Latest Interviews
Showing 331–345 of 1,042 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 7m
Africa: Economic Recovery and Transformation
Raj Kumar, Aruma Ote, Paula Ngabiri, Vivian Nwaka
Moderated by DevEx President Raj Kumar at the Milken Institute Global Conference, a panel of African leaders and financiers including former World Bank official Arumna Ote and Rwanda's Minister Paula Ngabiri analyzed the continent's post-pandemic economic trajectory. The discussion highlighted Africa's demographic potential and the urgent need to boost intra-continental trade through the AfCFTA while addressing a critical $130 billion annual funding gap exacerbated by investor risk perception and inadequate fiscal stimulus. Panellists proposed a strategic shift toward blended finance, agile regulatory frameworks for sectors like health tech and agribusiness, and data-driven governance to attract private capital and foster inclusive growth for the projected 2.3 billion population.
- Milken Institute1h 15m
A Season of Playoffs: Redefining Sports in Challenging Times
Linda, Todd Boley, Chris Paul, Kim Tagula, Richard Sherman
During the 2020 season, prominent athletes and leagues like the NBA, WNBA, and MLS shifted from a traditionally apolitical stance to active social justice advocacy, utilizing platforms such as the Orlando bubble and player-initiated jersey messages to address systemic racism following high-profile incidents involving Black Lives Matter. Concurrently, the sports industry navigated severe economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, which forced salary cap reductions, operational volatility, and a reevaluation of revenue streams while simultaneously sparking increased fan engagement and voter registration initiatives. Experts project a recovery by 2022 driven by scalable testing protocols and a renewed focus on community connection, with organizations prioritizing long-term financial literacy and diversity funding over short-term profit to sustain the sector.
- Milken Institute1h 18m
Part 1: A Conversation with Steve Case | Part 2: New Entrepreneurs for a New Economy
Steve Case, Dan Premack, Nick Green, Jeanette, Irene, Ibrahim Ajami
Steve Case and a diverse panel of executives from companies like Thrive Market and AirAsia Digital convened to analyze the permanent shift of venture capital toward regional hubs and the integration of the internet into legacy sectors like healthcare and logistics. The discussion highlighted how remote work, accelerated pandemic trends, and a strategic pivot from pure travel to digital ecosystems are reshaping investment strategies, with leaders emphasizing sustainability, operational agility, and a "flight to quality" in the SPAC market. Key outcomes included the identification of a "Third Wave" of internet innovation where domain expertise in the Midwest and Southeast offers competitive advantages, alongside a renewed focus on closing diversity gaps and supporting Black founders through targeted partnerships.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
In Search for a Cure: Are We Nearing a Treatment for COVID-19?
Esther Kofa, Meg Terrell, Dr. Tony Fauci, Albert Bourla
The Milken Institute Summer Series concluded by analyzing the U.S. resurgence of COVID-19 infections and the global development of nearly 250 treatment compounds, featuring critical insights from Dr. Anthony Fauci and Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla. Dr. Fauci warned of severe fall surges driven by behavioral shifts while outlining a vaccine timeline with Phase III trials expected to begin in July, whereas Dr. Bourla detailed Pfizer's autonomous mRNA strategy aiming for safety and efficacy data by September. As the organization prepares its 23rd Global Conference for a likely online format in October, these discussions underscored the urgent need for robust public health protocols alongside rapid medical solutions.
- Jane Street1h 5m
Raph Levien: A Taste of GPU Compute
The presentation details how modern GPU architectures prioritize throughput over single-thread latency to overcome the plateau of CPU scaling, leveraging parallelism to achieve tenfold improvements in performance per dollar and watt. It outlines a functional programming model for GPU compute that employs hybrid tiling and bitmasking strategies to minimize branch divergence and maximize read efficiency in rendering workloads. Finally, the event analyzes the industry's shift from proprietary CUDA ecosystems toward standardized open APIs like Vulkan and WebGPU, which facilitate portable, high-performance computing through intermediate languages like SPIR-V and formal memory models.
- a16z45 min
How Gaming is Changing the Media Landscape
This event analyzes the transformative growth of the global games industry, which now surpasses traditional media in revenue and audience size by leveraging real-time 3D rendering and a shift toward "Games as a Service" business models. It details how major technology firms like Unity and Tencent are driving vertical integration in esports and expanding into non-gaming sectors such as automotive and architecture through photorealistic digital twins. The discussion further addresses critical technical challenges in cloud gaming latency and forecasts a future where AI, 5G, and cross-platform ecosystems create persistent virtual economies accessible to billions of users worldwide.
- Y Combinator56 min
YC SUS: Eric Migicovsky & Dalton Caldwell discuss pivoting & pitching
Eric Migicovsky, Dalton Caldwell, Eric Majerjkowski, Rick Viscomi
This discussion outlines critical strategies for startup founders, emphasizing that pivots should be driven by a complete lack of traction and validated through concrete customer payments rather than theoretical debates. It further details how to effectively apply to Y Combinator by prioritizing clarity, avoid common pitfalls like over-relying on patents, and ensure sustainable unit economics by focusing on retention and revenue. Ultimately, the guidance stresses that success relies on building genuine product-market fit and maintaining financial flexibility to adapt quickly to external shocks.
- Jane Street58 min
Matt Might: The Algorithm for Precision Medicine
Matt Mite, director of the Hugh Call Precision Medicine Institute at UAB, leverages computational optimization and a knowledge graph of 30 million abstracts to derive actionable precision medicine strategies for patients with undiagnosed genetic disorders. His approach, exemplified by the successful treatment of his son Bertrand's NGLY1 deficiency and the identification of Prevacid for ion channel epilepsies, prioritizes logical mechanism proofs to overcome physician skepticism and legal liability. Through an undergraduate-led workflow and the "All of Us" initiative, Mite's institute continues to transform complex genomic data into targeted interventions, from drug repurposing to novel metabolic pathways, asserting that scientific experimentation always yields actionable solutions.
- Y Combinator1h 0m
YC SUS: Gustaf Alströmer and Eric Migicovsky discuss growth tactics
Gustaf Alströmer, Eric Migicovsky, Gustav
This comprehensive analysis outlines critical strategies for early-stage startups, emphasizing that charging users immediately is essential for validating product-market fit and sustaining growth. Founders are advised to prioritize direct customer engagement and curated supply acquisition while leveraging predictive retention metrics and substantial referral incentives to drive scalable adoption. The guidance further details how to navigate market education through targeted SEO and social proof, ensuring that monetization models align with user value rather than relying on unsustainable advertising revenue.
- Milken Institute59 min
Venture Capital: The Rise of the Rest
Fahad AlSharekh, Ibrahim Ajami, Avi Eyal, Sarah Kunst, Jack Selby, Pule Taukobong
Leading venture capitalists from the Middle East and Africa, including representatives from Mubadala, Entree Capital, and Teal Capital, discuss a surge in regional capital inflows and the shift toward deep-tech sectors like AI and semiconductors. Despite persistent talent shortages and infrastructure gaps, panelists identify emerging local funds as critical gatekeepers that will validate startups before attracting tier-one international follow-on capital. Strategic partnerships are forming to foster founder-centric cultures and build indigenous expertise, positioning these frontier markets for potential growth that may soon outpace traditional U.S. and European hubs.
- Milken Institute54 min
The Future of Banking
Dan Murphy, Elissar Farah Antonios, Steve Jacobs, Sunil Kaushal
Industry experts at the "Future of Banking" summit concluded that traditional financial institutions must integrate with fintechs and Big Tech rivals to survive a shift from product silos to data-driven platforms. Case studies from BTG Pactual and Citi illustrated how strategies like tokenization, internal innovation challenges, and leadership exposure to tech hubs can drive market growth and cultural agility. Despite these disruptions, the event emphasized that incumbent banks retain a significant valuation advantage over digital-native competitors while navigating regulatory hurdles and the need for massive cybersecurity investment.
- Milken Institute1h 11m
Morning Program - Opportunity in the Middle East: A Road Less Traveled
Michael Clowden, John Riccolta, Mina al-Arabi, Khaled El-Romehi, Mohamed El-Ardi, Abdullah Zamil
At the Milken Institute MIA Summit in Abu Dhabi, regional leaders and experts from the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia outlined a collective strategic pivot from hydrocarbon dependence toward diversified, knowledge-based economies driven by demographic youth bulges and technological innovation. Key speakers highlighted specific success models, such as Bahrain's telecommunications deregulation and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiatives like NEOM, while emphasizing the critical need for robust intellectual property laws and regulatory frameworks to attract foreign direct investment. The discussions concluded that navigating fiscal constraints and geopolitical volatility requires governments to transition from primary employers to regulators, fostering private sector competition to absorb the growing workforce and achieve long-term stability.
- Milken Institute56 min
A Conversation with Leon Black
Founded by Leon Black three decades ago, Apollo Global Management now directs $350 billion in assets across 18 global offices using a diversified "fund for all seasons" strategy that spans private equity, private credit, insurance, and real assets. The firm distinguishes itself by targeting an average acquisition multiple of 6x EBITDA and prioritizing complexity arbitrage in corporate carve-outs and distressed scenarios, while shifting 80% of capital into long-duration structures to mitigate fundraising pressure. Facing a market where public valuations discourage long-term planning, Apollo is actively deploying capital into public-to-private transactions and emerging sectors like aviation finance with the goal of generating 8–10% returns in credit platforms over the coming years.
- Milken Institute56 min
Shifting Tides: A Macroeconomic Outlook
John Defterios, Virginie Afota, Roxanne Davies, Robert A. Gillam, Michael Metcalfe, Alireza Zaimi, Rob, Virginia, Ella Reyes, Brigitte
This macroeconomic forum analyzed how central bank liquidity and media narratives are currently driving asset rallies while emerging markets like China face GDP contraction from trade tensions and viral shocks. Experts contrasted these short-term credit risks with long-term structural themes, including a projected 20% global population growth and the strategic evolution of sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East toward diversified infrastructure and ESG integration. The panel concluded that despite volatile oil prices and inflation concerns, institutional investors are increasingly shifting from tactical trading to decade-long horizons focused on demographic shifts, technological disruption, and sustainable resource allocation in Asia and emerging economies.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Is Crypto Finally Growing Up?
Staci Warden, Michael Gronager, Navin Gupta, George Kikvadze, Simon Seojoon Kim, Mike Novogratz
Moderated by Stacey Worden, a panel of industry leaders including Mike Novogratz and George Kikvadze confirmed the cryptocurrency sector's evolution from a speculative frontier to a regulated, institutional-grade asset class. The discussion highlighted Bitcoin's role as a macro hedge against fiat debasement while outlining how enterprise solutions like Ripple are driving mass adoption in Asia and how blockchain traceability effectively combats illicit finance. Looking ahead, the group projected that infrastructure maturation over the next five years will trigger a global economic transformation comparable to the post-1999 internet boom, with billions of users entering the ecosystem through decentralized finance and device-to-device interactions.