Obviously The Future

What is the current state of college admissions? What social good do elite universities offer society, and how are they trying to do it better? We discuss the state of elite universities with Matthew Rascoff , the Vice Provost for Digital Education at Stanford University .   Matthew is one of the most innovative administrators in the industry and a leader who puts ideas into action. He is pioneeri...

What is the role of story in technology and humanity? Is Elon Musk one of the greatest storytellers of our generation? Damien Walter is a "rockstar critic" in science fiction and fantasy. He runs a 30,000+ member Science Fiction community and hosts the popular Science Fiction podcast and YouTube channel , where he explores the myths underpinning our society through modern entertainment. ‘Story is...

How do you make a feature film as a high school student? What is the role of school when you demonstrate excellence outside the classroom? Wesley Wang is a filmmaker, an 11-time national chess champion, and a sophomore at Harvard. His first significant film, nothing, except everything , a coming-of-age short movie that has won many awards and gone viral on YouTube with 2.7 million views. We talk a...

Why do great schools have empty spots? Why don’t schools compete fiercely for students? How does reducing microfrictions increase economic growth? Professor Chris Neilson is not your typical founder. He was born in the heart of Silicon Valley to undocumented immigrants from Chile. He is a former elite professional rugby player and has advised education policy for governments across the globe, the...

How do you design human connection at scale? Can emotional intelligence be learned? What’s the best way to handle being roasted online? Kind, Curious, and Open-Minded. These are the core values that Elle Beecher is building The Board Walks community around. She aims to unite people for energizing conversations, growing as humans, and connecting with people who share a "learn something, teach somet...

How do you build fanatical learning communities online? How does one ‘manufacture relevancy’? We dive deep into the world of Warren Carlyle, a professional community-building strategist who works with purpose-driven brands & influencers to build highly engaged online communities and wildly successful social media campaigns. He is also the founder/CEO of OctoNation - The Largest Octopus Fan Club, a...

What are some tips and tricks for making new friends? Why in real life events are critical to community building? At Avalanche VC we are big believers in Nick’s 2-hour cocktail methodology and implement his best practices at all our events (name tags, always!), so we are excited to hear all the insight in this tactical conversation. Nick explains why he believes in-person events designed for intro...

Why is doing ‘the inner work’ important? Can AI replace coaches? Why is wisdom in short supply? In this episode, the entire team is on for a conversation with our coach-in-residence, Dalglish Chew . Dalglish received a Ph. D. in English but left academia and cut his teeth at McKinsey, working with healthcare clients and conducting due diligence for private equity firms. He is now an executive coac...

How can we instill outcomes and urgency in government? What is the opportunity for startups to deliver public goods? We discuss government, delivery, and technology with our long-time friends and colleagues, Saad Rizvi and Al-Hassan Hleileh . Saad is currently a partner at SuperLayer, a consumer crypto incubator, and previously co-founded Delivery Associates and co-authored An Avalanche Is Coming...

Do Millennials want to be homeowners? What is the most significant barrier to homeownership? With rising interest rates and high student loan debt, getting a mortgage and being a homeowner is less accessible than ever. Catalina Kaiyoorawongs is a passionate expert in increasing access to home ownership. Join us to understand the real deal with federal student loan forgiveness, the changes to credi...

What does it take to innovate using artificial intelligence? How can generative AI avatars improve learning? We talk with a technologist on the front lines. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the education system, prompting parents to become more involved in their children's learning. Deepak Sekar is one of those parents and an inventor with 214 patents who has successfully merged his...

What does it take to empower parents and decentralize schooling? Why is a diversity of school models important to parents? Are we at a tipping point? Education is a fundamental pillar of society, shaping the minds and futures of our children. However, traditional education models have often fallen short in meeting the diverse needs of students. In this episode, we speak with Joe Connor , the found...

How does one achieve massive results? What does it take to be truly great? We sat with global implementation expert Sir Michael Barber , Chair of Delivery Associates and LP & Advisor to Avalanche VC . Join us for a reflective conversation on our work together in the past and about accomplishing big goals and changing the world.  You can expect a wide-ranging conversation with historical and litera...