Shows
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#36 - George Sivulka : Knowledge Work 2.0: The Company Creating The Multi-Agent FutureWe’re joined by George Sivulka, Founder and CEO of Hebbia, for a conversation on how does the future of white collar work look like with multi-agents. Hebbia is backed by some of the most legendary technology investors of our generation including Peter Thiel (early investor: Paypal, Facebook), Marc Andreesen (early investor: Airbnb, Github, Coinbase), Eric Schmidt (ex-CEO Google), Jerry Yang (Co-founder Yahoo).
George’s background from Stanford’s PhD program, combined with his work at the cutting edge of AI meta-learning, has led him to a bold mission: to build Hebbia into a generationally important company that c...2025-04-2637 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#35 - Dante Disparte : Fixing Broken Money: The Beginning of the Stablecoin CivilizationWe’re joined by Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global Policy at Circle, one of the biggest issuers of stablecoins (USDC) in the world.
This year marks an important inflexion point for stablecoins as adoption and key regulation kicks in. We’re glad to have some one like Dante who has worked at the intersection of finance, technology, and policy, including his role on the US Digital Currency Governance Consortium and the World Economic Forum. As one of the central figures behind USDC, Circle’s fully-reserved dollar-based stablecoin, he breaks down the real-world applications of stablecoins, how they di...2025-04-121h 07
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#34 - Prof. Jomo Kwame Sundaram : Why Most Countries Stay Poor – Growth, Power & Global MythsIn this episode, we're joined by Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram, a Malaysian economist and thought leader who served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development at the United Nations (UN) and Assistant Director-General at the FAO. We explore how countries in the Global South can chart their own paths to prosperity.
What makes a country truly developed? Is it just GDP per capita or something deeper?
Professor Jomo challenges conventional economic dogma—unpacking flawed narratives around FDI, inflation, aid, and industrial policy. With sharp historical insight and grounded realism, he examines why only a few countries have truly made the leap...2025-03-281h 03
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#33 - Benji Leibowitz: What is ‘Decentralized-Science’ & How Will It Transform The Future of Science & InnovationIn this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Benji Leibowitz, Chief Operating Officer at Molecule and Co-Founder of Pump.Science. Benji is at the forefront of the Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement, which utilizes blockchain technology to democratize research funding and empower scientific communities.
Benji Leibowitz has a diverse background in academic research, investment banking, venture capital, and computational biology research and development. At Molecule, he plays a pivotal role in creating a decentralized biotech protocol that connects researchers with funding opportunities through Web3 technologies. Additionally, he leads Pump.Science, a Solana-native DeSci funding platform aimed at gamifying and b...2025-03-1459 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#32 - Dr. Soumitra Dutta - How Emerging Markets Can Win the Global AI & Innovation Race?In this episode, part of our brand new Emerging Market Innovation Series, we sat down with Soumitra Dutta, Dean of the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He's an expert on global innovation and the author of the Global Innovation Index, which is used by governments and institutions worldwide to shape innovation policy.
We're also joined by a friend of the pod, Hafidzi Razali who's the Founder and CEO of Strategic Counsel, who's an expert on policy-making in South-east Asia and beyond.
Innovation is often seen as the driving force behind economic growth, but...2025-03-0148 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#31 - Daniel Eriksson - Corruption 101 Ins & Outs: Fighting Corruption in the Age of AI & TechIn this episode, we sat down with Daniel Eriksson, former CEO of Transparency International, to explore how corruption operates globally and what can be done to combat it.
Corruption is one of the most pervasive challenges facing the world today. But how do we dismantle it, especially when it's deeply entrenched in political systems?
Daniel has spearheaded anti-corruption initiatives across more than 100 countries, leading advocacy efforts to challenge corrupt systems, promote transparency, and hold the powerful accountable. From state capture to the misuse of emerging technologies, he sheds light on how corruption evolves and how w...2025-02-161h 00
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#30 - Dr. Rumman Chowdhury - How to Fix AI Before It's Too Late?We're joined by the US Science Envoy for AI, Dr.Rumman Chowdhury, who's a leading expert in responsible AI. We uncover the ethical, technical, and societal implications of artificial intelligence.
As AI rapidly eats up the world, the question is what happens when it doesn’t align with human values? How do we navigate the risks of bias, misinformation, and hallucination in AI systems?
Dr. Chowdhury has been at the forefront of AI governance, red teaming, and AI risk mitigation. She has worked with global institutions, governments, and tech companies to make AI more accountable, sa...2025-02-021h 06
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#29 - Faisal Ali Rashid - How Dubai Aims To Implement Net-Zero : Lessons For the WorldWe welcome Faisal Ali Rashid, Sr. Director at the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, to learn from Dubai's ambitious drive toward achieving net zero by 2050. Faisal, a leader in energy strategy and sustainability, oversees programs transforming Dubai’s approach to energy, water, and waste management, setting a new standard for urban sustainability in the region.
We were also joined by our friend on the podcast, Tushar Narula - a sustainability advisor and a climate change expert whose work has spanned different continents, industries, and top institutions like UC Berkeley, MIT, Harvard, & Imperial College London.
In thi...2024-11-0142 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#28 - Denis Noble - Why The Last 80 Years of Biology Was Wrong & What Does it Mean For Us?We're joined by Dr. Denis Noble, Professor Emeritus of Cardiovascular Physiology at the University of Oxford, and the father of 'systems biology'. He is known for his groundbreaking creation of the first mathematical model of the heart's electrical activity in the 1960s which radically transformed our understanding of the heart.
Dr. Noble’s contributions have revolutionized our understanding of cardiac function and the broader field of biology. His work continues to challenge long-standing biological concepts, including gene-centric views like Neo-Darwinism.
In this episode, Dr. Noble discusses his critiques of fundamental biological theories that have shaped sc...2024-09-271h 27
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#27 - Bryan Johnson - Science-backed Ways to Living FOREVER? 'Don’t Die'We welcome Bryan Johnson, multi-millionaire visionary entrepreneur and founder of "Don't Die." Known as the most measured man in human history, Bryan is pushing the boundaries of human longevity by meticulously tracking his body's biomarkers in pursuit of an extended health span, not just lifespan. His 'Blueprint' protocols can be found here.
Bryan's journey from revolutionizing digital payments with Braintree Venmo, which he sold to PayPal for $800 million, to dedicating over $100 million of his fortune to extend human life reveals a deep commitment to humanity's future. Through his initiative Blueprint, Bryan is developing an algorithm that takes b...2024-08-2448 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#26 - Mark Boggett - Democratizing access to Space: Why Space tech is the PRESENT and not just the Future
We welcome Mark Boggett, CEO and co-founder of Seraphim Space, Europe's biggest Space tech fund and the world's first space-focused investment fund
Mark's journey from a career in technology investment to pioneering space venture capital reveals the transformative potential of space tech for our civilization.
Mark's expertise is rooted in his careful monitoring of SpaceX's revolutionary impact on the market, inspiring him to establish Seraphim Space. With significant investments in over 120 space tech companies, including cutting-edge startups like iSci and Hubble Network, Mark shares invaluable insights into the industry's future.
2024-07-2856 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#25- Toby Coppel - AI Deepest Dive: What Can We Learn From Previous AI Waves? Models, Applications & Picking AI winnersWe're joined by Toby Coppel, Founder and General Partner at Mosaic Ventures, who has been investing in the last multiple waves of AI.
Toby's extensive career spans iconic firms like Netscape, AOL, & Yahoo, leading up to his current role at Mosaic Ventures, a prominent venture capital firm. He has been instrumental in significant investments, including a billion-dollar investment in Alibaba that yielded an $80 billion return for Yahoo shareholders. Toby provides an insider's perspective on the tech landscape, sharing invaluable lessons from his experiences with industry giants like Jerry Yang, Jack Ma, and Richard Branson.
T...2024-06-231h 02
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#24 - Ash Arora - Inside The Unicorn-Producing Factory: How To Win In The World of Web 3 & AI with LocalGlobe's Youngest Partner?We're joined by Ash Arora, a Partner at LocalGlobe leading their Web3 practice, to discuss the intricacies of venture capital, blockchain, AI investments, and market dynamics.
LocalGlobe, one of the leading early-stage venture capital firms in Europe, ranked #1 early stage fund in EMEA and #3 globally with highest number of unicorns in portfolio, with companies like SoRare, Copper, Robinhood, Wise, Figma, Twitter and LP in a16z, Sequoia etc. Ash shares insights into what sets LocalGlobe apart in the competitive VC landscape, including their comprehensive 52-parameter framework for evaluating investment opportunities and the unique support structure they offer...2024-05-2552 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#23 - Christian Angermayer - AI, Longevity & How To Re-Design Humanity For The Future?We're joined by tech billionaire and investor Christian Angermayer to discuss the 'Next Human Agenda,' i.e., the technological bets he's taking and how they will shape the future of humanity (in terms of computing, health, society, and governments).
Over the past 20 years, Christian has been involved in directly building a lot of unicorns and decacorns and has been involved in more than 50 IPOs or exits in the public stock market. Christian is an active thought leader himself, and is affiliated with the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.
He's a partner...2024-05-041h 33
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#22 - Mike O'Sullivan - The End of Globalisation: Debt Addiction, Development, Democracy & The Way ForwardWe welcomed the author of the new book "The Levelling", Mike O'Sullivan, who's spent 20 years thinking and writing on macro economy and politics. He also served as the Chief Investment Officer at Credit Suisse and is the CEO of Harvest Innovation Advisory. We cover the end of globalisation, the future of democracy, economics, finance, geopolitics, and nation-building in the post-globalisation era.
In the episode, we cover a range of topics:
-Assessment of Globalisation: Critical examination of the concept of globalisation, probing its evolution, successes, and shortcomings, particularly in light of mounting de...2024-04-1944 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#21 - Joseph S. Nye - Civilization In The American Century : The Good, The Bad And The World That Lies Ahead
In season 2, we kick-off with America's foremost foreign policy scholar, Dr. Joseph Nye, the former Assistant Secretary of Defense and former Dean of Harvard Kennedy School of Government, to talk about how the American Century has shaped our civilization and what lies ahead in the road.
Dr. Nye shares his profound insights on:
- His personal reflections from his latest released book
- The essence and impact of soft power, hard power and 'smart' power in shaping international relations, drawing from his extensive experience and acad...2024-03-2240 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#20 - Dr. Padraig Carmody - The New Scramble For Africa: The Economic History and Future Development of the RegionOn this African development-focused episode, we're joined by Dr. Pádraig Carmody, a distinguished professor at Trinity College, University of Dublin, and the author of the book "The New Scramble for Africa."
Professor Carmody guides us through a thought-provoking discussion:
-Unpacking the historical context of African scrambles and their enduring impact on the continent
-Defining what a scramble is and how it shaped the socio-economic landscape of Africa
-Examining the parallels between historical scrambles and the contemporary challenges affecting Africa today
-Insightful analysis of the new...2023-12-0859 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#19 - Dr. Christian De Vartavan - Civilizational Tech: From Egyptology to Modern-day Blockchain and AIFrom the technology used to build pyramids by Ancient Egyptians to blockchain & AI today, there's tremendous continuity in how technologies developed. We're joined by Dr. Christian de Vartavan, a distinguished Egyptologist whose contributions include 10 seminal works in Egyptology and an impressive tally of 40 scientific discoveries. Beyond his expertise in Egyptology, Christian is also recognized as a technologist and an accomplished authority in blockchain and artificial intelligence who regularly advises the UK government on the strategic integration of these emerging technologies.
We have also been joined by our Empasco director, Mohammad Syed. (@MohammadSyed159)
2023-11-101h 07
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#18 - Dr. Salim Ayduz - A Review of Ottoman Technological and Scientific Innovation HistoryIn this episode, we sat down with Professor Dr. Salim Ayduz, a distinguished expert in Ottoman science and technology delving into the rich tapestry of technical innovations that helped create the Ottoman Empire's 600+ year tri-continental legacy.
In the episode, we cover:
-the forgotten pioneers of Ottoman science & technology
-the social, political, and economic dynamics that influenced Ottoman innovation
-comparative analysis of Ottoman and Western scientific and technological progress
-challenges the empire faced in keeping pace with the changing world
Tune in to...2023-10-2059 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#17 - Bobby Healy - Cities in the Sky 2: How Last Mile Drone Deliveries will Transform Our WorldOn this episode, we're joined by serial entrepreneur and CEO of Manna Bobby Healy (@realBobbyHealy) who runs one of the Top 5 drone delivery companies in the world. We also welcomed back a friend of the pod Pamir Sevincel, Partner at Blackbird.
Join us as we talk about the ins and outs of a fundamental technology that'll terraform the way we live: last-mile drone delivery.
In this episode, we cover:
-Bobby's entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned along the way
-The genesis of Manna and the vision for drone-powered deliveries
...2023-09-021h 12
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#16 - Taavi Roivas - Why Technology & Political Economy Are Inseparable: Conversation with the Former Prime Minister of EstoniaWe're joined at Empasco by the former Prime Minister of Estonia Taavi Roivas, who ran and built both sets of organizations: leading the highest political office of one of the most technologically advanced EU governments and now also being a technology entrepreneur to a hard tech startup doing mobilities.
In the episode, we cover:
- the confluence of technology and politics in shaping the future
- can you run governments like tech startups? Similarities and differences.
- education & what young people should study
- the challenges that tech brings to democracies
...2023-07-0853 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#15 - Rob Reich - The Ethical & Philosophical Dimensions of Technology: How to Stop Tech From Going Wrong & What Can We Do About it?In this episode, we're joined by one of the founding faculties of Stanford's technology ethics course. Professor Rob Reich is the author of the recently published book "System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong & How We Can Reboot."
In the face of society-altering AI and advancing technologies, we confront pressing ethical and societal challenges. How do we address them effectively without letting technology wreak havoc?
In the episode, we discuss:
-how technology is reshaping our society
-the problem with the efficiency and optimization-only mindset
-the ethical and social impact of the digital...2023-06-0241 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#14 - Dr. Elizabeth Drayson - Innovations in Muslim Spain and Iberian Peninsula: How the 700 Year Period Transformed our WorldCenturies before the official Renaissance of Europe began as we deem it, there was a part of Europe (i.e. Muslim Spain) which already begun the 'Renaissance' and made the region a powerhouse of innovation and prosperity that would go on to shape the world we live in today. A tale of technical innovations, pluralistic cohabiting of various religions, and translation of ideas that formed our modern universities/libraries today.
We uncover a part of history that is often overlooked; our host Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo), delves into the 700-year Muslim rule in Spain - or Al-Andalus as...2023-04-1541 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#13 - Siim Sikkut - Innovating Governance: How to Build a Digital-Native Nation?How to build a digital-native nation? How to use digital-native design to solve voter fraud and corruption?
For an action-packed episode with an actual builder of digital governments, our host Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) takes the seat with one of the world’s most influential people in the field of digital governance, Siim Sikkut. (@sikkut) The man who led Estonia’s groundbreaking E-residency program and also played a builder role as the Estonian government’s former Chief Information Officer (CIO). Siim is also the author of the book ‘Digital Government Excellence: Lessons from Effective Digital Leaders” and helps policymake...2023-02-2550 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#12 - James Robinson - Why Nations Fail: A Historical Analysis on the Origins of Prosperity & Poverty2024 Nobel Prize Winner & Co-author of the best-selling book “Why Nations Fail”, James A. Robinson joined us to discuss the role of political and economic institutions in shaping the success or failure of nations. A political scientist and economist, Robinson is currently a professor at the University of Chicago and one of the world’s leading experts on political and economic development. His research delves into the root causes of poverty, conflict, and economic inequality across the globe.
In the episode, we cover:
-the basics of institution building
-the key differences between inclusive & extractive economic/politi...2022-10-2958 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#11 - Marie Favereau - The Tech & Innovation History of the Mongol Empire: How the Horde Changed the WorldFounded by the infamous Genghis Khan in 1206, the Mongol Empire created the 2nd largest kingdom in the history of the planet.
What's less well known is that Mongol rule ushered in a plethora of technological innovation and development that shaped the formative years in trade & science infrastructure of a land mass spanning all the way to the East from Korea, through China, Central Asia, Russia, Persia and to even Eastern Europe parts like Crimea and modern day Ukraine.
In an attempt to excavate and summarise the lasting impact the Mongol innovation, technology and governance had...2022-07-221h 16
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#10 - John P. Kotter - Golden Principles of Change Management : How Can Organizations Thrive in an Era of Rapid FluxThe defining periods in world history have always come about as a result of successful change management and revolutionary leadership. Reflecting on the last 2 decades of rapid flux coupled with
the ongoing global unrest in trade, politics, and commerce arising from a looming global recession, the Ukraine-Russia War and the after-effects of COVID19 calls for a timely occasion on
navigating through the factors leading to successful change management and leadership.
For an educative and thrilling episode on understanding the golden principles of change management and how public and private organizations can thrive in an era of...2022-05-2054 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#09 - Rich Turrin - The Past, Present & Future of China’s FinTech Infrastructure Design: Forging the New Economic World OrderChina boasts the largest fintech ecosystem in the world having a penetration rate of 87% and a total transaction volume of $51.8 trillion via mobile payments only (three times the country’s GDP). The country is setting strong examples for the rest of the world to follow as it continues to develop cashless innovation systems positing road maps and processes for a shared digital currency future.
The largely cashless economy is fundamentally changing the very nature of money as it emerges as the world's financial technology leader.
How are they doing that?
For an exclusive epis...2022-04-081h 03
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#08 - Danijel Visevic - Climate Tech Investing 101: How is Europe’s biggest climate tech VC deploying high-risk capital to undo the climate change crisis?60 gigatons of Carbon Dioxide (Co2) is discharged into the atmosphere every year. Co2 levels are now higher than they have been in at least 800,000 years making climate change the number 1 threat faced by mankind.
What tech to invest in in order to 'unf*** the planet'?
For a momentous & thrilling episode on understanding the successful approach of high-risk tech investing in combatting the climate change crises, our host at Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) sat down with Danijel Visevic (@visevic) - the Founding General Partner of World Fund, Europe’s biggest climate tech VC fund.
We co...2022-02-2040 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#07 - Margaret Mitchell - The Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics & Global Value StructuresGiven how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is eating our civilization, it's essential to sketch out its first principles and ethical dimensions. We are joined by one of the world's leading AI/ML experts in former founder and co-lead at Google's AI ethical division, and the founder of Ethical AI LLC Margaret Mitchell (@mmitchell_ai) who speaks to our Empasco Co-Founder Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) on the fundamentals of artificial intelligence ethics and global value structures. Margaret has published more than 50 blockbuster papers on vision-language and grounded language generation concentrating on the evolution of AI towards achieving positive goals. She is vastly...2022-01-1540 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#06 - Sir Paul Collier - From Poverty to Prosperity : How can Fragile Nations Manufacture TurnaroundsOne of the world's foremost development economists Professor Sir Paul Collier from Oxford University, Blavatnik School of Government joins our host Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) for this breathtaking episode on poverty alleviation and turnarounds. Sir Paul has previously written 4 books on the topic of poverty alleviation, governance and sustainable growth including one of the most famous books in the development literature called 'The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It'. Prior to this Sir Paul also held the position as the Director of Research at the World Bank.
In this...2021-11-0546 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#05 - David Stasavage - The History of Democracy and Innovation : Islamic World, China, and EuropeWe're joined by the Dean of Social Sciences at New York University and Professor of Political Science David Stasavage (@stasavage) who wrote the recent book (The Decline and Rise of Democracy). We talk about:
- the first principles and definitions of what we exactly mean by 'democracy'
- a compressed summary of the origins, and pre-17th century non-European early forms of democracy in the Islamic world, China, Africa.
- democracy, institution-building, and state development in early Rashidun Caliphates, Umayyads and Chinese empires.
- Does adopting democracy automatically lead to more economic development and...2021-09-1150 min
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#04 - Charles Fishman - How Apollo Transformed the World : Lessons Beyond AmericaOn the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo moon landings, we welcomed New-York Times Best Selling Author Charles Fishman (@cfishman), who wrote the book 'One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission that flew us to the moon’ (https://www.amazon.com/One-Giant-Leap-Untold-Story/dp/1501106295/). Follow our host Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) for more updates on tech and civilization.
We talk about:
- the factors that led to the success of one of the largest government-funded deep-science technology projects.
- spinoff technologies and effects of Apollo on hardware and software we do today
- communist management style vs...2021-07-201h 04
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#03 - Vinay Gupta - History of Money, Foundations of Crypto and Applications for Emerging MarketsCEO at Mattereum, Vinay Gupta (@leashless), the man who lead the launch of the world's second-biggest cryptocurrency Ethereum at its outset, joins us for a very special third episode on the Innovation Civilization Podcast. We cover the history of money starting from ancient humans to today, the fundamental tech and thesis of crypto along with what emerging market policymakers & citizens can do to leverage this foundational technology. We are also joined by Empasco Partner Artur Safaryan (@asafaryann) and Co-founder Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo).
Here are the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players, you should be...2021-06-121h 12
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#02 - Dr. Anton Howes - How to Create Radical Innovation Ecosystems? Lessons from British Industrial RevolutionIn our second episode, our Co-Founder Waheed Rahman (@iwaheedo) is joined by British historian and author Dr. Anton Howes (@antonhowes) where we uncover the roots of innovation in the modern world, including how to create innovation ecosystems with a focus on 16th-19th century Britain as a case-study.
Dr. Anton is the Head of Innovation Research at The Entrepreneurs Network and released his latest book 'Arts and Minds: How the Royal Society of Arts Changed a Nation'. He's also a former Lecturer in Economic History at King's College London.
OUTLINE:
Here are...2021-04-171h 15
The Innovation Civilization Podcast#01- Pamir Sevincel - Building the Future : Cities in the SkyIn this first episode, our host Waheedur Rahman (@iwaheedo) is joined by Pamir Sevincel (@pamirsevincel) from Up Partners. The first part of the episode covers the history, formulation, and ontological dimensions of ancient cities. The second part covers the latest developments in the urban air mobility space, solutionizing key 21st-century urban transportation problems, venture models for this foundational eVTOL technology, and the near-term future of cities in the skies.
2021-03-1258 min
The Innovation Civilization PodcastIntroductionA brief prologue to explain the baseline thesis behind the series of episodes that are to follow.
2021-02-1401 min