Latest Interviews

Can a cure for diabetes be found through surgery?

Peter Hansel, Professor Francesco Rubino

Despite the global surge of Type 2 diabetes affecting one in ten people by 2040, Professor Francesco Rubino's research demonstrates that gastric bypass surgery can induce immediate remission by correcting duodenal hormone signaling rather than relying solely on weight loss. While only 0.1% to 1% of eligible patients currently access this life-saving procedure, Rubino is leading clinical trials on non-invasive alternatives and driving updates to international guidelines that recognize surgery as a primary treatment option. This work provides critical biological evidence that challenges the "lifestyle disease" narrative, offering a pathway for future pharmaceutical cures to address the epidemic without requiring invasive intervention.

El Salvador's violent gang members are finding God in prison

Wilfredo Gómez

Following his deportation from the U.S. to El Salvador in 1996, former 18th Street gang member Wilfredo Gómez founded a Christian prison ministry that expanded to house over 900 inmates within a violent, overcrowded system. While the program offered temporary sanctuary and social mobility through a segregated religious zone, its long-term success remains limited as societal stigma and a lack of employment opportunities prevent most converts from maintaining their faith outside prison. Ultimately, the initiative highlights a critical gap between individual rehabilitation within the jail and the structural barriers preventing former gang members from achieving permanent reintegration into Salvadoran society.

Ireland: divided by abortion

On May 25th, Irish voters will decide whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment, a 1983 constitutional provision that currently bans abortion except when the mother's life is at risk. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and pro-choice advocates, citing the unsafe nature of current cross-border travel and shifting public sentiment, support legalization up to the twelfth week, while pro-life campaigners warn that removing the amendment permanently prevents future legislative control. With recent polls showing the electorate is nearly evenly split, this referendum represents a definitive test of Ireland's transition toward a secular society or its retention of traditional conservative values.

Cadran Cowansage Announces Leap at the Seattle Female Founders Conference

Cadran Cowansage, Kaedryn Cowan-Sage

Y Combinator engineer Kaedryn Cowan-Sage founded Leap, a private online network of approximately 2,000 women in tech that uses real-name verification to foster civil discourse and prevent the toxic environments often driving women out of digital spaces. Initially validated within Y Combinator, the platform now connects software engineers, founders, and investors through authentic conversations ranging from career development to technical problem-solving. Members report tangible professional outcomes, including securing co-founders and landing new jobs, proving the hybrid community's efficacy in advancing careers through genuine connection.

Exploring and protecting the Antarctic

Dr. Susan Lockhart, John Hosevar

Dr. Susan Lockhart and co-pilot John Hosevar achieved the first human submersion in the Antarctic Weddell Sea, where their observations of fragile ecosystems like deep-sea sponges contradicted assumptions that the deep seabed was barren. Their data revealing the extreme vulnerability of these communities to industrial fishing underscores the urgent need to expand global ocean protection beyond the current 3.7%. This evidence is now poised for a critical Antarctic Commission vote in July 2018, where unanimous consensus from member states could establish the region as the world's largest no-fishing zone despite historical delays in such approvals.

Remarks by Michael Bloomberg

Michael Bloomberg, John F.W. Rogers, Kevin McCarthy, Tyler Perry, Danny Meyer, Sarah Kauss, Wilbur L. Ross, Sara Blakely, Gina Raimondo, Rick Snyder, Marco Rubio, Lloyd Blankfein, Richard Branson, Warren Buffett

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg chronicled the analog origins of his firm and argued that the American "ethic of trying again" remains the primary driver of economic resilience. He sharply criticized current U.S. immigration and regulatory policies for threatening the small business sector, which historically serves as the incubator for future large-scale corporations and employs millions of immigrant-owned enterprises. Bloomberg concluded with a direct call to action, urging entrepreneurs to aggressively lobby elected officials for open immigration and reduced red tape to ensure sustained economic growth.

Remarks by The Honorable Wilbur L. Ross

Wilbur L. Ross, John F.W. Rogers, Kevin McCarthy, Tyler Perry, Danny Meyer, Sarah Kauss, Sara Blakely, Michael Bloomberg, Gina Raimondo, Rick Snyder, Marco Rubio, Lloyd Blankfein, Richard Branson, Warren Buffett

The event highlights the pivotal role of small and medium-sized enterprises in generating 63% of new jobs while detailing policy shifts that reduced regulatory burdens and altered tax structures for flow-through entities. Federal initiatives have intensified trade enforcement by 80% and deployed foreign commercial teams in 73 domestic and international locations to overcome export participation barriers that currently limit less than 3% of American businesses. These efforts, validated by case studies like Kaddis Enterprises' 400% growth, emphasize leveraging e-commerce and active marketing to facilitate business succession and global expansion.

How does sci-fi influence the real world?

Martin Cooper, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Paul McAuley, Syd Mead

Prominent innovators like Martin Cooper, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk have directly translated science fiction concepts from works such as *Star Trek* and *Blade Runner* into tangible technologies ranging from mobile phones to Mars colonization efforts. By examining the mechanical viability strategies of designers like Sid Mead and the ethical warnings embedded in narratives about AI and virtual reality, industry leaders utilize the genre to anticipate both technological trajectories and societal risks. Ultimately, the event highlights how a sci-fi foundation drives real-world innovation while serving as a crucial cautionary framework for navigating future ethical dilemmas.

How can banks be used to stop human trafficking?

Tamir, Nunzio Tramantosi, Peter Warwick, Aidan Larkin, David McLaughlin, Samart, Archna Katecha, Som Pong Sigeo, Mr. J

Global financial institutions and law enforcement agencies are collaborating to combat the $150 billion human trafficking industry by leveraging data-sharing initiatives like Canada's "Project Protect" and the UK's Joint Money-Laundering Intelligence Task Force. These partnerships, supported by machine learning technologies and NGO intelligence from regions like Thailand, have successfully increased suspicious activity reports by 350% and dismantled major criminal rings that previously evaded detection. Despite these advances, the rapid adoption of cryptocurrencies by traffickers and persistent data silos continue to drive a technological arms race requiring ongoing adaptation of anti-money laundering strategies.

Can conservation save our ocean?

Patricia Gandolfo

Conservation initiatives ranging from the armed enforcement efforts by Sea Shepherd in Mexico's Gulf of California to community-led recovery in Cabo Pulmo and Madagascar demonstrate that locally managed marine areas can reverse biomass loss and boost local incomes. These regional successes are being scaled globally through satellite technology and port state controls, which track illegal fishing vessels to disrupt supply chains and secure the $23 billion annual economic value lost to overfishing. Despite these advancements, experts warn that current ocean protection covers only 3.6% of the global sea, necessitating urgent action to achieve the 30% target by 2030 and prevent irreversible ecological collapse.

How did Kosovo become a country?

Slobodan Milosevic, Petric Salimi

Following a brutal 1999 NATO intervention triggered by Serbian crackdowns and the Racak massacre, Kosovo declared independence in 2008 to establish a fragile democracy with a 33% unemployment rate. The nation remains deeply divided along ethnic lines as tens of thousands of Serbs fled, while the remaining minority continues to reject statehood and align with Belgrade. Despite these persistent tensions, both Kosovo and Serbia are pursuing European Union membership, recognizing that resolving their shared violent history is a prerequisite for regional integration.

Navigating Investments from Cryptocurrencies to Blockchain

Suna Said, Mike Novogratz, Charles Noyes, Bill Tai, Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss

This panel of cryptocurrency experts defines Bitcoin as a protocol for digital scarcity and decentralized auditing while projecting that institutional derivatives will stabilize market volatility within the next decade. Experts analyze the speculative ICO landscape as a nascent "storytelling stage" and predict that decentralized applications and tokenized identity systems will achieve mass industrial adoption as trust in centralized banking continues to erode. Looking toward long-term displacement of traditional finance, the discussion highlights Bitcoin's potential to replace gold as the primary store of value for digital natives and anticipates a regulatory shift where major economies clarify standards to harness the technology's efficiency.

Talks at GS –Jonathan Haidt: The Psychology of Partisanship & Ethical Leadership

Jonathan Haidt, Tanya Cushman

Jonathan Haidt examines the drivers of modern political polarization, the evolutionary roots of moral intuition, and the declining resilience of students raised in hyper-protective environments. He argues that social and institutional design must shift from relying on individual character to implementing systemic "nudges" and inclusive frameworks that foster anti-fragility. Ultimately, while historical trends suggest long-term optimism, Haidt calls for immediate vigilance in repairing polarized institutions to prevent a trajectory of mutual hatred.

Winter sports are facing many challenges. Can they survive?

Rising temperatures and shifting consumer preferences are driving a decline in traditional European winter sports markets, threatening resorts that rely heavily on natural snow. In response, the industry is pivoting toward energy-intensive artificial snowmaking and seeking growth in Asia, where markets in China and South Korea are expanding despite their own climate challenges. This adaptation strategy aims to preserve mountain economies and secure future participation, though it risks increasing costs for consumers and creating a feedback loop that further accelerates environmental degradation.

Welcome to the startup jungle

Janos Amstutz, Sandro, Isabel, Vinicius Guzmão, Chris Haley, Corrie Vu

Entrepreneurs in the UK and Brazil navigate a high-risk environment where intense competition and a scarcity of venture capital force rapid pivots, as exemplified by HoloMe founder Janos Amstutz securing commercial traction through strategic partnerships after failing to secure immediate investment. Simultaneously, the Medroom team in Brazil overcame a last-minute technical crisis to successfully demonstrate their VR medical training tool to major university partners, proving the viability of their solution for reducing patient errors. These divergent case studies highlight how founders must combine technical iteration, market validation, and sheer determination to survive the transition from self-funded prototypes to commercially sustainable businesses.