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DeSci Ep #3: Why Scientists Are the Unappreciated Creator Class—with Jocelynn Pearl of LabDAO

8/15/2022
The internet has given content creators of all kinds a way to monetize their talents. Writers have Medium. Teachers and vloggers have YouTube. But scientists don’t have a platform to earn money for their research. That’s why Dr. Jocelynn Pearl calls scientists the ‘unappreciated creator class.’ And that’s why she’s working to further the DeSci movement, leveraging Web3 technology to enable breakthrough research through better incentives. A molecular and cellular biologist by training, Jocelynn serves as cofounder of LabDAO, a design marketplace for life science research, and host of The UltraRare Podcast, a show about the builders behind the decentralized science movement. On this episode of Boost VC, Jocelynn joins us to explain how DeSci solves for speed of translation and communicates science better than existing systems, exploring how the movement might specifically facilitate breakthroughs around rare disease. Jocelynn discusses how academia owns the best scientific minds without rewarding them appropriately and describes how DAOs offer alternatives to classic academic publishing and drug development. Listen in as Jocelynn makes the case that scientists are the unappreciated creator class and learn how access to the right advisors and capital can accelerate the decentralized science movement. Topics Covered How Jocelynn defines science How Jocelynn defines decentralized science What inspired Jocelynn’s interest in DeSci How DeSci might facilitate breakthroughs in rare disease Leveraging DeSci to incentivize scientific research Why Jocelynn sees scientists as the unappreciated creator class What needs to change for scientists to be appreciated creators How academia owns the best minds (without rewarding them) How CROs address the lab space shortage The challenges of establishing decentralized science What's stopping the DeSci space from accelerating faster Jocelynn’s definition of success Connect with Jocelynn Pearl Jocelynn’s Website https://www.jocelynnpearl.com/ LabDAO https://www.labdao.xyz/ LabDAO on Twitter https://twitter.com/lab_dao LabDAO on GitHub https://github.com/labdao LabDAO on Discord https://discord.com/invite/labdao UltraRare Podcast https://rss.com/podcasts/ultrarare/ Resources A Guide to Decentralized Biotech https://future.com/a-guide-to-decentralized-biotech/ The DeSci Wiki https://www.jocelynnpearl.com/ Molecule Protocol https://www.molecule.to/ Ben Hills https://twitter.com/0xboodle Vibe Bio https://www.vibebio.com/ Experiment.com https://experiment.com/ Arcadia Science https://www.arcadia.science/ Invisible College https://www.invisiblecollege.xyz/ Charles River Laboratories https://www.criver.com/ Cameron & Tyler Winklevoss on Boost VC EP102 https://podbay.fm/p/the-boost-vc-podcast/e/1606903200 Manhattan Project https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/the-manhattan-project Thiel Fellowship http://www.thielfellowship.org/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:59:28

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DeSci Ep. #2: Addressing the Misalignment of Incentives in Science—with Patrick Joyce of ResearchHub

8/4/2022
Only 1% of first year PhD students become research professors. This creates a hypercompetitive environment where scientists will do whatever it takes to get funding, even if that means tweaking statistical analyses to make their findings seem more significant. But decentralized science is working to address this egregious misalignment of incentives and reward science done the right way. Patrick Joyce is the Cofounder and COO of ResearchHub, a Reddit-style forum that allows anyone to share, discuss and curate scientific papers—and earn ERC-20 tokens for doing so. On this episode of Boost VC, Patrick joins us to discuss the misalignment of incentives in science and describe the problem with using bibliometrics to determine who receives funding. Patrick explains why decentralizing science is so important, exploring how DeSci will increase the adoption of open science practices and accelerate innovation in the space. Listen in to understand how DeSci can pressure large academic journals to pay content creators for their work and learn how ResearchHub is leveraging Web3 to make capital available to scientists. Topics Covered How Patrick defines science What’s behind the replication crisis in science Why decentralizing science is important Patrick’s take on the first breakthrough for DeSci What drives Patrick’s conviction around DeSci How ResearchHub rewards quality science How Patrick builds trust in the scientific community What success looks like for decentralized science Why the science incentive structure hasn’t changed Patrick’s take on what makes publishers the enemy Patrick’s uniting purpose for the DeSci community How Patrick defines success for ResearchHub Connect with Patrick Joyce ResearchHub https://www.researchhub.com/ ResearchHub on Twitter https://twitter.com/researchhub ResearchHub on Discord https://discord.com/invite/ZcCYgcnUp5 ResearchHub on Medium https://medium.com/researchhub ResearchHub on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ResearchHub/ ResearchHub on GitHub https://github.com/ResearchHub Resources Brian Armstrong & Patrick Joyce on The Sheekey Science Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FmhHLPrUIU Clarivate Analytics https://clarivate.com/ OpenAlex https://openalex.org/ r/medicalstudent https://www.reddit.com/r/medicalstudent/ r/ImmunoPsychiatry https://www.reddit.com/r/ImmunoPsychiatry/ eLife https://elifesciences.org/ Open Science Framework https://www.cos.io/ Nature Neuroscience https://www.nature.com/neuro/ Chris Hill on Boost VC DeSci EP02 https://www.boost.vc/podcast Authorea https://www.authorea.com/ F1000Research https://f1000research.com/ Sci-Hub https://sci-hub.se/ Stack Overflow https://stackoverflow.com/ Hindawi https://www.hindawi.com/ MetaMask https://metamask.io/ Fast Grants https://fastgrants.org/ Kaggle https://www.kaggle.com/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:00:58:39

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DeSci Ep. #1: Using Web3 Tech to Reward Good Science—with Chris Hill & Philipp Koellinger of DeSci Labs

7/27/2022
The system for publishing scientific research is broken. Academic success is measured by citations rather than scientific quality. And publishing companies have a monopoly on the knowledge scientists produce. Can we use blockchain technology to promote the verifiability of scientific findings? And make science accessible to everyone? Dr. Christopher Hill is an interdisciplinary scientist with a background in neuroeconomics and machine learning. Phillip Koellinger is Professor of Social Science Genetics in the Department of Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Together, Chris and Philipp are Cofounders of DeSci Labs, an initiative that aims to make science more replicable, accessible, transparent and fair by way of Web3 technologies. On this episode of Boost VC, Chris and Philipp join us to explain what inspired their interest in decentralized science and explore what differentiates success for science versus individual scientists. They walk us through the goals of the open science movement and weigh in on how DeSci tech provides new ways of funding research and makes scientific knowledge available to everyone. Listen in for insight around the grassroots movement known as metascience and learn how DeSci is working to improve the quality of the scientific record and reward scientists for the value they create. Topics Covered What inspired Chris & Philipp’s interest in decentralized science The goals of the open science movement What differentiates success for science vs. success for scientists How Chris & Philipp define decentralized science The problem with measuring value by impact factor (IF) How DeSci technologies can benefit scientific research The interdisciplinary grassroots movement of metascience The transition from scientific manuscripts to research objects Connect with Chris Hill & Philipp Koellinger DeSci Labs https://www.desci.com/ DeSci Labs on Twitter https://twitter.com/descilabs DeSci Foundation https://descifoundation.org/ DeSci Foundation on Twitter https://twitter.com/DeSciFoundation Resources David Deutsch https://www.daviddeutsch.org.uk/ ‘Raise Standards for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research’ in Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/483531a ‘Why Most Published Research Findings Are False’ in PLOS Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1182327/ Gitcoin https://gitcoin.co/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/ Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/ Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVC Boost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/

Duration:01:03:49