Latest Interviews
Showing 5236–5250 of 5,331 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute59 min
The Enterprise Strikes Back!
Paul Barber, Paul Maeder, Brett Rochkind, Robert Smith, Alec Ellison, Scott Sandell
Venture capital firms including NEA, Highland Capital Partners, and Vista Equity Partners are pivoting investment strategies toward enterprise software and global infrastructure to capitalize on predictable B2B returns rather than volatile consumer trends. The discussion highlights critical shifts in business models such as SaaS and freemium adoption alongside emerging opportunities in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and emerging markets like China and Latin America. Furthermore, panelists note that despite high private valuations, strategic acquisitions remain the preferred exit path for mid-sized software companies due to limited public market depth.
- Milken Institute59 min
Disruptors, Innovators and Entrepreneurs
Bonin Bough, Gotham Chopra, Ryan Holmes, Kenneth Lerer, Lisa Ling
Executives from Mondelez, Hootsuite, and Graphic India discussed strategies to overcome legacy barriers by adopting mobile-first intrapreneurship, real-time marketing capabilities, and agile organizational cultures. The panel highlighted specific initiatives such as Mondelez's 90-day startup pilots, Hootsuite's internal innovation teams, and Graphic India's goal to globalize Hindu mythology. These efforts aim to transform traditional business models into digital-native operations that prioritize speed, social integration, and the development of indigenous talent.
- Milken Institute1h 6m
Pushing the Frontier: How the Space Industry Is Changing the Way We See the World
Gwen Shotwell, Ellen Polakowski, May Jemison, Esther Dyson
The global space sector is undergoing a transformative shift from government dominance to a competitive commercial model driven by private firms like SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace, which are deploying reusable rocket technology and inflatable orbital habitats to reduce costs and expand capabilities. While the industry navigates growing international competition and contested orbital environments, it simultaneously addresses critical challenges such as asteroid defense and interstellar travel through initiatives like the 100-Year Starship project and NASA's evolving public-private partnerships. This transition is fostering a new economic multiplier effect where commercial innovation in satellite services, synthetic biology, and deep-space exploration generates substantial returns for both national security and global environmental monitoring.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Mid-Market Private Equity
Lauren Leichtman, Brian Reynolds, Ted Virtue, Barry Volpert, Kneeland Youngblood, Adam Sokoloff, Nealon Youngblood
Representatives from major private equity firms including Levine Leichman, Chatham Capital, MidOcean Partners, Crestview Partners, and Ferros Capital convened to analyze the evolving middle-market landscape, defining target valuations between $25M and $2.4B enterprise value while highlighting a surge in refinancing activity driven by robust capital markets. The panelists identified significant competitive pressures from mega-funds capable of paying higher multiples, prompting mid-market strategies that leverage operational expertise, extended hold periods, and strategic co-investments to secure net IRRs of 18% to 20%. Despite a market shakeout driven by Limited Partner demands for higher returns and larger commitments, the industry outlook remains positive as firms anticipate continued consolidation and sustained demand for lower-multiple, value-creating acquisitions.
- Milken Institute57 min
A Conversation With Gary Becker, David Rubenstein and Robert Rubin
Gary Becker, David Rubenstein, Robert Rubin, Bob Rubin
Panelists Gary Becker and Bob Rubin argue that the U.S. economy can return to a sustainable 3% growth trajectory by leveraging its energy revolution, real estate recovery, and manufacturing expansion while addressing a structural $10 trillion debt burden through entitlement reform and tax loophole elimination. They attribute current stagnation primarily to political gridlock, advocating for open primaries, nonpartisan civic education, and a market-based immigration system to foster compromise. Despite risks from Federal Reserve quantitative easing and inflation, the experts maintain that the American dollar remains the superior long-term investment vehicle provided the political system functions effectively.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Bridging Gaps in Development Finance: New Platforms for Frontier Markets
Anne Heyman, Netanel Oded, Eytan Stibbe, Tally Zingher, Steve Zecher, Tali Zinger, Andrew Taylor
The Milken Institute Israel Center convened experts to address capital gaps in emerging markets by leveraging Israel's innovation ecosystem as a model for economic development in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Key speakers detailed strategies involving private equity for infrastructure, such as Vital Capital's land-ownership models in Angola, and social innovation frameworks like Anne Heyman's Agahoso Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. These initiatives collectively advocate for a hybrid approach that combines government R&D subsidies, catalytic philanthropy, and patient private capital to de-risk investments and scale sustainable growth.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Financing the Future of Bioscience and Pharma
Melissa Stevens, Lou DiGennaro, Rajiv Kahl, Jody Black, Matthew Perry, Greg Simon
Facing a critical funding gap where traditional venture capital and pharmaceutical giants avoid high-risk early-stage assets, diverse entities including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the NIH, and crowdfunding platforms like Poliwag are deploying non-dilutive capital and democratized investment models to accelerate therapeutic development. These initiatives have successfully leveraged millions to generate billions in downstream deal flow, while regulatory shifts and public market mechanisms enable smaller biotechs to bridge the "valley of death" and reach patients faster. Ultimately, the event highlights a structural shift toward a continuum of care where government research, patient advocacy, and public markets converge to transform scientific discovery into viable treatments for life-threatening diseases.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Global Models for Financing America's Infrastructure
Dale, Stephen Goldsmith, Sam Barron, William Reed, Sarah Clark, Sean Glodek, Mike, Lawrence Gottlieb
A global infrastructure summit highlights a critical $3 trillion U.S. investment gap and the urgent need to shift from public financing to private capital models like Public-Private Partnerships to meet rising demand. Experts contrast the U.S. lag in social infrastructure financing against international success stories from Canada and Russia, emphasizing how structural tax barriers currently prevent institutional investors from accessing stable, long-term yield opportunities. With 41 new projects in the pipeline and emerging legislative pushes to expand tax-exempt tools, the panel anticipates a surge in availability-payment deals that transfer construction risk to the private sector while addressing a significant mismatch between public financing costs and investor return expectations.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Innovators on the Front Lines of the Future
Paul Benda, Freda Lewis-Hall, Megan Smith, Peter Diamandis
Following the XPRIZE Visioneering event, a panel of twelve domain experts finalized ten high-impact prize concepts ranging from happiness gamification to rapid vaccine production and global literacy. Key initiatives include Nicolas Negroponte's $15 million literacy challenge, Tony Robbins' behavior-change prize grounded in Martin Seligman's data, and a $5 million diversity-focused X2 Prize funded by Lynn Tilton. These competitions aim to disrupt traditional R&D models by leveraging private funding and regulatory incentives to solve complex global problems like Alzheimer's diagnostics, atmospheric water extraction, and homeland security screening.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Africa: Opportunities for Business and Investment
Ernest Wilson, Paul Hinks, Jay Ireland, Sam Nuwanzi, Mr. Shankar, Minister Turkpour, Paul Tullis, Mark Kahn
The Milken Institute's inaugural Africa track convened high-profile leaders including Bill Gates and Paul Kagame to address critical sector-specific challenges in power, banking, and infrastructure. Panelists from GE, Standard Chartered, and Symbian Power detailed strategies for navigating complex regulatory landscapes, debunking corruption myths, and shifting investment mindsets to capitalize on the continent's growing consumer market. Discussions highlighted a pivot toward local execution, the rise of competitive financing from BRICS nations, and the necessity of blending indigenous entrepreneurship with structured capital to drive sustainable economic integration.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Future of Money: What's in Your Digital Wallet?
Eric Dunn, Paul Galant, Mark Lavelle, Ed McLaughlin, Lauren Lyster
Industry experts analyze the delayed adoption of mobile payments, attributing stagnation to a structural conflict between carriers and card issuers over NFC security elements and the absence of a clear "10x" value proposition for consumers. Panelists debate the future of digital infrastructure, weighing the role of legacy banking trust against modern tokenization while predicting that blockchain efficiency and cashless ecosystems will ultimately drive global financial inclusion despite skepticism toward cryptocurrencies. The consensus suggests that mainstream success relies on regulatory clarity, sustainable business models, and device-agnostic credentials to eventually replace physical currency and empower consumers with superior financial management tools.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
The Activist Investor
Michelle Edkins, Ed Garden, Clifton Robbins, Barry Rosenstein, Peter Weinberg, Anne Sheehan, Cliff Robbins, Michael D., Steve Miller
Panelists Ed Garden, Barry Rosenstein, and representatives from Trian, Jana Partners, and Blue Harbor describe how activist investing has shifted from hostile litigation to collaborative, institutionalized strategies focused on operational turnarounds and governance reforms. Distinct approaches include Trian's long-term capital lock-ups for turnaround execution, Blue Harbor's private equity-style value unlocking in mid-cap firms, and Jana Partners' selective event-driven engagements, all supported by a marked decline in defensive poison pills. The discussion highlights that these modern activists prioritize substantive economic benefits over short-termism, driving a broader industry evolution toward shareholder primacy and active board accountability.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Cash on the Sidelines: How to Unleash $30 Trillion
Alexandra Lebenthal, Mustafa Sagun, Max Stone, James Zelter, Joe Reece
Held at the Milken Institute, a panel of four prominent investment leaders including Mustafa Sagan of Principal Global Investments and Jim Zelter of Apollo Capital Management addressed the dynamics of approximately $30 trillion in idle global capital. The discussion highlighted how corporate tax structures, pension deficits, and low-yield environments are trapping funds in safe assets while alternative lenders increasingly fill the void in small and medium enterprise financing. Panelists unanimously concluded that capital remains constrained by regulatory uncertainty and deflationary fears, predicting a significant shift toward riskier opportunities once yields rise or market volatility stabilizes.
- Milken Institute59 min
U.S. Tax Reform: What's New, What Would It Mean?
Jared Bernstein, Mark Everson, Nancy Kopp, Phillip Swagel, Liz Claman, Phil Swagel
Prominent experts including former IRS Commissioner Mark Everson and Milken Institute officials Phil Swaggle and Jared Bernstein convened to analyze U.S. tax reform priorities following the financial crisis, focusing on the inefficiencies of current tax expenditures like the mortgage interest deduction and carried interest. The panel identified a critical need to close the $300 billion annual tax gap and eliminate barriers such as the Alternative Minimum Tax that hinder small business innovation and domestic R&D investment. Despite consensus on the necessity of capping deductions and ending corporate tax deferral, the group acknowledged that political gridlock and rigid fiscal rules remain significant obstacles to comprehensive legislative action.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
The International Quest for Effective Education Reform
Michael Bennet, Eugene Kandel, Anthony Miller, Dilip Thakore, Dinghua Wang, Lowell Milken
A global analysis of education systems reveals that human capital investment is the primary driver of economic growth, with specific policy shifts in China, India, Israel, and the U.S. demonstrating how structural reforms in teacher incentives, accountability, and curriculum can address critical shortages and achievement gaps. While the United States faces a retention crisis and stagnant progress despite billions in spending, emerging models utilizing performance-based funding and rural integration strategies offer scalable blueprints for improving literacy and workforce readiness across diverse demographics. The consensus among experts emphasizes that sustainable national advancement requires decade-long strategic continuity and targeted private-sector innovation rather than frequent administrative overhauls.