Latest Interviews

From 9/11 to covid-19: can New York recover?

Jon Fasman, Mike, Dan Doktoroff, Wellington Chen, Eric Adams

New York City compares its $14 billion pandemic relief to the $20 billion allocated for post-9/11 reconstruction, highlighting severe fiscal gaps that contributed to the permanent closure of over 3,000 small businesses and a $933 million annual tax revenue loss from high-income departures. The crisis disproportionately affected communities like Chinatown through delayed aid and a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes, while housing policies failed to produce affordable units for new workers, exacerbating pre-existing inequality. Incoming mayoral candidate Eric Adams faces the challenge of funding recovery initiatives without massive federal support, aiming to replicate the ambition of the post-9/11 era while rectifying past exclusions of vulnerable populations.

Covid-19: how tech will transform your kids' education

The 2020 pandemic disrupted education for 1.4 billion students globally, exposing structural inequities that spurred major government interventions and a projected doubling of EdTech spending to over $400 billion by 2025. Industry leaders like Century founder Priya Lakhani and Mersion are deploying AI-driven platforms and simulation software to personalize learning and revolutionize teacher training, shifting focus from consumer tools to classroom-specific efficiency. Despite these innovations, experts warn that without targeted infrastructure investment in under-resourced schools, the emerging hybrid model risks widening the digital divide, even as hybrid learning gains acceptance for combining physical instruction with technology-enabled skill acquisition.

Alexei Navalny: will the West stand up to Russia?

Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Shashank Joshi

Vladimir Putin has escalated tensions by re-detaining opposition leader Alexei Navalny and deploying over 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border to signal domestic strength and test Western resolve. While the United States and its allies respond with targeted sanctions against intelligence operatives and diplomatic expulsions, experts warn that these measures have thus far failed to alter Kremlin behavior or prevent the intimidation of Ukraine. The West now prepares for a severe security crisis and fresh sanctions should Moscow pursue further aggression or annexation in the Donbass region, marking a critical shift in European security dynamics.

Can vaccine passports kickstart the economy?

Helen Joyce

Governments worldwide are deploying vaccine passports to accelerate economic recovery and restore civil freedoms, with Israel's "Green Pass" serving as a primary model driving a projected 7.5% growth rate. While these digital credentials facilitate access to venues and travel, their implementation faces significant hurdles including the risk of viral transmission from new variants, deepening socioeconomic inequalities along generational and racial lines, and serious civil liberties concerns regarding data privacy. Experts warn that without robust transparency and sustained vaccine efficacy, these temporary measures could evolve into permanent mechanisms that further entrench disparities between wealthy and developing nations.

What the American Rescue Plan Means for the Economy, Markets, Corporations & Investors

Alec Phillips, Amelia Garnett, Susie Scher, Ashish Shah, Jake Seward

Following the enactment of the $1.84 trillion American Rescue Plan, economists revised U.S. GDP growth forecasts to 8% for 2021 and anticipate further infrastructure legislation funded by corporate tax hikes. Market participants are executing a sector rotation toward value assets while corporate finance activity surges, driven by a $9 trillion pandemic stimulus total that has revitalized M&A and equity issuance. Although inflation expectations and rising yields present headwinds, experts project improved municipal credit quality and consumer balance sheets as stimulus funds flow into the economy through 2022.

The Case for Investing in Black Women

Gizelle George-Joseph, David Solomon, Margaret Anadu, Melissa Bradley, Jake Seward

Goldman Sachs launched the "One Million Black Women" initiative, a three-part program led by CEO David Solomon and Global Head of Sustainability Margaret Anadu to address the $300 billion annual GDP loss stemming from the 90% wealth gap between Black and white women. Centered on research by Giselle George-Joseph and guidance from an advisory council including Melissa Bradley, the investment strategy targets structural barriers in education, capital access, and healthcare to boost Black entrepreneurship and community resilience. By leveraging the firm's Urban Investment Group experience, the initiative uniquely integrates support for Black women as mothers, professionals, and homeowners to drive post-pandemic economic recovery.

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of NATO

Jens Stoltenberg, Nick Schifrin

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg identifies climate change as a critical security threat that forces military adaptation while describing Russia as an assertive adversary and China as a systemic challenge to the alliance's liberal democratic values. To counter these evolving risks, the organization has implemented its largest collective defense reinforcement since the Cold War, including new battle groups in Eastern Europe, even as it maintains operational readiness during the pandemic and prepares for the planned troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Through the "NATO 2030" initiative, the alliance aims to preserve its consensus-based unity and global dominance by adapting its command structures, reducing fossil fuel dependence, and addressing hybrid threats like disinformation campaigns.

Special Episode: The Rise of Retail Investing and Its Impact Across Market Participants

Raj Mahajan, John Marshall, Lizzie Reed, Greg Tuorto, Jake Seward

In early February 2021, a record-breaking surge in retail trading volume reached 24 billion shares as stimulus checks and zero-commission platforms drove participation to 25% of U.S. equity value. This shift toward speculative single-name stocks and options created significant volatility, forcing hedge funds to confront unprecedented short squeezes while compelling institutional investors to adapt risk models to account for coordinated retail activity. Despite these structural challenges, the heightened demand supported a historic $129 billion in global equity issuance, with Goldman Sachs projecting that retail sentiment will remain a critical determinant for future market performance and corporate capital raising.

Julian Salisbury, Global Co-Head of Asset Management at Goldman Sachs

Julian Salisbury

Goldman Sachs deployed its $14 billion Strategic Solutions Fund between early 2020 and mid-2020 to provide junior debt and equity liquidity for corporate balance sheet repair, prioritizing immediate survival over business model optimization during the initial pandemic shock. The firm's approach balanced aggressive capital deployment with strict valuation discipline in emerging markets, relying on a global team capable of overriding local preferences to avoid overpriced assets. Executive Julian Salisbury emphasized that rigorous due diligence and learning from operational errors are critical to success, urging new investors to challenge expert narratives through direct questioning and independent verification.

Inflation: could covid-19 cause prices to rise?

Simon Cox

This analysis examines the collapse of the traditional Phillips curve relationship, which previously predicted that low unemployment would drive inflation, a dynamic that failed to materialize during the 2010s despite record-low joblessness. Various theories now compete to explain this anomaly, including anchored inflation expectations, globalization, and wage rigidity, while central banks have simultaneously shifted to unprecedented fiscal-monetary cooperation to address economic stagnation. Consequently, recent pandemic-era policies featuring massive government stimulus and near-zero interest rates aim to finally breach the persistent low-inflation trap and restore stable price growth.

Synthetic Media: Virtual Influencers & Live Animation: Figments (S19) - YC Gaming Tech Talks 2020

Jay Rosenkranz

YC-backed startup Figments, led by CEO Jay Rosenkranz, is building a virtual production platform that merges motion capture with live streaming to create fictional esports characters like Noralis competing in *Super Smash Brothers Ultimate*. The company successfully pivoted to a fully remote model during the pandemic, utilizing Unreal Engine and ARKit to drive viral growth and secure commercial partnerships with brands such as Reebok and Guayaquil Yerba Mate. As Figments expands its storytelling across Twitch and YouTube, it is actively recruiting talent to further develop its proprietary technology for digital product placement and character creation.

Care after covid: the future of elderly health-care

Sasha Nauta

Amidst a rapidly aging global population where the 80-and-older demographic is set to double, rising dementia costs and severe care home mortality rates have exposed the fragility of current long-term care systems. While some nations explore controversial international outsourcing to manage labor expenses, the sector remains crippled by chronic understaffing driven by wages significantly lower than those in acute hospital settings. In response, pilot programs utilizing remote monitoring technology are proving that half of institutional care could shift to home settings, offering a potential pathway to mitigate resource strain and improve patient outcomes.

Covid-19: why vaccine mistrust is growing

Professor Jonathan Heaney, Professor Heidi Larson, Dr Jonathan Kennedy, Kristin Urquiza, Neil Johnson, Fadi Kouran, Slavia Chankova

With over 20 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development, experts warn that failing to achieve 70% population uptake due to widespread hesitancy could necessitate indefinite social restrictions. This crisis of trust is driven by political polarization, the legacy of the retracted Andrew Wakefield study, and algorithmic amplification of misinformation on social media platforms that have disproportionately spread falsehoods from figures like President Trump. In response, health organizations and tech-savvy clinics are launching counter-misinformation campaigns to protect herd immunity goals against hostile narratives that link political populism with declining public confidence.

Election 2020: What has President Trump done to America?

Trump, Samaya Keynes

The Trump administration's term was defined by aggressive domestic policy shifts, including major tax cuts, the withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, and the appointment of 217 federal judges that solidified conservative judicial control. Internationally, the "America First" strategy dismantled NAFTA, initiated a trade war with China, and drastically reduced refugee admissions while relying on executive orders to enforce strict immigration borders. These actions collectively accelerated political polarization and rewrote institutional norms in ways that analysts project will constrain future Democratic ambitions and persist beyond the administration's tenure.

Public Debt: how much is too much?

Ryan Avent

Between April and June 2020, the United States borrowed a record $3 trillion while the global economy saw public debt surge by an estimated $300 billion due to pandemic-related spending. Historical precedents and favorable conditions, such as low interest rates, have traditionally allowed nations to sustain high debt levels, though experts warn that a potential rise in rates could threaten financial stability. Consequently, economists maintain that despite these risks, continued deficit spending remains essential to prevent lasting damage to the global recovery.