Promise: Recent Episodes

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We finish season 7 with a something out of left field. In short, a group of artists have used cells donated by a now-deceased experimental musician, to create new music using their electrical signals. This is a live exhibition viewable at the time of recording.

Take a moment.

How does that make you feel?

In this one piece of news, art, science, technology and ethics explicitly combine to shape one another. As always with this and all the other pieces of news we share, we hope that you consider the reality that we live in and ask: what is the future you would like to build?

Sean’s links:

• Power bars for honeybees

• Humanoid robots mostly failing to run marathons

• Clarify Clinics clearing microplastics from blood

• ‘Brain’ of late composer lives on in show

Ben’s links:

• We may have kinda sorta maybe, maybe not found life on another planet

• We may have kinda sorta maybe, maybe not seen a new colour for the first time

• We may not actually understand anything about insect behaviour

• Finding the key to curing cancer and growing hair in mitochondria

• This guy’s revolutionised the entire 3D-printing industry and its all freely available

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Without sounding too many alarm bells, we now have a study showing LLMs collaborating with one another to outwit their guardrails. Depending which side of the fence you stand on, this could be a miracle, or something much more sinister.

Besides that, we cover everything from building DNA nanobots inside our cells, AI-powered IVF (3 guesses the dystopia these topics might lead to…), fluid non-metallic batteries that can take any shape, being able to touch and manipulate 3d holograms, and so much more.

Enjoy.

Sean’s links:

• Using food scraps and seashells to pull water from desert air

• LLMs collaborating to fool oversight systems

• World first IVF baby conceived via AI-supported systems

• US renewables exceeding other forms of power for the first time

Ben’s links:

• Debunking all that dire wolf resurrection “news”

• Building molecular robots inside cells

• “the crystal that wasn’t supposed to exist”: 3d-printing metal quasicrystals

• Fluid batteries that can take any shape

• Touching 3d holograms

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A recent survey stated 75% of scientists want to leave the US. We look into what the knock on effects might be both for better and worse. Who benefits, and how do science and tech evolve as a result?

Beyond that, we prompt questions like… Could predicting a heart attack end up causing one? Could the prestige of being a doctor drop as AI takes hold? Could we unleash a pandemic with fungal-based packaging? How does language change if we use tongues to navigate our devices?

Sean’s links:

• 3D-printing train stations in 2.5 hours

• Turning coffee grounds and mushroom spores into plastic alternatives

• 75% of Scientists just want to leave the US.

• Using your tongue as a controlling appendage 👅

Ben’s links:

• Rethinking how we train robotics to grasp things

• Predicting cardiac arrest weeks in advance

• Predicting Alzheimer’s years in advance

• China’s exhibit of when going green has had unintended consequences

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We take a hard look at how AI tools shape the way we think. We recorded this just before all the tariff news. Its since emerged the list of countries affected and how, have strong signs of AI-led decision making. In some cases, being confidently incorrect.

As the font of all wisdom of our time, do we care at all where these generated outputs fit on the sociopolitical spectrum, or where the sources of info come from?

Beyond that, we do cover some weird and wonderful science like non-breathing animals and self-assembling electronics using DNA. But, its still hard to avoid these consequential announcements.

Sean’s links:

• Discovering the first non-breathing animal

• Using botox-based enzymes to fight Parkinson’s

• ChatGPT shifting rightwards politically

• Weaponised content and where it comes from

• Google Health updates now riskily include crowd-sourced answers

• Beijing making AI education mandatory

• The enormous value creation of open-sourced software

• Honourable mentions:

• What does it take to get us to another planet?

• A breakdown of China’s robotics strategy

Ben’s links:

• Greener nuclear fusion

• Using DNA to create self-assembling electronics

• Genes influence our taste in music

• Transistors like neurons

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Much like past guest Billy Jeremijenko and his company Aquila are doing for reinventing energy transportation, we cover moonshot projects aiming to transfer data with light, and put data centers on the moon. Does this start a scramble for lunar space and a reinvention of copywright law?

A little more controversial is we now live in a reality where we have cancer vaccines that work, and that, however you might feel about the current adminstration, the Pentagon is saying the quiet part out loud about “killer robots”.

What do these futures look like if you had your say?

Sean’s links:

• An open-sourced nuclear fusion power plant

• 3D-printing fish meat at scale

• Pentagon saying the quiet part out loud

• Internet of Light

• Data centers on the moon

Ben’s links:

• MRNA vaccines for cancer

• Antidepressants doing more harm than good

• Virtual reality food

• Stretchable, distortion-free substrates for displays

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In this episode we look at the latest examples where theoretical physics starts intersecting with reality: what if you could store light as energy, to use it again later? What if we could use light as code, to manipulate our own cells?

These scientific breakthroughs are tempered by more ominous tech developments: what do we make of a world where Uber with Guns is mainstream? Or when humanoid robots are intentionally terrifying?

All this and more coming right up.

Sean’s links:

• Uber with funs guns

• Protoclone’s ominous preview here, and website here

• Curing genetic diseases before birth

• Developing a programming language for active materials

Ben’s links:

• Big tech’s latest quantum thingy

• Fully recyclable Perovskite solar panels

• “quantum” batteries

• Supersonic flight minus the sonic boom

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We already guessed it, but now we have the science to back it up: bots successfully drive up engagement of online platforms, but also drive down human connection in the process. For all the clamor, excitement, and maybe dread about an AI-powered future, we did settle on the fact its human connection that still matters most. But is that the path we’re headed down?

Beyond this, we also look into hydrocarbon-producing leaves, underwater habitation, not-so-forever chemicals, using light to make AI computations, and much more.

Please, enjoy.

Sean’s links:

• Bacteria can now eat forever chemicals and their toxic byproducts

• Bots ⬆ user engagement, but ⬇ human connection

• Real life Bioshock

• OpenAI competitor for made with $50

Ben’s links:

• Artificial leaves that make hydrocarbons

• Using light to make AI computations

• AI-powered self-healing sustainable asphalt

• Battery made of yarn and powered by seawater

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We find ourselves increasingly unable to avoid politics on this show. However, we did approach the topic from a scientific perspective: finally, someone has done cross-border research to see whether trust in science is declining, and whether political affiliation had an impact. The answers, if the science is to be believed, may surprise you.

We also highlight the student-led uprising in Serbia, and its novel form of governance. Beyond the politics, we also cover everything from battery-less personal devices, to DNA chirality, to self-replicating AI and more.

Please, enjoy the show.

Sean’s links:

• The world’s biggest battery from the least likely suspect?

• Global trust in science is strong! EXCEPT…👀

• Transmitting power over skin

• A brief rundown of the student uprising in Serbia

• Confronting risks of “mirror” life with DNA/RNA chirality

Ben’s links:

• The discovery of mirror chirality building blocks in outer space

• Geoengineering climate change away

• Rethinking the Carnot heat engine

• DeepSeek (of course)

• Self replicating AI (because that’s exactly what we need)…

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We start off with a literal bang: people are successfully achieving nuclear fusion out of their kitchens. Beyond that, we chat about discovering new properties for the element bismuth, the world’s thinnest pasta, 3D-printing your own airplane, and of course much more in the realm of AI.

One of these articles concerns US government intervention on AI driving rent prices up across the country. In the week since we recorded this, the official White House sources for the case have been taken down, in a general purge of information the new administration is conducting.

With that in mind, what is the future you would like to build?

Sean’s links:

• AI algorithms driving rents up

• What is the value of labor in the world of AI?

• 3D print your own airplane for $120 (Titan Dynamics website here)

• Influencers getting elected to Indonesian parliament

• Nuclear fusion in your kitchen

Ben’s links:

• The world’s thinnest pasta

• Bismuth quesadilla = future PCBs?

• Bismuth magnetic properties = more sustainable electronics?

• AI does well diagnosing by the book, fails to diagnose real patients

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In the final episode of 2024 we look at growing new teeth, quantum computing breakthroughs, growing diamonds in 15 minutes, turning them into diamond batteries that last for 5000 years, materials that can learn and adapt, and much more.

Again, we do discuss the sentiments surrounding the insurance industry right now. This is especially pertinent with proposed new forms of corporate and public governance that we look into.

Finally, we finish off the season strong with some profound words from resident science communicator Ben. Listen in, enjoy, and we’ll speak again soon.

Sean’s links:

• Growing new teeth

• Willow, Google’s latest quantum computing development

• Potential downstream effects and opportunities of this quantum breakthrough; courtesy of Stefan and Wyatt’s Alts newsletter

• Past episode with Dr. Chris Ferrie on democratizing quantum access

• Diamond batteries lasting 5000 years

• Using citizen assemblies to determine public company investment (paywall)

• Live example of a citizen assembly in action with Norway’s sovereign wealth fund

Ben’s links:

• Growing diamonds in 15 minutes cheaply

• Materials that can “learn” and change as needed

• Learning about genetic changes that influence autism and schizophrenia

• Breakthrough 3D printing method to alter structural properties of the filament on the fly

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In this episode, we cover AI big boys teaming up with defense big boys, open-sourcing AI compute, semiconductors dissolved in goo, electro-conductive tattoos, curing dementia, and even tapeworm-based machinery.

It’d also be hard to avoid news from the insurance industry right now so we do question: does the model still work if we don’t trust our insurance suppliers?

In this episode, the dystopias we cover are probably much closer than many might want to admit. The important question is, as always: what is the future that you would like to build?

Sean’s links:

• Gooey semiconductors

• Rolling back dementia by focusing on the brain microbiome

• Prime Intellect building a system to train AI using spare compute power around the world

• Shield AI 🤝 Palantir Technologies

• OpenAI 🤝 Anduril

Ben’s links:

• Time-limited insurance coverage

• Man’s best friend sniffing out cancer

• Electro-conductive tattoos… replacing EEGs?

• Machining tapeworm mouthparts 😬

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This episode, we debate the cultural acceptance of AI inference being good enough to replace us. Off the back of developing lightning fast inference hardware, should we care that outputs are 90% right rather than the full 100?

The last decade has shown us that what we see, learn, know even… depends on who built the software that we use. Does it matter who builds the hardware too? What if they’re the same entity?

We go heavy with the social observations in this one, so please, enjoy.

Sean’s links:

• The snake robot that saves lives

• The new SUPERFAST Cerebras chip

• Would octopuses take over the world?

• Meta building its own subsea cable network

Ben’s links:

• AI tweaking smiles to boost attraction

• Solar panels 🤝 hot air balloons

• Water + sunlight = electricity. Just.

• Yet another way to pull water from thin air

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We’ve largely steered clear of AI advancements in recent episodes, mostly because the news around them seems relentless. This episode though, we cover everything from generalist AI models for everyday robots, to AI-generated privacy masks, to the AI-powered robots that can build you anything, to our preference for AI-generated content. We’ve got it all.

We even get into a heated discussion about using AI for research and education. How is the education system working or failing, and where might AI fit into it?

All this and more, coming right up.

Sean’s links:

• AI-generated digital privacy mask

• AI’s effects on scientific discovery and product innovation

• Physical Intelligence’s generalist AI policy

• Skin cream for sick corals

• Bonus: past episode with Nadia Lee on combating deepfakes

Ben’s links:

• Is it Shakespeare? Or ChatGPT?

• Robots that can build you basically anything

• Changing the way we grow corn

• Lab-grown diamonds achieved at low temperatures

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In this episode, we cover everything from restoring vision, creating synthetic olfactory systems, making protein out of thin air, 3D-printing organs with light and sound, artificial magnetic muscles, and so much more.

All these breakthroughs have a pretty clear convergence around creating a synthetic human: if not in its entirety, then definitely restoring full physical ability to someone whose lost it. Would either scenario be a utopia or dystopia?

Listen in and find out. Enjoy.

Sean’s links:

• Implants to restore vision (aka AR for blindness)

• The myriad benefits of GLP-1s

• Osmo AIs digitized and reproduced scent

• James Ryall’s blog covering Jooules

• Jooules, the company making protein out of thin air

Ben’s links:

• Artificial, magnetic muscles

• Memory is not just in the brain, but at a cellular level

• 3D printing organs with light and sound

• Satellite algos detecting beach plastic

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The highlight of this episode is a breakthrough out of UC Riverside, where researchers have managed to grow plants in total darkness. Obviously, there could be implications to this advancement, as there always are. We try and pull apart these unknown unknowns.

We also talk about extracting water out of even the driest of air, learned about mosquito’s preferred tastes, surmised about the intelligence of fungi, and got excited about learning to echo-locate.

Please enjoy our discussion in this episode.

Sean’s links:

• Fungal intelligence

• Stripe acquiring Bridge, a stablecoin company (paywall)

• Anyone can learn to echo-locate

• Cheap tools to digitally sniff out food quality

• Growing plants in darkness

Ben’s links:

• Are you tasty to mosquitoes?

• Sponges to extract gold from e-waste

• Pulling water out of thin air

• Liquid that mimics whale sonar

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This episode, we look at how the dream-sharing tech of Inception is now real. Yes, we think it is as crazy as it sounds with equally crazy potential! We also talk about the developments in anti-aging from a variety of angles, from mitochondrial recharging to centromere manipulation.

We also look into the de-extinction of animals like the Thylacine or Tassie Tiger, how we might shoot webs like Spiderman, and how we can now design recreational drugs so you never get a bad trip.

Please enjoy our discussion in this episode.

Sean’s links:

• Breakthrough: 2 people communicating to each other from their own lucid dreams

• Hacking psychedelics for good times only

• Bioengineering waste plastic removal with mussels and enzymes

• Recharging mitochondria to slow down aging

Ben’s links:

• Messing with centromeres, ALSO to slow down aging

• Bringing Thylacines back to life

• Music can be an effective painkiller

• Spiderman webs. For reals.

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We start with probably the most mind-bending concept we’ve covered on the show: that of observable time travel. We don’t quite know what to do with that yet, but we did cover a lot of other ground with bio-concretes, building things by shooting clay, synthetic milk, mining and manufacturing on the moon, as well as Meta Ray Bans and their privacy nightmares.

We also talk about hurricane prediction and modelling. We recorded this in the wake of Hurricane Helene that hit North Carolina, but before Hurricane Milton hit Florida. All we can say is look after each other out there.

Otherwise, please enjoy our discussion in this episode.

Sean’s links:

• Larger and more instructable language models become less reliable

• Doxxing with Meta Ray Bans

• Shooting clay to make buildings

• Normal Phenomena’s brutalist bioconcrete lamp

• Things to consider when building a telescope on the moon (Paywall)

Ben’s links:

• An observable, repeatable experiment that demonstrates “negative time”

• Rapid cardiac diagnostics, kind of like a rapid covid test

• Synthetic milk is on the horizon

• Gathering data from hurricanes to model them better

• Honorable mention, a new way to build chips for AI from the molecule upwards (Be warned, this is very hard reading)

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Ladies and gentlemen we did it, for the first time we got a prediction right! Hot on the heels of the rogue wave predictor, we suggested earthquakes might be next. Lo and behold. This ties in quite nicely with AI being able to predict group human behavior better than humans can which we cover this episode. Besides that, we also look into exponential cost reductions in space exploration and cultured meat, self-healing metals and 3d-printed concrete, as well as the future of world building in games.

Enjoy!

Sean’s links:

• LLMs predicting outcomes of social science experiments

• Electric Twin, a company that leverages this LLM capability

• Exponential cost reduction in detecting black hole collisions

• Cultured meat getting cost competitive

• AI generating the original Doom game on the fly

Ben’s links:

• 3d printing concrete like coelacanth scales

• AI predicting earthquakes before they happen (CALLED IT)

• Self-healing silver

• an 800x increase in carbon capture reactions

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In this episode, we discuss all kinds of advancements from rogue wave prediction to better ways we can use our current batteries. We try to answer the following questions. What could we achieve by storing DNA in Jurassic Park-esque amber resin? How do we solve a labor shortage in chip design? What do we need to grow plants in zero gravity, and would they even look the same? Do we reeeeaally want the outcome of a fungus-operated robot? And finally, do we want to be a spacefaring species?

Enjoy!

Sean’s links:

• Looming talent shortage in chip design

• Some of the experiments being conducted by the stranded astronauts

• University of Missouri scientists novel method for removing plastic from water

• Plastics now make up 0.5% of our brains

• Cornell’s wild fungus-operated robot

Ben’s links:

• Jurassic Park DNA storage

• Accidental discovery on how to turbocharge current batteries

• Tau proteins: “not just a bad guy”

• AI now able to predict rogue waves

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In this episode, Ben and I delve into the latest fascinating articles. As a taster for the conversation, we emerged with a few questions: How might water-powered electro-bandages accelerate wound healing? What role do heat-absorbing bricks play in the clean energy transition? What is the potential of air-powered analog computers? How is a new brain-computer interface transforming communication for those who can't speak? Can AI revolutionize the scientific method, or does it turn us into an idiocracy?

Enjoy!

Sean’s links:

• Water-powered electric bandages

• Heat-absorbing bricks powering the energy transition

• The “Thousand Sails” satellite megaconstellation

• “air-powered” computers out of UC-Riverside

• Fewer people want to stand out

Ben’s links:

• The lightning learning speed and accuracy of a new BCI

• Sakana AI and autonomous scientific research

• Leaf-shaped solar panels

• The Bananapocalypse (again)

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Welcome back to Season 6!

We have new mics for this season, so please forgive some teething issues with the sound quality in this episode.

In this edition, Ben and I look into how robots might physically adapt to their surrounding environments. Could we control the world around us with a thought? Why might we need universal basic income? What would omni-use reconfigurable furniture look like? What about producing semiconductors without the extreme engineering they now require?

Enjoy!

Sean’s links:

• Ultraflexible sensors for spinal cords

• Fighting cancer with implanted wireless LEDs

• Self-amputating and infusing robots

• OpenResearch’s study on universal basic income

• Azeem Azhar’s thoughts on UBI (paywall)

• Remote-controlling the minds of mice

Ben’s links:

• Destroying PFAS forever chemicals with tech

• Destroying PFAS forever chemicals with microbes

• “Knitted” furniture and its reconfigurability

• Eavesdropping on whats inside an HDMI cable, without interception

• Potentially the next iteration of semiconductor development?

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We are releasing this episode a couple days after a former US president had an attempt on his life. Without getting political, I believe it emphasizes the gravity of the question that we always try to pose: what is the future that you would like to build?

We wrap up Season 5 by covering breakthroughs in passive insulation and cooling, self-powering blood monitors, and how AI has developed never-before seen bioluminescent proteins. We also cover new solutions to flow algorithms, and how they might underpin all the advancements in the other discoveries.

Please enjoy our final episode for Season 5, we’ll see you again soon!

Sean’s links:

• Blood-powered sensors

• Wearable sweat-powered sensors

• EvolutionaryScale designing new bioluminescent proteins

• Etched building AI model-specific chips

• Radioactive rhino horns

• BONUS (NSFW): lab-grown skin on robots

Ben’s links:

• Breakthroughs in flow algorithms

• Passive heating and cooling with plastics

• Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence

• The long-term benefits of multivitamins

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In this episode, we start the discussion with quantum computing time crystals, contrasted by the bristlecone clock timepiece. After delving into the nature of time, we also cover the benefits and pitfalls of geoengineering, hard but stretchy glassy gels, biodegradable barley starch plastic, X-ray vision, and AI scrubbing emotions from calls. We discuss the tension between differing perspectives about utopias and dystopias, before wrapping up with a new view on mixed reality. Enjoy!

Heads up, this is our penultimate episode for the season.

Sean’s links:

• A clock in the forest

• Softbank canceling out angry customer emotions with AI

• Sticky, stretchy, glassy gels

• Barley start plastic

Ben’s links:

• Time crystal quantum computing

• Geoengineering pitfalls: cooling California but heating up Europe

• More bacteria producing greenhouse gases than thought

• X-ray vision smartphone chips

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As usual this week we try to cover the latest advancements in technology and science, and mapping them against potential ethical dilemmas. Among the inventions we cover, I specifically want to call out China's rifle-equipped robot dogs, and the really, REALLY, unsettling use of human brain tissue in computing. We had a less structured conversation today to focus mainly on these topics, as they’re some of the more dystopian inventions we’ve covered to date. Join in, and see how we try and chart the upside to them.

Sean’s links:

• The terminator dog

• The drone first responder

• The icky biocomputer

• The cement recycling

Ben’s links:

• The soccer robots

• The shipping emissions and climate change conundrum

• Learning to speak Whale

• Ketosis and cognitive function

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This episode, we chat about everything from spy headphones, to synthetic bones, officially-sanctioned election deepfakes, battery tech, mental disorders, to AI dating agents and so much more. The topics begin to converge around how emerging tech is rapidly changing what we understand of our society. What do the concepts of democracy or business mean in this new world? What about how we view fictional icons, known for being at the forefront of tech? Or what we understand of our own health? How do we keep up? All this and more, coming right up.

Sean’s links:

• AI headphones let wearer listen to a single person in a crowd, by looking at them just once

• The amount of copper needed to build EVs is ‘impossible for mining companies to produce’

• Gelatinous sea animals swim using coordinated jet propulsion.

• Mental disorders may spread in young people's social networks

Ben’s links:

• Synthetic Bones Designed by AI

• Using viruses to kill cancer

• Indian Voters Are Being Bombarded With Millions of Deepfakes. Political Candidates Approve

• Your AI Will Date Other People's AIs

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In this episode, we explore everything from incremental developments, to exponential bounds being made in technology. From a healthier grape juice that could shift dietary habits, to moving data millions of times faster with the same hardware that could redefine how we experience recreation. We also cover the blurred lines between space technology and military hardware, and what might be needed from both to redefine civilian travel. All this and more, coming right up!

Sean’s links:

• Stretchy e-skin

• 45 million times the data transfer speed on the same fiber optics

• Advon, the AI content creation agency proliferating mainstream papers

• Gannett staff’s response to their AI policy

• China’s potential world-first drone carrier

• China’s new rail gun test

• US Senator Chuck Schumer’s AI bill one-pager (contains PDF)

Ben’s links:

• Launch of the world’s largest carbon capture project

• Fresher, tastier, healthier concord grape juice

• World’s biggest 3D printer, making houses in record time

• Solar tech converting greenhouse gases into usable fuel

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This episode, Ben and I cover everything from hardware that can “taste”, gels that patch wounds or make computers, to mutant space bacteria, and magic carpet floors. Our utopias and dystopias range from redefining the ways we create food and understand flavor, to reinventing how an assembly line works, to targeted cancers, total ecosystem destruction, and more. Have a listen: what do you think will come from all of this frontier tech?

Sean’s links:

• Marques Brownlee at the Disney Imaginarium

• E-tongue tastes when wine goes bad

• New mutant bacteria on the space station

• Startup using AI to edit human DNA

Ben’s links:

• “Quantum memory”

• Revolutionary gel-based wound dressings

• Revolutionary gel-based PCBs

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In this episode, Ben and I talk about everything from real-time deepfake romances, to new battery tech, to dumb phones, and AIs predicting human motion and expression. All the topics begin to converge around social isolation, connection, and how emerging tech would look to fight it. Where do we draw the line between human and synthetic emotional connection? And how does that extend into our physical world? And finally, is this something we want, or are we headed there anyway?

Sean’s links:

• AI predicting humanoid locomotion

• The Dumbphone Boom

• The vaccine to end all vaccines?

Ben’s links:

• AI predicting human smiles

• Real-time deepfake romance scams

• Rapid charge/discharge sodium batteries

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In this episode, Ben and I explore a plethora of groundbreaking topics that blur the lines between the fantastical and the tangible. From the advanced manipulation of light that brings us one step closer to real-life 'lightsabers,' to controversy of 'totally not eugenics' that could redefine what we understand about genetic selection and the future of human evolution. We also cover potential ways swarming nanobots could help us rethink what 'infrastructure' means, how it works, and so much more.

Sean’s links:

• Socially swarming nanorobots

• Bending light signals around corners

• Levitating materials (shared with Ben)

Ben’s links:

• Controlling light and making it “hard”

• Gene screening startup that is totally not eugenics

• Quantum breakthroughs in predicting material science suitability

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This week, Ben and I cover AI assistance, gene and chromosomal editing, 3D-printing skin, real-world deepfakes, and much more.

A side note: the 2 AI tools we covered are Devin and OpenInterpreter. Devin’s capabilities have since been debunked quite comprehensively here, while OpenInterpreter 01 made it onstage at Coachella via Grimes’ mechanical spider.

We also mention Neuralink, and must point out that since recording, researchers at UT Austin can now achieve the same effect without any form of surgery!

Sean’s links:

• https://www.openinterpreter.com/01

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202314757

• https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/speaking-without-vocal-cords-ucla-engineering-wearable-tech

Ben’s links:

• https://www.cognition-labs.com/introducing-devin

• https://phys.org/news/2024-03-scientists-technique-human-artificial-chromosomes.html

• https://scitechdaily.com/molecular-majesty-this-is-how-the-bodys-building-blocks-are-made/

• https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/neuralink-shows-first-brain-chip-patient-playing-online-chess-2024-03-21/

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Welcome to Season 5!

We’re changing the format up a little bit. I’m now joined by a co-host Ben. You won’t find much of him on social media, but once you meet him I’m sure you’ll agree he more than makes up for that with deep curiosity and a remarkable ability to explain complex topics in simple terms.

Together, we will cover news in emerging science and tech, and discuss how that might shape humanity in the near future. Hopefully, the discussion we have will inspire you to make change, and consider what the future you want should look like.

In this episode, we cover printable solar panels, alternate realities, and autonomous vehicles. When all these converge, what do utopia and dystopia look like? Join us as we explore all this and more.

Big shoutout to AG for the new intro music!

Sean’s links:

• IIHS Automated Driving Evaluation Results

• Carmakers tracking drivers for insurance data

• Visionary Machines coming out of stealth

• BMW’s i Vision Dee concept at CES2023

Ben’s links:

• Scientists reveal the first unconventional superconductor that can be found in mineral form in nature

• Printable solar panels from CSIRO

• The best of digital and analog computing

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I wrap up Season 4 with Chris Pymble, founder of Graphics et al. Chris is on a mission to help the world build better health literacy, through the Graphics et al. software platform. What is health literacy you might ask? Chris breaks it down in simple terms for us!

We chat about the root causes of poor health literacy, the downstream impacts algorithms from TikTok and Google can cause, the value of co-design and building accessible software, and kicking down doors to make change happen.

As the final episode of 2023, Wishing you the happiest of holidays, and see you next year for Season 5.

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My guest this week is Nadia Lee, co-founder of ThatsMyFace. ThatsMyFace is out to combat and eliminate deepfakes at the source.

In this energetic conversation, we talk about the real-world impacts of deepfakes, what the rapid expansion of AI means for societal trust, how we’ve gotten to this point, what government needs to be doing more of, how ThatsMyFace targets the source of the issue, why convenience or safety doesn’t need to be a choice, and sharing a vision of a safer more trusting world.

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This week I welcome our first returning guest, Jada Andersen of Xylo Systems. Xylo Systems is helping the property and energy industries understand their biodiversity impact.

We talk about how the company and platform have focused in the last year, the highs and lows of running a company for the first time, how regulatory changes are incentivizing businesses to look at biodiversity, great brands that excel in the space, some tips for maximizing an accelerator experience, and finishing with a call to arms to protect our world.

Jada gives a shoutout to another naturetech startup, Wilderlands. If interested, you can also listen in to the first discussion with Jada here.

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This week I host Jaz Yates, founder of JY Management Group, host of the “Your Music, Your Business” podcast (Apple/Spotify), and most importantly, founder of RELEASR.. RELEASR. is a platform aiming to simplify all the admin in the music industry.

We chat about the intricacies of the music industry, the hangover of legacy processes, the systemic problems both these result in, Jaz’s journey into music through to founding RELEASR., the excitement its drumming up in the industry, and the changes she hopes to make for creatives around the world.

You can follow both Jaz (@jaz__yates) and RELEASR. (@releasr_) on Instagram.

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I sit down with Edgar Charry, co-founder of Symex Labs. Symex Labs aims to replace every blood test and injection needed for IVF with a simple wearable patch.

We chat about the IVF process, Edgar’s own journey through it, the struggles that inspired him to establish Symex, how a biosensor patch might alleviate pain for other couples, the potential applications of such technology, and leading the way with empathy.

A heads up, we do talk about miscarriage in this episode.

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I open Season 4 with Suyin Kee, co-founder of Allico. Allico is putting behavior change at the core of a growth and well-being digital product.

We chat about why even professionals have different perspectives on what mental well being means, why having tools and strategies don’t work without behavior change, Su’s personal journey to overcoming adversity, the generational shifts and tailwinds to well-being, and collaboration being key to a brighter future.

A heads up, we do talk in some depth about eating disorders and anxiety.

You can follow Allico’s progress on LinkedIn, or if you’d like to sign up you can do so here.

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To wrap up Season 3, I sit down with Jack Richardson, founder and managing director of Hamia Group. Hamia Group is a discrete secondary market brokerage. If you’re not quite sure what that is, not to worry as Jack gives us a crash course early on.

We chat about the business of liquidity, its regulations, and how it can be life changing for founders and operators. We also talk about Jack’s journey from small-town Australia to this niche space, forays into investment, doing work that feeds his soul, and a life mission to be a better human every single day.

If you’re interested in making use of Hamia Group’s services, you can get in touch via email at jack[@]hamiagroup.com.

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In the penultimate episode for this season, I chat with Matt Geleta, host of the Paradigm Podcast (or YouTube if you prefer video), Head of Operations at Harrison AI, and so much more.

We delve into a reevaluation of core beliefs, democratizing access to education, speculating on the path our world is on, the philosophical synergies between science and the startup world, and how Matt best supports people in the ecosystem.

Matt is one of the brightest minds I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, so this episode only scratches the surface of what we could have dived into. I highly recommend checking out his Paradigm podcast to have your mind blown away.

For any founders interested in working with Matt, you can connect via LinkedIn.

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This week I host Junie Baptise-Poitevien, founder of Propel Innovations, co-author of the book Undefeated, and host of the Uncover Untapped Markets podcast.

This is a raw and heartfelt episode where Junie shares the challenges and frustrations she’s had as a migrant business owner. Amidst the frustration though is an optimism of investing in the value overlooked by cultural influences and cognitive biases. and a plea to change federal policy decisions to unlock a wave of innovation in a more equal Australia.

You can follow Junie and Propel Innovations on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Twitter. They will be at The Customer Show in Sydney, and at Women in Emerging Tech in Melbourne.

You can get in touch with Junie at hello[@]propelinnovations.co

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This week I host Laura Johnson, founder of Strivin. Strivin is a community and platform out to make self-development easier, whether that means through career progression or transition.

Unlike our usual format we first speak about the big transitions in Laura’s life, how such changes shape us as humans, before diving into how Strivin helps others with these changes.

A shoutout to Jo McCatty, friend of the show and founding member of Strivin, for the introduction to Laura.

You can listen in to the Strivin and Thrivin podcast here, follow on Instagram here, and check out their Youtube channel with previous webinars here.

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Dr. Chris Ferrie is Associate Professor of quantum theory at the University of Technology Sydney, and co-founder of Eigensystems. Eigensystems is democratizing access to quantum computing by producing affordable, personal quantum computing devices called Quokkas.

We cover topics like “hype-based” tech versus “real” tech, why quantum literacy is necessary for our future, and instilling an appreciation for education in people.

Two special shout outs to friends of the show:

• Emily Mason, founder of Kniight, for assistance with questions in this episode; and

• Matt Geleta, host of the Paradigm Podcast, that tackles the deeper philosophies and epistemology of science, with experts like Dr Chris Ferrie.

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This week we get onto the hot button topic of artificial intelligence. I sit down with Thor Berg, co-founder of askFelix. askFelix is an AI-powered platform aiming to make simple sense of all the data people have at hand.

We chat about democratizing access to the oil of our age, building AI on top of AI, what studying entrepreneurship does and does not teach you, finding a niche in an ocean of startup competition, and sharing optimism for an AI-powered future.

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On this week’s episode is Erin Moy, co-founder of Woom. Erin and Woom are on a mission to destigmatize menstruation. They’re doing this through workplace subscriptions of period care packages, in order to maximize accessibility to care products.

We chat about current attitudes to menstruation, why investors should care about this movement and these types of products, leveraging the power of storytelling and branding, taking inspiration from Who Gives A Crap, giving back to crisis accommodation, and using simplicity to change the world.

You can order Woom products now via their website and follow their Instagram page here. The initiative that Woom supports can be found here if you’d like to consider donations.

Also check out Woom and Erin being featured on Broadsheet recently here.

Show notes

[00:01:38] - [First question] – Quick introduction to Woom and Erin’s background

[00:03:09] - The challenge in a nutshell for people without lived experience of it

[00:04:39] - Why the space has been overlooked to date

[00:05:12] - The stigma associated to menstruation

[00:06:15] - Why investors should take note of the space

[00:07:31] - The lightbulb moments with cofounder Tessa

[00:09:54] - Shifting full-time into Woom

[00:10:38] - Leveraging the power of branding and storytelling

[00:11:52] - Developing the Woom brand

[00:13:22] - What’s in the box?

[00:14:24] - The logistics behind the products

[00:15:25] - Having conversations to get offices on board

[00:18:28] - Following and learning from Who Gives A Crap

[00:19:28] - How Woom is giving back to the community

[00:21:30] - Menstrual hygiene day and the positive response so far

[00:23:20] - Growing Woom and setting sights on partners

[00:26:15] - Erin’s dream of the future

[00:27:06] - Keeping things simple

[00:27:57] - Socials and contact info

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We open Season 3 by chatting with Dr Emerson Keenan, co-founder of Kali Healthcare. Kali Healthcare is out to transform the way we monitor pregnancy, an apt subject as Emerson and I have been working to tee up this conversation for about 9 months!

We chat about the poor and complex current state of pregnancy monitoring, how risky pregnancy can be, Emerson’s PhD research that led to Kali, the challenges of translating research into commercial opportunities, before wrapping up with a vision to create better human connections.

If you are interested in the intersection of engineering and healthcare, I highly recommend listening to former guest Cameron Higgins as well.

Show notes

[00:01:40] - [First question] – What Emerson is trying to do

[00:02:13] - Pregnancy monitoring for beginners

[00:03:48] - What could go wrong without adequate monitoring

[00:04:38] - Who is most at risk?

[00:05:50] - Emerson’s combined engineering and healthcare background

[00:06:53] - Emerson’s PhD research simulations and their relevance to Kali

[00:09:11] - Practical testing of Kali prototypes

[00:10:53] - “Aha” moments transitioning from research into a startup

[00:11:38] - Thinking about business models and commercialization

[00:12:55] - How a Kali product might be used day-to-day

[00:13:38] - Value accural between end users versus actual customers

[00:14:31] - Expanding out of the hospital they conducted research in

[00:15:20] - Kali’s value proposition in Emerson’s own words

[00:16:45] - Life as a startup founder and negotiating regulatory processes

[00:18:20] - Advice for other medtech founders

[00:19:46] - Product development over the next 12 months

[00:20:41] - The desire to work with other researchers

[00:21:40] - Additional expertise needed

[00:22:27] - Emerson’s vision of the future

[00:22:53] - A committment to keep listening

[00:23:51] - Socials and contact info

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Check out the lineup of spaces we’ll be covering in Season 3!

New episodes will be up soon. I Promise.

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I wrap up Season 2 with a long-awaited discussion: this week I host Raj Bagri, founder of Kapture. Fresh off the Summer 23 Startmate Accelerator, Raj and Kapture are on a mission to decarbonize the diesel emissions of the world. Why focus on diesel in a landscape dominated by increasing renewable energy? I ask Raj that very question, with enlightening answers.

We also chat about breaking into the STEM field from the outside, the challenges in innovating deep tech, and being an inspiration for all women.

Raj is looking to hire someone with commercial expertise as well as a junior engineer, and is new to twitter with the handle @rajkapture.

Applications are also open for the next cohort of the Startmate Accelerator, if you believe you have what it takes be sure to get involved!

If Raj’s comments about struggling to deal with the academic-led innovation process resonate with you, I highly recommend also checking out my episode with Samuel Wines of Co Labs.

Show notes

[00:01:35] - [First question] – Raj’s mission to decarbonize the world

[00:02:55] - Being a deeptech inspiration

[00:04:36] - The wild ride through the Startmate Accelerator

[00:07:03] - Why even focus on diesel fuel?

[00:09:07] - Raj’s journey to founding Kapture

[00:10:53] - Getting into infant milk formula and focusing on climate tech

[00:12:36] - Focusing on carbon capture specifically

[00:13:55] - Breaking into STEM from the outside

[00:15:35] - How the Kapture filter works as well as its benefits

[00:17:55] - Comparisons with AdBlue

[00:19:13] - Who would customers be and why?

[00:20:53] - Potential influence on regulations

[00:21:53] - Pilot projects currently in train and dream partnerships

[00:23:19] - The team’s current expertise and future growth

[00:24:40] - The bushfire analogy

[00:25:58] - A climate call to action

[00:27:09] - Socials and contact info

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This week, I speak with Ella Nguyen. After completing the Startmate First Believer’s program, Ella is taking her first steps on her angel investment journey alongside a career in tech sales.

In a wide ranging and at times deeply personal conversation, we speak about Ella’s motivations to support founders, what being an angel investor means, navigating a changing global economy, impostor syndrome, the life journey to get this far, and finally wrapping up with the joy and gratefulness of going through hardship.

For any founders interested in working with Ella, you can get in touch via LinkedIn

Show notes

[00:01:37] - [First question] – What Ella is doing right now

[00:02:50] - Feeling the infectious enthusiasm from founders

[00:04:25] - The complexity in finding the right people

[00:05:45] - What the startup ecosystem feels like

[00:07:01] - Overcoming limiting beliefs in oneself

[00:08:34] - Making a list of superpowers

[00:09:59] - Other avenues to support founders besides capital

[00:11:21] - What founders are looking for in investors

[00:12:32] - How AirBnB’s fortunes were changed with a small check

[00:14:21] - Focusing on the future of work and the data that generates

[00:18:53] - Balancing personal interest, a vision of the future, and financial returns

[00:21:18] - The ethical challenges around the future of work

[00:22:22] - An optimistic view of our economic future

[00:24:04] - OpenAI and why Ella wished she could have put her money into it

[00:26:47] - What the future might look like for OpenAI

[00:29:38] - Migrating to Australia at a young age and having mom as a role model

[00:30:57] - Everything is an opportunity

[00:31:38] - Shadowing an entrepreneurial powerhouse

[00:32:45] - The first steps into entrepreneurship

[00:35:25] - Fortune tellers and superstitious parents

[00:36:37] - Weighing up entrepreneurship as a long-term path

[00:38:57] - How this life journey has shaped Ella’s investment thesis

[00:40:00] - Lessons about keeping an open mind

[00:42:06] - The joy and gratefulness of struggle and transition

[00:43:50] - Using tech to lift people off the bottom

[00:44:15] - The power of education in solving all the world’s problems

[00:45:14] - A future based on compassion and community

[00:46:09] - Being a connector

[00:47:11] - Actively listening and understanding to build that vision of the future

[00:48:25] - Socials and contact info

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This week I complete the conversation with Brianna MacDonald, founder of The Care Co. The Care Co is building a SaaS solution for young people and their educators, to build mental health literacy, strategies, and resilience at an early age.

In Part 2, we chat about developing go-to-market strategies in this space, what adoption of the product could look like, the next steps for the company, dream partners at a global scale, values alignment within the team, and the multi-generational impacts if Brianna’s hypotheses turn out to be true.

You can find Part 1 of our conversation here.

You can follow The Care Co on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Links

• More about the ACE score from the CDC (Fact sheet)

• An example of the mental health literacy component of a PDHPE curriculum from the NSW state government

• Multiple global studies on the comparative decline of young persons’ mental health

• Finally, another reminder of how and where Australians can access mental health resources should you need them.

Show notes

[00:02:14] - [First question] – A breakdown of school structures and where key decision makers lie

[00:04:14] - Using Sydney Catholic Schools network as an example

[00:04:56] - Using the state of California’s school districts as an example

[00:06:36] - Australian curriculums and points of leverage for entry into classrooms

[00:07:16] - Why Brianna anticipates adoption makes sense for educators

[00:08:58] - The next steps in product development

[00:09:48] - Why this has taken longer than other tech startups

[00:11:18] - Talking through The Care Co’s beta testing program

[00:13:05] - How the beta testing strategy matters in the long run

[00:13:52] - Walking the walk in terms of mental health

[00:14:54] - Trying to straddle the education industry and tech startup divide

[00:16:29] - The next hires for The Care Co

[00:17:10] - Why a Client Success role matters so much

[00:18:26] - Understanding personal strengths and weaknesses as a leader

[00:19:14] - Surrounding the business with good people

[00:20:22] - Dream partners internationally

[00:23:28] - What success looks like for the business

[00:25:29] - What a mentally healthy world looks like if The Care Co is successful

[00:29:03] - Setting a healthy example to get there

[00:32:03] - Being cognizant of poor health habits in the tech industry

[00:33:07] - Socials and contact info

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My next guest is Brianna MacDonald, founder of The Care Co. The Care Co is building a SaaS solution for young people and their educators, to build mental health literacy, strategies, and resilience at an early age.

Owing to the complexities and sensitivities of unpacking such a topic, we’ve split this over 2 parts. Stay tuned next week for the second half of the conversation.

In Part 1 we chat about the compounding effects of mental health, Brianna’s background intersecting on this exact space, how world events have made the need and possibility of a solution align, and strategies to help educators take up these difficult conversations.

For more on mental health, check out my interview with Cameron Higgins from Resonait here. Cameron will be showcasing progress at the Startmate Demo Day in a couple of weeks.

For more on software doing the heavy lifting of research for practioners, check out my interview with Brock Ford of MetaData here. Brock was most recently representing Australia and Australian startups at the Entrepreneurship World Cup.

Links

• More about the ACE score from the CDC (Fact sheet)

• ABC reporting on the sentencing of Terence Kelly in Western Australia, taking into account early childhood trauma (Article | 5 mins)

• An example of the mental health literacy component of a PDHPE curriculum from the NSW state government

• Multiple global studies on the comparative decline of young persons’ mental health

• Finally, another reminder of how and where Australians can access mental health resources should you need them.

Show notes

[00:01:27] - [First question] – Brianna as a person, and The Care Co’s purpose

[00:02:24] - Brianna’s definition of mental health

[00:04:42] - Comparisons between mental and physical health

[00:05:27] - Compounding effects that lead to mental health breakdown

[00:06:51] - Discussing the highly timely case of Terence Kelly as one example of how early childhood trauma can compound negatively

[00:07:46] - A rundown of the ACE score

[00:08:55] - Examples of adverse experiences included and excluded in the ACE tool

[00:10:17] - Adverse health impacts in adulthood being traced to early childhood, and the development of the ACE tool

[00:12:32] - Brianna’s background in business and health, and underlying interest in this space

[00:14:24] - Early forays into entrepreneurship and contract work

[00:15:33] - Taking on a short contract in the education space that turned into a long-term commitment

[00:16:18] - Understanding the trauma-informed network and connecting all the dots

[00:18:19] - Recognizing that some solutions are not scalable, and using tech to enable scale

[00:19:40] - Brianna’s hypotheses around the effect The Care Co could have

[00:20:52] - The hope that tech can be leveraged for good

[00:22:28] - Breaking down the need for this specific kind of product

[00:23:40] - How Covid has brought both the need and ability to solve the issue to the forefront

[00:24:53] - The widespread evidence and anecdotes recognizing poor mental health in young people

[00:25:15] - Recognizing a problem versus tackling a problem

[00:26:00] - The slow rate of change in schools and teaching methods, and the impacts that has downstream

[00:26:55] - Validating customer “want” for The Care Co’s product

[00:28:09] - Creating a curriculum versus giving educatorsreal tools to deliver it

[00:29:54] - The journey to creating The Care Co from initial conception in Jan 2019

[00:30:56] - Designing a product for both children and educators, starting with children most at risk

[00:32:22] - Recognizing that children from trauma-informed backgrounds learn differently

[00:33:50] - Leveraging digital-first teaching in a post-Covid world

[00:34:36] - Building better mental health resilience with spaced repetition

[00:36:28] - Valuing the influence educators have on young persons

[00:37:24] - Making mental health hygiene a regular part of lessons rather than an annual compliance check

[00:38:09] - How The Care Co does the mental health heavy lifting for educators

[00:40:36] - What The Care Co does NOT replace

[00:41:43] - Part 1 wrap-up

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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We’re taking a short break till mid-April. In the meantime, check out the highlights of the season so far, and see the interconnections between all our guests.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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*I’m taking a short break next week, but normal service resumes in April 😊

This week I speak with Samuel Wines, co-founder of Co-Labs. With Andrew Gray, Samuel founded Co-Labs to be a laboratory-as-a-service for innovators outside of the traditional academic ecosystem.

Co-Labs counts some exciting startups amongst its current and past members, including Vow, Great Wrap, and recent guest Tina Funder from ALT.Leather.

We speak about systems thinking, the pitfalls of traditional science pathways, creating new ones at Co-Labs, expanding the innovation ecosystem, and keeping a keen focus on giving more than they take.

You can get in touch with Samuel via LinkedIn above or Instagram, and do the same with Co-Labs as well.

Links

• Bioquisitive, Andrew’s earlier venture

• The Phoenix School Program that Samuel and Andrew lead as well

• A podcast covering Tyson Yunkaporta’s Sand Talk that Samuel references. Highly recommended listen (Podcast | 70 mins)

• …especially if you don’t have time to read the book itself (Book | 288 pages)

• Fritjof Capra and Daniel Wahl, the inspirations behind Co-Labs

Show notes

[00:02:10] - [First question] – What Co-Labs is trying to be

[00:04:30] - Issues with current scientific and innovation pathways

[00:06:46] - The primary objectives of Co-Labs, and trying to change how society works

[00:10:13] - Samuel’s early career in DJ-ing, modeling and running a creative agency

[00:11:59] - The moment of clarity at a music festival for his life’s purpose

[00:12:56] - Why trans-disciplinary thinking matters

[00:13:30] - From Bioquisitive to Co-Labs with Andrew

[00:15:02] - How remote music festivals stimulate thinking

[00:16:15] - Recognizing the need for a place like Co-Labs

[00:19:06] - Enabling more innovation through connection, and being an inspiration for the next generation of innovators

[00:21:04] - Who Co-Labs is for

[00:22:09] - The broad values alignment Samuel and Andrew aim for

[00:23:37] - Co-Labs alumni and current members, and all the interesting things getting developed

[00:27:25] - How Samuel and Andrew facilitate “innovation-as-a-service” as well

[00:31:16] - What equipment Co-Labs can provide, plus how and why

[00:32:27] - Flexible membership models and why they matter

[00:35:22] - The vetting process for joining Co-Labs

[00:38:34] - Expanding Co-Labs and supporting a broader range of people

[00:40:03] - Existing and blossoming partnerships

[00:41:40] - The potential to expand the model overseas as well

[00:43:04] - Getting much-needed help as Co-Labs expands

[00:44:38] - A democratized dream of the future

[00:46:27] - Being role models for this change

[00:48:01] - Socials and contact info

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week I have a blockbuster of a conversation with Nikki Tugano, founder of SeenCulture. SeenCulture is aiming to be the “Moneyball” platform for workplaces by enabling unrecognized talent to be “seen”.

Through a powerful founding story, loaded with references to psychology and behavioral science, Nikki shows us how SeenCulture is more than just a 360 degree review. She also hopes for a world where the underappreciated can feel seen and valued; a sentiment in full alignment with this podcast.

This episode is on the longer side and my ordinary introduction summary doesn’t do it justice, so please enjoy my discussion with Nikki Tugano.

For more on Nikki and the business of SeenCulture, check out Raveen Kuhadas’s Venture Journeys post about her and the company. You can also follow SeenCulture directly on LinkedIn.

If you’re interested to hear more about people working to open doors and help others recognize their true potential, check out my episodes with Paulwyn Devasundaram and Chris Hudson.

Links

• The Ryan and Deci article on “Self-determination theory” (Article | 10 pages)

• “Drive” by Daniel Pink (Book | 242 pages)

• Fred Luthans, Positive Psychology, and Psychological Capital

• How 360 degree reviews should be done, according to HBR (Page | 6 mins)

• Moneyball by Michael Lewis (Book | 317 pages)

• Reejig, Culture Amp and BambooHR, talent intelligence and employee experience platforms

Show notes

[00:01:42] - [First question] – What Nikki is trying to do with SeenCulture

[00:03:25] - What talent intelligence platforms overall try to do

[00:04:52] - What these platforms try to measure

[00:05:44] - How these measurements are usually collected

[00:07:35] - Nikki’s journey from HR operator to founder

[00:12:18] - The powerful back story that has driven Nikki throughout her career and onto the current trajectory

[00:14:46] - The various “ceilings” that needed to be broken through

[00:17:37] - Validating these feelings with potential customers who might not relate at all with Nikki’s journey

[00:18:30] - The first trial of a SeenCulture method to spotting talent

[00:22:06] - Success of the trial that was reflected in Nikki personally

[00:23:58] - How the current SeenCulture platform works to remove bias

[00:25:16] - Comparisons with Moneyball

[00:27:02] - The 5 dimensions of Positive Psychology

[00:28:33] - Discussing Self-Determination Theory

[00:29:39] - Overlaying data science with all this behavioral science

[00:31:21] - How to quantify all of this

[00:33:42] - Comparing SeenCulture with 360 degree reviews, Reejig, and Culture Amp

[00:33:42] - Seeking to augment rather than compete with these platforms

[00:35:40] - Drilling down to the individual rather than satisfying the average

[00:36:58] - Using segmentation to do so

[00:38:14] - Indicators that might flag potential employee dissatisfaction

[00:39:53] - Indicators that might highlight an employee with high potential, and some history behind the theories

[00:42:58] - Next steps for Nikki and SeenCulture

[00:44:08] - The long term vision

[00:44:56] - Possibly using SeenCulture to recognize high potential startups

[00:46:30] - Dream partners for Nikki

[00:47:23] - The work that needs doing to build the platform and the kinds of investment/investors required

[00:49:10] - Additional skills Nikki wants on the team

[00:50:13] - What the world looks like if everyone is “seen”

[00:52:12] - Nikki’s committment to be open, to recognize the value in others, and to share that recognition

[00:53:34] - Socials and contact info

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My guest this week is Tina Funder, co-founder of ALT.Leather. True to the name, ALT.Leather is creating Australia’s first 100% plant-based leather alternative, by using agricultural waste.

We discuss the enormous environmental costs of leather and textile production,the hidden pitfalls of existing leather alternatives, redesigning traditional manufacturing operations, the efficiency benefits of doing so, the huge range of possible applications for this material, and the importance of being principles-led.

Along with co-founders Dr. Antonin Demazy and Peter Taitoko, Tina and ALT.Leather have just commenced the latest cohort of the SproutX Accelerator.

We also reference 2 other episodes regarding the Circular Economy: Season 1, Episode 7 with Dr. Shafali Gupta and Andy Epifani, as well as Season 2, Episode 1 with Sara Smeath.

If you’re interested in finding out more, you can follow ALT.Leather’s Linkedin page, or get in touch with Tina directly at tinafunder[@]gmail.com.

Links

• LOM Australia, Tina’s first foray into more sustainable materials

• Co-Labs, the co-working lab space in support of science

• Research on the 92 million tons of textile waste (Article | 11 pages)

• Desserto, the world’s only producer of cactus leather

• Creating Polyurethane and Polyvinyl Chloride as synthetic leathers and/or components of plant-based leather alternatives (Article | 1 min)

Show notes

[00:01:32] - [First question] – What Tina and ALT.Leather are trying to do

[00:03:07] - The total environmental impact of leather production

[00:05:03] - Issues with existing leather alternatives

[00:08:19] - Tina’s background and lightbulb moment to explore this space further

[00:10:35] - A shoutout to former guest Sara Smeath

[00:11:06] - Realizing where and why Tina could have the greatest impact

[00:12:38] - Assembling a team to take on this challenge

[00:16:30] - Working with and validating ideas with potential customers

[00:17:58] - Making the material itself - what goes into it and why

[00:20:07] - Additional manufacturing efficiency benefits compared to animal leather

[00:22:38] - The importance of focusing on circularity, and what happens at the “end” of a product’s lifecycle

[00:24:43] - What logistics are involved in order to turn agricultural waste into alternative leather

[00:27:43] - How Tina sees competition for agricultural waste as an input

[00:29:14] - Managing the fluctuation of input materials and production output

[00:30:30] - Roadmap for the next year of product development

[00:31:48] - Dream partners and a dream team

[00:33:07] - Where and how Tina envisions ALT.Leather scaling in the future

[00:33:58] - What Tina believes needs doing to get there

[00:34:28] - Socials and contact info

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week I host Max Carter, co-founder of Goti. Goti is building a new payments and document-sharing platform to help businesses protect themselves against invoice fraud.

We talk about the many hidden risks businesses face with current payment workflows, how Goti is tackling each one, the need to keep pushing innovation in a “boring” but critical space, and Max’s deep-seated mission to advocate for victims of fraud.

We also discuss the breakdown of trust, a theme I also cover in my very first episode with Danai Fadgyas.

Max and co-founder Aaron are currently in the midst of the Australian Antler Residency.

If you’re interested in finding out more, you can follow Goti’s LinkedIn Page, or get in touch with Max directly at max[@]gotiapp.io.

The scale of fraud is growing rapidly, so I’ve shared links below for resources should you need them.

Links

• BECS - the current most widespread payment system in Australia

• NPP - “New Payments Platform” being rolled out, albeit slowly according to Max

• ABA files - the data format that enables batch transactions

• ABC news reporting on the spoofed Bendigo Bank site Max mentions (Article | 4 mins)

• ACCC’s “Scamwatch” statistics on total fraud losses for 2022, as well as past and more recent data

• Reporting a scam through Scamwatch

• IDCARE - ANZ’s cybersecurity support service should you need it

Show notes

• [00:01:47] - [First question] – Max’s past experiences that led him to explore payment fraud

• [00:03:23] - The most common misconception people have about fraud

• [00:04:34] - The scale of fraud attacks against businesses and the recent rapid growth

• [00:05:29] - Detail about how Max’s previous company suffered at the hands of fraudsters, as well as the unseen implications for the company

• [00:07:11] - How fraud affects personal lives of victims

• [00:08:26] - Max’s ambitions and how they aligned with fighting fraudulent attempts

• [00:10:32] - How fraud is symptomatic of broader erosions of trust, and the opportunities to change that

• [00:12:04] - Validating the initial ideas and mapping out initial opportunities for the product

• [00:13:51] - Pivoting from the initial idea to a space that had real value for customers

• [00:14:34] - The variety of businesses that the founders spoke to, to validate the new concept

• [00:16:57] - The story behind the name

• [00:18:25] - How a customer might use Goti on a day-to-day basis

• [00:19:23] - The speed and security increases Goti provides compared to ordinary workflows

• [00:21:10] - Specific security issues with common accounting/invoicing software and banking portals

• [00:23:15] - A rundown of the PayID and PayTo payment rails unique to Australia that Goti makes use of

• [00:25:24] - Staying ahead of the curve by making use of new technology

• [00:26:40] - How Goti onboards customers to ensure their safety

• [00:27:49] - How Goti might scale beyond Australia, given the reliance on Australia-specific payment rails

• [00:28:41] - The experience so far with Antler

• [00:30:13] - What founders are looking for in a partner

• [00:31:01] - The various technologies Goti might make use of in the future

• [00:31:37] - The kinds of people Goti wants to work with to grow the company and make the space exciting

• [00:32:42] - The dream of being the gold standard in secure payments

• [00:33:23] - Leveraging urgency to make change and be leaders in the space

• [00:34:28] - Socials and contact info

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week I sit down with Jordy Kitschke, founder of Flux Robotics. Flux Robotics is building AI-powered robots to help us grow better, healthier, and more environmentally-friendly crops.

We talk about the unseen complexities of farming and getting food to the table, the history and impacts of pesticide use, life on a farm in rural South Australia, the considerations taken in designing robots with an d for farmers, and a dream to put power back into their hands.

Like last week’s guest Jarman Stephens, Jordy has also just started the Startmate Accelerator program. If you’re interested in this problem space and just love solving hard problems in general, tune in to the 24 minute mark to find out what skills Jordy and Flux are looking for.

You can get in touch with Jordy on Twitter through his handle @jordykitschke.

Links

• Flux’s first product, “Onyx” in action (Video | 1 min)

• A prototype example of Flux’s second product in action (Video | 6 secs)

• Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” (Book | 378 pages)

• An example of an old DDT advert from 1946 (Video | 5 mins)

• A list of the “agricultural revolutions” Jordy mentioned, as well as a few more

• Coverage of US-based Verdant Robotics’ “sniper robot” (Video | 8 mins)

• Data on increasing prevalance of pesticide-resistant weeds (Chart)

Show notes

[00:01:32] - [First question] – How Jordy describes himself and what Flux is trying to do

[00:02:29] - The complexities of growing crops and getting them onto the shelf at the store

[00:04:42] - A brief history of pesticide development and use

[00:05:28] - DDT, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and why thinking about pesticides still matters

[00:07:32] - Comparing the technical and capital requirements between controlled indoor cropping (hydroponics/aquaponics) with outdoor cropping

[00:09:05] - How growing up on a farm spurred Jordy into engineering

[00:11:14] - Jordy’s lightbulb idea to start Flux

[00:12:54] - Understanding where Flux would be most valuable in Australia’s agricultural ecosystem

[00:13:48] - Speaking with farmers to develop a go-to-market strategy

[00:14:40] - Flux’s first product and how it works

[00:15:18] - The value of minimizing pesticide use to a farmer

[00:15:55] - Flux’s second product and the next step in pesticide minimization

[00:17:58] - Why Flux is focused on weeds as opposed to other kinds of pests

[00:19:35] - Keeping the robots simple enough to cater for a broad range of uses

[00:21:06] - Comparisons with US-based potential competitors, Verdant Robotics, and Flux’s unique approach to the problem

[00:22:41] - Technology being used currently to manufacture the robots

[00:23:16] - Flux’s expansion strategy beyond Australia

[00:24:16] - The immediate next steps for Flux

[00:24:54] - The value that working with farmers has on Flux

[00:25:42] - The kinds of interesting people that Flux might be on the lookout for

[00:26:49] - Jordy’s dream to put power back into the hands of farmers

[00:27:42] - Keeping a steady hand and prioritizing the work that matters

[00:28:40] - Social media info

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In this week's episode, I chat with Jarman Stephens, co-founder of Gridmo. Gridmo is building software for a hidden problem in our electrical grid: that being the bottleneck of grid modeling.

What is that? Well, we get a crash course on the intricacies of the energy grid to begin with, before diving into what grid modeling is and the bottlenecks it causes. We also chat about Gridmo’s solution to the bottleneck, the different challenges posed by renewable versus non-renewable energy, the balance between regulation and innovation, and finish with a rallying cry to the energy industry.

Alongside co-founder Damien Vermeer, Jarman has just started the Startmate Accelerator program. If you’re interested in this problem space, tune in to the 26 minute mark to find out what skills Gridmo is looking for.

You can get in touch with Jarman via email: jarman[@]gridmo.io, and follow their Linkedin page here.

For more on new ways to think about our energy industry, check out my discussion with Billy Jeremijenko from Aquila, and their moonshot idea to build the “Internet of Energy”.

Links

• A US government page on the implications of transitioning to inverter-based energy (Article | 8 mins)

• A nuanced take on the pro/anti nuclear debate (Op-ed | 12 mins)

• The Dunning-Kruger Effect that Jarman referenced (article | 6 mins)

• The wiki page on the 2016 South Australia Blackout (20 mins)

• The corresponding government investigative report (210 pages)

Show notes

[00:01:42] - [First question] – How Jarman describes himself and what Gridmo is trying to do

[00:02:43] - Jarman’s description of how the Australian electricity market works

[00:05:05] - What grid modeling is, and why its important

[00:06:37] - How grid modeling becomes especially important as society shifts towards renewable energy sources

[00:08:33] - Where Gridmo might fit in, if the future was based around nuclear energy

[00:09:51] - Jarman’s background, and when he first noticed there were key problems in grid modeling

[00:10:55] - Taking the leap to founding a company to solve these problems

[00:12:51] - The efforts Jarman and co-founder Damien took to validate this issue around the industry

[00:13:51] - Where Gridmo software fits into the power systems software ecosystem

[00:15:08] - Who customers of Gridmo might be and why

[00:16:42] - What Jarman means when he refers to standardization of grid modeling

[00:17:44] - A rundown of the 2016 South Australia Blackouts

[00:18:52] - How Gridmo software works with the new rules created in response to the blackout

[00:20:06] - Shifting internationally with different regulatory regimes

[00:21:20] - Jarman and Damien’s unique advantages starting off in Australia first

[00:22:07] - How Jarman envisions Gridmo might work with energy regulators

[00:23:08] - Taking the next steps by beginning the Startmate accelerator

[00:24:50] - Key partners to work with in the near future

[00:25:57] - Additional skillsets needed in the team to really succeed

[00:27:35] - Jarman’s dream of a living renewable energy grid

[00:28:32] - Jarman’s call to arms for the energy industry to keep evolving

[00:29:20] - Social media and contact info

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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To begin Season 2, I speak with Sara Smeath, co-founder of CiRCLR. CiRCLR is out to promote a circular economy, by helping businesses understand the value of their waste streams. Billing themselves as the “Tinder for Trash”, CiRCLR aims to match these waste streams to businesses looking for those exact inputs.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Sara and I speak about her operational expertise in the fashion industry, why a circular economy should be more valuable for businesses, the two-faces of greenwashing, the data problem behind it all, the changing winds of regulation, rubbing shoulders with famous people, and doing this all for the kids.

CiRCLR is just about to start fundraising and launch their product on the app store, and are currently part of the Orion Energy Accelerator.

If you are interested in getting in touch with Sara, you can find send an email to sara[@]circlr.nz.

For more on products using waste streams as an input, check out my episode with Dr Shafali Gupta and Andy Epifani, the co-founders of Uuvipak.

Please enjoy my discussion with Sara Smeath.

Links

• Circular Economy basics from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (Video | 10 mins)

• “Fashion Graveyards” in Chile and Ghana (both videos | both 3 mins)

• H&M’s attempts to be more sustainable, in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (Page | 4 mins)

• The NZ government’s initiatives in this space (Page | 3 mins)

Show notes

• [00:02:19] - [First question] – Sara’s background

• [00:03:39] - Working in fashion innovation in China

• [00:05:07] - What is a “Circular Economy”?

• [00:05:44] - Shifting responsibilities to businesses

• [00:07:04] - Sara’s experience with implementing circular practices in China

• [00:09:29] - How businesses can re-think their waste

• [00:10:39] - Measuring the value of waste and leveraging it

• [00:11:54] - Enabling companies to take genuine action rather than just carbon offsetting

• [00:13:44] - How waste is really a data problem at heart

• [00:15:29] - Making use of waste/input materials with limited shelf life

• [00:16:49] - The behavior change required for businesses

• [00:17:14] - How the fashion industry saw value in becoming more circular

• [00:18:55] - CiRCLR’s method for traceability of goods

• [00:19:39] - Rewarding everyone down the supply chain

• [00:21:08] - Getting invited to COP27 after less than 1 year since founding

• [00:23:17] - Conflicting feelings about attending COP27

• [00:24:35] - Getting to have lunch with Prime Ministers

• [00:26:33] - Gearing up for product launch and fundraising

• [00:29:33] - Hopes and dreams for a circular future

• [00:31:19] - Who and what all this effort is for

• [00:32:03] - Socials and contact info

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Welcome to 2023! We’ll be launching Season 2 soon: from looking at trash with a new lens, to hidden problems in our electrical grid, we'll cover a huge breadth of today's challenges being solved by tomorrow's heroes.

We will also start meeting some of the fascinating people who are beginning their own journeys, uncovering and supporting these pioneers.

Stay tuned, subscribe, and learn what it's like before the success… when what we've got is Promise.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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As we close out 2022, I hope you enjoy your holiday season. A gentle reminder that it can be a trying time for some of us. Please reach out if you're feeling a little down; and for those who have a spare seat at the table, perhaps welcome a friend in need.

A massive shout out to all the guests who’ve lent their time so far. To our listeners, there will be more stories to come in Season 2 next year, see you all then!

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In this week's episode, I chat with Cameron Higgins, founder of Resonait. Resonait is out to change the face of mental healthcare, by mapping and triggering our symphony of brainwaves. Sound far-fetched? Have a listen, and Cameron's drive and experiences might just change your mind.

We speak about mental health versus mental illness, Cameron's neuroscience research at Oxford, his life leading disaster response for the UN, how both led to founding Resonait, and the drive to tackle a crisis of mental healthcare.

If this cause resonates with you, Cameron is looking to build out a broad team - tune in at the 34 minute mark to hear what skills he’s looking for. If you’re interested to get in touch with Cameron, you can email cam[@]resonait.com.

If you feel in need of help, please reach out to your local helpline. Australian resources can be found here.

Otherwise, please enjoy my discussion with Cameron Higgins.

Links

• Cameron’s research area at Oxford and associated published articles

• Microsoft’s study on taking breaks between video calls, displaying the “brainwave symphony” Cameron describes

• The Default Mode Network, or our brain’s activity when we’re not engaged in any particular task

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a common psychotherapy method based on the premise that actions/behavior can influence thoughts/feelings

• The Black Dog Institute that Resonait has been partnering with

• Finally, a reminder of how and where Australians can access mental health resources should you need them.

Show notes

[00:01:54] - [First question] – How Cameron describes himself, as well as what Resonait is trying to do

[00:03:48] - The distinction between mental health and mental illness

[00:05:50] - Cameron’s PhD and post-doc research topics

[00:08:34] - Striking a balance between tangible engineering outcomes and intangible research outcomes

[00:10:31] - Cameron’s start and journey with the UN

[00:13:28] - Mental healthcare in disaster response settings

[00:15:22] - Burning out of the all-action UN work to relax with a PhD

[00:16:39] - “The brainwave symphony”

[00:18:12] - The tragedy with mental healthcare as it is

[00:20:20] - Creating a wearable device that aims to solve systemic issues

[00:22:57] - The real-world research done to understand where the device fits in

[00:24:48] - How patients might interact and use this device

[00:28:12] - The behavior change required by both psychologists and patients for best effectiveness

[00:30:06] - Cameron’s strategy to grow recognition of Resonait

[00:31:31] - The next steps in Resonait’s development

[00:33:08] - Dream partners and the need to grow the team

[00:35:58] - The 10-15 year vision of mental healthcare

[00:37:29] - The razor sharp focus required

[00:38:47] - Contact info

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This week I have a short and sharp conversation with Zoe Piper. Among her many other ventures, Zoe is founder of CareerVitae, a platform designed to rethink the concept of resumes or CVs.

We chat about Zoe's many different pursuits and how they contribute to her expertise, the power of networking, the changing nature of multi-faceted careers, why the concept of a CV is outdated, how corporate hiring and redundancies are a broken model, and ultimately how CareerVitae is setting out to tackle these issues.

CareerVitae is currently looking for UX/UI skills, so if you’re interested in this problem space, please reach out!

Please enjoy my discussion with Zoe Piper.

Show notes

[00:01:47] - [First question] – A high level view of Zoe’s pursuits

[00:02:31] - Leveraging this diversity of roles and interests

[00:03:37] - Defining what constitutes a “career”

[00:04:45] - Why the CV and resume are outdated concepts

[00:05:35] - Suggestions for organizations to innovate in this space

[00:06:45] - Laggards and inefficiencies in hiring

[00:07:35] - Zoe’s multi-faceted career in a wide variety of industries

[00:09:03] - Pursuing career interests vs taking roles out of necessity

[00:09:56] - Employer attitudes towards people whose work history has moved in many different directions

[00:10:57] - Setting up CareerVitae to solve these problems

[00:12:13] - How CareerVitae solves these issues, comparisons with LinkedIn, and ongoing knowledge sharing

[00:14:58] - Shifting organizations onto such a platform

[00:15:35] - Individual’s ownership of the data

[00:16:41] - Coaching jobseekers on effective CV and resume-writing

[00:18:05] - The variety of early adopters using CareerVitae

[00:19:41] - The future of the company, leveraging the early adopters and Zoe’s wide networks

[00:21:41] - Dream partner organizations

[00:22:09] - Existing team as well as desired skills

[00:23:43] - A future enabling better and more efficient jobseeker-employer connections

[00:24:31] - Zoe’s style of working, and the desire to keep pushing and building networks

[00:25:26] - Contact info

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This week, I host Chris Hudson, founder of Company Road. Company Road is his newly launched coaching and consultancy business.

We chat about “intrapreneurs”: who they are and what makes a good one. We also cover how Chris enables clients to be their own experts, how empowering intrapreneurship builds the future of work, and what this future could look like.

If you're interested in more thoughts about coaching and the future of work, pair this episode alongside my discussion with Paulwyn Devasundaram, co-founder of Medoo.

In the meantime, please enjoy my discussion with Chris Hudson.

Links

• Intrapreneuring by Gifford Pinchot, considered to be the origination of the term (Book | 368 pages)

• Why you should become an “intrapreneur” from HBR (Article | 5 mins)

• The “Double Diamond” method of divergent and convergent thinking (Article | 10 mins)

• Seth Godin and Simon Sinek, two intrapreneurial luminaries who have created huge amounts of associated content

• The Johari Window - more commonly known as the “Knowns and Unknowns” grid

• The Carrot Collective, the distributed decentralized “agency” Chris is now part of

Show notes

[00:02:48] - Chris’s definition of an “intrapreneur” and further resources to dive into

[00:04:06] - Why intrapreneurs are important to businesses

[00:04:54] - The type of role that intrapreneurs usually come from

[00:06:12] - The type of person that thrives at intrapreneurship

[00:07:26] - The organizational barriers that limit success

[00:08:27] - How those barriers also affect a sense of self-worth

[00:09:42] - How Chris became attracted to intrapreneurs and wanting to work more with them

[00:11:06] - Chris recognizing the patterns in his career to focus on this space

[00:12:01] - Leveraging Human-Centered Design as an agent of change

[00:14:48] - The culture of experimentation in intrapreneurship that excites Chris

[00:16:22] - The meaning behind the name “Company Road”

[00:18:39] - Chris’s take on the status quo of consulting

[00:19:18] - How Company Road differentiates itself from general cons

[00:22:55] - Various methods and connections that Company Road could leverage to solve problems

[00:27:05] - The balance between solving legacy issues and building the future of work

[00:28:34] - Chris’s thoughts on what the future of work could look like

[00:30:23] - Existing examples of how this future might play out

[00:31:46] - What plans Chris has in store for Company Road

[00:34:14] - Setting up a community based around transformation

[00:36:00] - Envisioning a self-powered and self-learning future for everyone

[00:34:14] - Setting up a community based around transformation

[00:37:09] - Building connections to make education, empowerment and ultimately transformation easier for everyone

[00:39:06] - Getting in touch with Chris - socials and website

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week, I have a short discussion with Dr Shafali Gupta and Andy Epifani. Together they're the co-founders of Uuvipak, a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastics.

We chat about the plastic problem, the rapid trajectory of the company, why Uuvipak is genuinely biodegradable, making and tasting edible plastic alternatives, and sharing an inspirational message for all the kids out there.

Shafali and Andy have recently completed the Blackbird Giants program, won the Nespresso Startcup Challenge, and on the day of publishing have just been accepted into the Queensland Government’s Low Carbon Accelerator.

To protect their intellectual property, we couldn't broadcast more about the materials and processes behind Uuvipak. However, if you enjoy this conversation, I encourage anyone interested in finding out more, to get in touch with the founders. They can be followed or contacted through Linkedin above, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Links

• The video mentioned showing a puppy eating an Uuvipak (Video | 2 mins)

• About the well-known Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Article | 1 min)

• Unintended consequences of relying on microorganisms to break down plastic (Article | 4 mins)

• More on the different kinds of plastic pollution and their impacts (Article | 8 mins)

• Human health impacts from ingesting microplastics (Article | 5 mins)

• Other producers of “biodegradable” packaging in Australia

• PHA and PLA, that make up the existing biodegradable alternatives

• Other examples of edible cups

Show notes

[00:01:37] - [First question] – What is Uuvipak?

[00:03:00] - Uuvipak’s take on the existing plastic problem, and where they fit in as a solution

[00:06:05] - Observing the problem personally and dreaming up the idea during covid lockdowns

[00:07:20] - The complementary backgrounds of the founders

[00:08:21] - Starting the company from the kitchen, to a garage, to raising money and winning awards in the last year

[00:11:22] - Quandaries around entering the Nespresso Startcup Challenge

[00:12:47] - The story behind the unique name

[00:13:40] - The biodegradable nature of Uuvipak’s materials

[00:15:14] - Comparing Uuvipak with other “biodegradable” packaging

[00:17:33] - Making the packaging edible, and taste-testing the early prototypes

[00:20:05] - Next steps for Uuvipak - growth, partnerships, and recruitment

[00:22:20] - A vision of eliminating new plastic production, and a cleaner world

[00:23:12] - A call to action for any young visionaries to step up

[00:24:04] - Getting in touch with Uuvipak - socials

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week I have a conversation with Brock Ford, co-founder of MedaData.MedaData is setting out to save lives by minimizing medication errors.

We chat about the cost of these medication errors, why this problem has never been solved, the data-driven solution being built, the regulatory challenges of medical tech, using said tech to build trust, and how one small tool could change the face of medicine.

Brock and co-founder Siobhan Kelliher recently completed the LuminaX healthtech accelerator program. Together they won the “Startup of the Year” award, and individually were both nominated for “Young entrepreneur of the year” awards.

To find out more about MedaData, investing, or signing onto becoming a customer, you can get in touch with Brock by emailing brock.ford[@]medadata.com.au

Links

• The full report that details the volume of medication errors in Australia (Report | 32 pages)

• A summary article of the above with additional opinions (Article | 4 mins)

• Software as a Medical Device regulation that MedaData would fall under (Policy | 15 mins)

• MIMS, one of the medical databases that MedaData draws from and who they are developing a partnership with

• ViralCheckRX, the MVP that Brock built that is currently in use

• Paxlovid, a recently-released antiviral aimed at treating COVID-19

• Best Practice, the practice management software who are in early stages of a partnership

Show notes

[00:01:23] - [First question] – What is MedaData and what are your goals?

[00:02:10] - The scale of problems surrounding medication errors

[00:04:29] - The root causes of medication errors

[00:06:01] - How Brock’s background factors into founding the company

[00:06:56] - The depth of research Brock and Siobhan did to understand the root cause of the problem

[00:08:36] - What a potential solution could look like, and where could it be most useful

[00:10:45] - Sourcing medical data to make recommendations on medication

[00:11:36] - Why some parts of the process shouldn’t need human input

[00:13:33] - Why Paxlovid was the first drug that MedaData used in the MVP

[00:16:45] - The role non-identifiable patient data plays in making a recommendation

[00:18:49] - How this benefits clinicians

[00:20:22] - The regulatory environment around building this kind of software

[00:22:44] - Navigating not just one set of regulations, but new ones in every expansion country

[00:25:18] - The risks associated with operating in such a fragmented cyber-infrastructure environment

[00:27:56] - Current traction and feedback on the MVP

[00:30:00] - The status quo and the competitor landscape

[00:33:57] - The next steps for MedaData and integrating into practice management software

[00:36:50] - Building networks with clinicians and selling into a notoriously difficult market

[00:38:08] - The dream partnerships to build and raising money to scale

[00:39:53] - What the world looks like if it all pans out

[00:42:37] - Brock’s personal committment to seeing it through

[00:44:38] - Getting in touch with MedaData - socials and emails

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com

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This week I have a conversation with Jada Andersen, Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Xylo Systems. Xylo Systems is setting out to be the central data hub for all global biodiversity information.

We chat about information silos, the huge variety in conservation data, bridging the gaps between that world and tech, how anyone from individuals to corporations can get involved, and the beautiful goal to go out of business.

Jada and co-founder Camille Goldstone-Henry recently launched their beta product and completed the Startmate Accelerator program alongside our previous guest Billy. They are currently in discussions with the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and Bush Heritage. At the time of publishing this episode, Camille has also just wrapped up presenting at Purpose Conference.

To find out more about existing clients, joining as a new client, or even just contributing data, you can get in touch with Jada by emailing jada[@]xylosystems.org

Links

• iNaturalist, a hub for citizen science and one of Xylo’s many data sources

• A quick “what is citizen science?” summary (Article | 5 mins)

• The Atlas of Living Australia, an open source biodiversity data hub specific to Australia

• The Wolf Restoration project in Yellowstone National Park, and a summary of the resulting ecological changes (Article | 10 mins)

• Biodiversity offsets and issues surrounding them (Article | 6 mins)

• How biodiversity offsets should work, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (Article | 7 mins)

• The $44 Trillion figure and how it is dependent on ecosystem strength and diversity (Article | 11 mins)

• A map of Indigenous Australian land and sea management projects

Show notes

[00:01:32] - [First question] – What is Xylo Systems and what are your goals?

[00:03:34] - The manual and siloed nature of biodiversity data collection

[00:05:22] - How Jada met co-founder Camille and got Xylo started

[00:07:20] - Jada’s background and how it was a unique fit for this space

[00:08:42] - Entering the accelerator and learning how hard they could push themselves

[00:10:31] - Where Xylo sources its data from and contextual relevance of that data

[00:12:45] - How in-person data capture can change results significantly

[00:13:45] - Automatically digitizing historical data, and why that’s needed

[00:15:28] - Practices and platforms to ingest informal “citizen science” data

[00:16:55] - How someone can get involved with citizen science

[00:18:39] - What a Xylo customer would see right now

[00:20:31] - Understanding the root problems on a project-by-project basis, in order to make projections accurately

[00:23:23] - “Security by design” across the platform, considering the value of the data

[00:24:48] - Practices to limit double handling of data collection

[00:26:04] - Building a new frontier of climate change accounting with corporations

[00:27:56] - Why Xylo’s first targets are in the construction industry

[00:29:30] - What a corporate client could do with Xylo data

[00:31:05] - Measures of success for a corporation and speaking in financial terms

[00:32:15] - The economic value reliant on biodiversity

[00:33:10] - Shaping the next steps based on customer feedback

[00:34:32] - Working closer with and learning from Indigenous Australian conservation organizations

[00:36:07] - Expansion of the team, sophistication of the data, and into other countries

[00:37:47] - The goal to grow their way out of business

[00:38:51] - Jada and Camille’s personal commitment to seeing it through

[00:40:23] - Getting in touch with Xylo - website and emails

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In this week's episode, I chat with Billy Jeremijenko, co-founder of Aquila. Aquila is building the quote unquote, "internet of energy" using lasers. If you think that sounds crazy, have a listen and Billy might just change your mind.

We chat about energy abundance and scarcity, why what sounds like science fiction is much closer to science fact, how Aquila is leveraging existing tech to build this future, and a vision of humanity amongst the stars.

Alongside co-founder Nelson Smith, Billy has evolved Aquila from an idea to a proof-of-concept able to power drones mid-flight. A few days after recording, Aquila also completed the Startmate Accelerator program, and announced upcoming partnerships with Hover UAV, Swoop Aero, and Dovetail Aero.

You can get in touch with Billy via LinkedIn, and find out more on Aquila’s website.

Links

• The Aquila Whitepaper, for the fascinating if technical thesis behind Aquila (Article | 12 mins)

• The Breakthrough Starshot concept, as well as its backers and targets (Article | 3 mins)

• The optical arrays behind the concept (Article | 3 mins), being developed at Australian National University

• “Doping” of optical fibers (Research paper | 10 mins)

• Rocket Lab, where Nelson has previous experience in the New Zealand office

• Historic and projected reduction in costs of space travel (Article | 4 mins)

• Summary of the semiconductor supply chain (Podcast | 101 mins)

• More on the semiconductor supply chain, including geopolitics (Book | 464 pages)

• The little known photonics industry in New Zealand (Article | 2 mins)

• And finally, Mass Effect, one of the greatest games of all time.

Show notes

[00:01:36] - [First question] – What is the internet of energy?

[00:02:42] - The energy sources to be leveraged and why

[00:03:22] - Billy’s inspiration and motivation

[00:04:18] - The confluence of various trends that make this possible

[00:06:06] - Co-founder Nelson’s background at Rocket Lab

[00:07:48] - Using existing technology to create the network

[00:10:09] - Coming up with the idea and getting into an accelerator program

[00:12:56] - How the “internet of energy” would work in real life

[00:16:25] - Why a satellite is the preferred option for redirecting energy

[00:17:26] - Niche use cases that don’t yet exist

[00:19:05] - The various orbit types of satellites and what would be preferred

[00:22:07] - Aquila’s struggles with sourcing the right materials and components

[00:24:44] - Leveraging the burgeoning photonics and photovoltaics expertise in the Australia/New Zealand region to alleviate supply chain concerns

[00:26:56] - Scaling the idea from charging drones to using satellites as reflectors

[00:29:30] - Saving the redirection test for satellites, and unlocking new use cases

[00:32:37] - Identifying the right VCs to partner with as ownership dilutes

[00:35:17] - The modularity of the solution and dangers of distraction

[00:36:45] - Protecting the company and the world from bad actors

[00:38:45] - Billy’s vision of powering a limitless future for humanity, on earth and in space

[00:40:05] - Staying humble and building the right company to enable that future

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In this week’s episode of Promise, we speak with Ciaran Ardren, founder of Constance Coffee. Ciaran is the man behind multiple award winning coffee roasts at Golden Bean, the world’s largest coffee roasting competition. Constance Coffee is his new micro-roasting business, aiming to bring wine-tasting style quality to those interested.

We have a discussion about how Australia became famous for specialty coffee, communicating the art of coffee, why the best quality roasters stay small, the volatility in coffee supply chains, the power of networking and kindness, and what the world looks like if it all pans out.

You can buy beans including a subscription via the Constance website, and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

Links

• “Waves” of coffee explained (Article | 5 mins)

• Just after recording, an Australian took home the top prize at the 2022 World Barista Championship. (Article | 2 mins)

• List of 2017 Golden Bean awards (Document | 15 mins), where Ciaran took home Gold in the organic roast while representing Vertue Coffee

• List of 2018 Golden Bean awards (Document | 15 mins), where 28 of 33 entries received a medal

• Klein Constantia and Vin de Constance (Article | 7 mins), whose history and family footsteps Ciaran is seeking to follow

• Missionaries versus Mercenaries, mentioned by John Doerr in this Wharton article (Article | 5 mins) and articulated more broadly in this SVPG post by Marty Cagan (Article | 4 mins)

• The “Melbourne Magic” coffee, broken down - no affiliation with this site (Article | 3 mins)

• The power of networking and expanding one’s luck surface area (Article | 8 mins) by Sahil Bloom

• James Hoffman, 2007 World Barista Champion’s YouTube channel

Show notes

[00:01:54] - [First question] – How Australia came to have a reputation for coffee

[00:03:14] - Australian coffee’s influence around the world

[00:04:01] - The “waves” of sophistication in coffee making and light bulb moments

[00:06:40] - Ciaran’s entry into the industry and recognizing the limitations of working for an established brand

[00:07:38] - Helping to establish a new venture with greater freedom, and learning how to grow that brand

[00:09:40] - How customers want increased communication about quality, and why Ciaran wanted to serve that need through setting up Constance

[00:11:04] - The story and brief list of the awards Ciaran was behind

[00:13:36] - The desire to emulate a very storied family history, by creating a story of his own

[00:15:39] - Why the best coffee comes from very small operations

[00:17:01] - How the flavors of whiskey and wine are communicated, and making coffee similarly understood

[00:17:53] - The “missionary versus mercenary” divide

[00:19:13] - The knock-on effects across the industry of mercantile behavior

[00:20:50] - Leveraging networks to bootstrap Constance

[00:23:30] - The power of networking and importance of being kind when selling

[00:25:41] - Deciding to bootstrap versus accepting a capital investment offer

[00:28:50] - How scaling changes the founder’s role in a business

[00:30:35] - The recent supply chain volatility for coffee

[00:31:39] - How purchase prices are negotiated, and the affect that has on quality

[00:32:59] - How shipping and port charges affect the end-price

[00:36:01] - The factors to consider when establishing a bricks and mortar storefront

[00:38:09] - Why businesses and spaces must be designed to suit one another

[00:39:28] - Beyond bricks and mortar: becoming a coffee “hype machine”

[00:41:27] - What being a good leader looks like

[00:42:25] - Getting in touch with Constance Coffee - website and socials

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For our second episode of Promise, we welcome Paulwyn Devasundaram.

Paulwyn has a background as a software engineer, previously climbing the ranks of Australian tech giants Canva and Atlassian. She is currently creating Medoo, a SaaS platform specific to supporting the coaching industry.

We discuss Paulwyn’s lightbulb moment to focus on this space, building an intentional but high-growth company, enabling people to unlock their potential, shaping the future of work, and what the world looks like if it all pans out.

You can find Sydney University’s certification here.

We spoke about Tim Grover’s book, which you can find here.

Afterwork Ventures just supported Medoo with pre-seed funding.

You can find out more about Medoo at their website where Paulwyn and co-founder Allard have deep-dive conversations with coaches. You can sign up to work with their beta product at the time of recording.

Further updates are available on Linkedin and Twitter. Finally, for their visual inspirational content, check out their Instagram.

Show notes

[00:01:21] - [First question] – The definition of personal and transformational coaches

[00:05:23] - How someone becomes a life coach

[00:08:03] - The personal and professional challenges that made Paulwyn seek help from coaches

[00:11:09] - Zeroing in on the lack of tooling for coaches

[00:12:23] - Founding a company with your life partner

[00:14:54] - The story behind the name “Medoo”

[00:16:59] - Validating the early concept with coaches

[00:19:34] - The sales and marketing strategy to reach more coaches

[00:21:55] - Initial feedback on the beta product, and the importance of individualzed experiences

[00:25:39] - Designing SaaS to be a companion, not a chore

[00:28:23] - The decision to (successfully) raise money, versus continuing to bootstrap

[00:30:51] - Expanding the team, creating a company culture, and future raises

[00:32:38] - The dynamics of traditional people management, and how Medoo will be part of what needs to change

[00:35:14] - Balancing intentionality and slowness with building a high-growth startup

[00:37:47] - Paulwyn’s committment to help build this future

[00:39:26] - Getting in touch with Medoo - socials and website

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Danai is the founder of CoFutures, a specialist urban planning consultancy seeking to make planning easier for everyone to understand.

For the full show notes and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Introducing Promise, a podcast about the idea of Promise itself. Whether that's the potential for success, or the commitments we make to get there, Promise showcases the underdogs, who might just change the world.

Music: Best Time by FASSounds

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit promisefm.substack.com