Between Shadows and Light with Shubh Malde: Recent Episodes
Shubh Malde
At the start of this year, I was in my second quarter of university. I was pitching to investors between classes and faking illnesses to travel and build my startup, Arda.
I've since gone full-time as we look to spark the mass adoption of drone deliveries. With an always growing collection of unique experiences, and a true passion for culture and ideas, this is a place for me, my guests and you to play with ideas and thoughts.
Welcome to the place for ideas and individuals, between the shadows and the light.
"The world has progressed rapidly in the world of bits, but not in the world of atoms."
That is the manifesto premise of Infinita VC, a fund founded by Niklas Anzinger. Infinita is unleashing the next wave of human progress by supporting founders overcoming regulatory bottlenecks through startup cities, network states and crypto rails.
Both Infinita and Niklas are based in Próspera, a pioneering private city on the island of Roatán, Honduras. Próspera is striving to emulate the successes of Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shenzhen by utilising legal and regulatory autonomy.
Besides being the founder and General Partner at Infinita, Niklas runs the 'Stranded Technologies Podcast' where he discusses the challenges bad regulation imposes on innovation.
Welcome to the place for ideas and individuals, between shadows and light.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:12 - The Fundamental Wrongs of Regulation and Lawmaking
3:15 - Balancing Conservation and Tradition with Radical Change
4:47 - Economic Efficiency, Freedom to Choose and The Ethical Considerations of Regulatory Reform
10:00 - Próspera: Chartering A New Way Forward
11:56 - The Network State
15:05 - Difficulties and Challenges of Establishing Próspera
18:18 - Scope for Immigration Reform
20:30 - Addressing Common Criticisms: Radical Change and Social Instability
22:03 - A Timeline for The Adoption of Special Jurisdictions
24:34 - Mission of Infinita VC and Enabling Innovation
30:18 - Fiat Money vs. Cryptocurrency
31:40 - The Role of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency in Enabling Economic Freedom
36:30 - Scope for Reform of Financial Systems, Inflation and Money Creation
38:45 - Innovation and Adoption of New Technologies in Developing Countries
39:50 - Stranded Technologies and Unleashing Potential
45:32 - Niklas’s adventure
Niklas
Infinita: https://infinitavc.com
Próspera: https://www.prospera.co
Stranded Technologies Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/stranded-technologies-podcast/515927/
Between Shadows & Light elsewhere
YouTube: https://youtu.be/GbGHSeVvb5w
Shubh
Website (Writing, Art Portfolio): https://maldes.myportfolio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubhmalde/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubhMalde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhmalde/
Towards the end of five years at boarding school together, my co-founder, Jan Kryca, and I had a series of conversations in what came to form the start of our company, Arda. It marked the start of much to come, and we’re only getting started.
In this episode, we tell our stories and the Arda story. It’s a candid conversation that gets to the foundations of who we are, what we’re building and why we’re building it.
Welcome to the place for ideas and individuals, between shadows and light.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:30 - Backgrounds, family, communism, culture and bucking the trend
13:52 - Religion and its modern forms, building community
20:46 - Going to boarding school together, education
26:57 - Organisation and communication as pillars
35:29 - First conversations that came to form Arda
40:16 - Going to university in the US, why America, systems of higher education
48:22 - Raising first money and taking a trip to Miami
53:14 - Taking leave from university, real-world experience, responsibility
01:03:20 - Being young founders
01:06:58 - Personal development through founding a company
01:14:57 - The toughest moment of building Arda, dealing with unexpected adversity, taking control of your own wellbeing
01:22:00 - Dealing with disagreements, utilising different perspectives
01:26:13 - Why Arda?
01:32:51 - What we’re doing in The Gambia
01:33:41 - What’s on the horizon?
01:36:12 - Jan’s adventure
Between Shadows & Light elsewhere
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Mizt3mEGvss
Shubh
Website (Writing, Art Portfolio): https://maldes.myportfolio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubhmalde/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubhMalde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhmalde/
I read an article I recently wrote that looks at postmodernism through the lens of the individual today.
Between Shadows & Light Podcast
https://linktr.ee/shubhmalde
Written Article
https://shubhmalde.substack.com/p/beasts-of-burden-beyond-the-echo
Shubh
Website (Substack, Art Portfolio): https://maldes.myportfolio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubhmalde/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubhMalde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhmalde/
In this, the first solo episode of the podcast, I discuss the ideas of reality, reason and responsibility though the lens of the day’s societal and cultural issues. Drawing upon examples from my own life, including the journey of my startup, Arda, as well as through commenting on elements of the current political debate, I attempt to offer a different view of the world and an individual’s place within it.
Over the course of the episode, I delve into topics such as race disparities, cultural repudiation and the politicisation of virtue and language. But I also look at more personal themes of self responsibility, response in the face of hardship and maintaining stability and meaning in one’s life.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
0:56 - On releasing this episode
1:48 - Regrets, speaking your mind
6:23 - Virtue signalling, low-resolution thinking, postmodernism
8:20 - Race and sex disparities
11:02 - Culture wars and cancellation
13:08 - Dedication to truth, enquiry and what is ‘right’
14:31 - Liberation, sacrifice, restraint
19:06 - Response to personal hardship
20:22 - Adventure
22:27 - Work-life balance, happiness
25:02 - Responsibility, size of government
29:32 - Politicisation and weaponisation of language
31:51 - Degradation of culture and conversation
Between Shadows & Light elsewhere
https://linktr.ee/shubhmalde
Audio essay on postmodernism
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WTDXZ53VHpJEBhnICE2zg
Shubh
Website (Substack, Art Portfolio): https://maldes.myportfolio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubhmalde/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubhMalde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhmalde/
You'd be hard pressed to walk a hundred metres in a major developed city without passing a Lime bike a scooter. The company has had an astronomic rise over the past 5 years, but Andrew Savage's journey goes far beyond being at the core of Lime's founding and progress.
From leading campaigns for President Obama and senator-elect Peter Welch to transforming urban mobility, Andrew opens up about what it takes to impact society on the scale of millions.
Welcome to the place for ideas and individuals, between shadows and light.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
4:40 - Formative years, motivation
8:38 - Campaigning, communication, propaganda
11:59 - Role of government, the modern State
14:24 - Technology and cultural shifts, mobility
20:18 - Adaptation, public vs. private sectors
24:07 - The climate conversation
27:15 - Sustainability, perspective, problem-solving
29:13 - Lime, making sustainability popular
30:10 - Founding Lime, atmosphere
33:26 - Why is Lime winning? Influences, competition
35:33 - Leading through today’s economy
38:24 - Impacting the public, the rider
40:21 - Dealing with personal hardship at work
42:33 - Leadership through tough times, Covid
45:03 - Impact startups
46:32 - Andrew’s adventure
Between Shadows & Light elsewhere
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgsKWk1NU-k
Shubh
Website (Substack, Art Portfolio): https://maldes.myportfolio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shubhmalde/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubhMalde
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhmalde/