The Generalist

Mario Gabriele

“The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed.” The Generalist Podcast brings you weekly conversations with the people who live in these pockets of the future – visionary founders, prescient investors, and original thinkers. Each episode is designed to introduce you to new ideas, technologies, and markets and help you prepare for the world of tomorrow.

  1. The Private Company Bringing Nuclear Enrichment Back to America (Scott Nolan, CEO of General Matter)

    FEB 3

    The Private Company Bringing Nuclear Enrichment Back to America (Scott Nolan, CEO of General Matter)

    Roughly 20% of the U.S. power grid runs on nuclear energy. A quarter of the fuel behind it is headed toward a hard stop. In this episode, I sit down with Scott Nolan, founder and CEO of General Matter, to unpack why uranium enrichment has quietly become one of the most consequential industrial bottlenecks of the 21st century. While at Founders Fund, Scott spent over a year searching for an American enrichment company to back. When he couldn’t find one, he decided to build it himself. Less than a year after emerging from stealth, General Matter secured a historic enrichment site in Paducah, Kentucky, and was awarded a $900 million Department of Energy contract—marking one of the first serious efforts to rebuild domestic enrichment capacity ahead of the 2028 ban on Russian supply. In this episode, we discuss: Why enrichment is the missing link in America’s nuclear supply chainHow the U.S. went from controlling 86% of global enrichment capacity to effectively none at commercial scaleThe science behind uranium enrichment and why it matters for next-generation reactorsWhy Scott applied the SpaceX playbook to nuclear after more than a decade in venture capitalHow General Matter is revitalizing the historic Paducah, Kentucky enrichment siteThe significance of General Matter’s $900 million Department of Energy contractThe bipartisan political support for expanding nuclear energyWhy Scott believes nuclear energy could grow 3-4x by 2050The parallels between America’s space and nuclear industries— Thank you to our sponsor, Persona: Trusted identity verification for any use case. — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/the-private-company-bringing-nuclear — Timestamps (00:00) Introduction to Scott Nolan (03:11) General Matter’s mission to rebuild U.S. enrichment (05:06) How the U.S. lost its edge (06:28) The nuclear fuel cycle explained—and where enrichment fits (08:30) Scott’s background: From SpaceX and Founders Fund to General Matter (13:54) Lessons from SpaceX (17:32) How Scott’s focus evolved over 13 years at Founders Fund (20:57) How Scott landed on nuclear enrichment (25:55) Why nuclear energy was off the radar—until recently (30:07) Finding the right partner: Scott and Lee’s collaboration (32:01) What downblending means and why it matters (33:26) How U.S. uranium enrichment quietly came to an end (38:32) The Russian uranium ban and the 2028 supply cliff (40:38) How General Matter plans to compete (43:05) Building a world-class team (46:38) The market for enriched uranium (49:31) Future bottlenecks (50:53) What the U.S. needs to actually scale nuclear energy (52:40) Uranium supply constraints (54:14) LEU vs. HALEU: the fuels powering old and new reactors (57:01) Why 20% enrichment is a critical threshold (59:30) Why General Matter chose Paducah, Kentucky (1:04:34) Legislation and executive orders easing nuclear friction (1:09:42) The $900 million Department of Energy award (1:11:00) Why mission matters most (1:14:12) Final meditations — Follow Scott Nolan X: https://x.com/ScottNolan — Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/the-private-company-bringing-nuclear — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 16m
  2. Programming Sunlight: How Reflect Orbital Is Building Satellites to Redirect Light From Space (Ben Nowack, Founder & CEO)

    JAN 20

    Programming Sunlight: How Reflect Orbital Is Building Satellites to Redirect Light From Space (Ben Nowack, Founder & CEO)

    Most energy conversations start with scarcity. This one starts with abundance. Sunlight powers nearly everything on Earth, directly or indirectly. And yet we have almost no control over when or where we get it. Ben Nowack thinks that’s a solvable problem. Ben is the founder and CEO of Reflect Orbital, a company building satellites designed to redirect sunlight from space—not as a thought experiment, but as a product. The company nearly died before it worked. Eight months in, Ben had $300 left and was living in a garage. He made a deliberate decision to go $50,000 into credit card debt to finish critical tests. At one point, he was down to $21 of available credit. A month later, Reflect raised its first round. Today, the company is preparing to launch its first revenue-generating satellites. This is a conversation about building conviction, finding the real market, and what changes when a fundamental resource becomes programmable. In our conversation, we explore: How Reflect’s satellites workThe surprising pivot from energy to lighting applications that made the business immediately viableBen’s remarkable journey from building RC planes and X-ray machines in high school to founding ReflectWhy previous attempts at space mirrors failed and what’s changed to make this possible nowThe near-death moment when Ben went $50,000 into credit card debt to keep his vision aliveHow Reflect plans to scale from moonlight-level brightness to potentially powering solar farmsThe company’s first satellite launches planned for this year, and their path to a full constellationThe wide range of applications, from emergency response to municipal lighting to agriculture— Timestamps (00:00) Introduction to Ben Nowack (02:26) What Reflect Orbital is building (05:07) How the satellite constellation works (08:00) What Reflect is launching this year (10:35) Finding early markets (13:43) Ben’s childhood and early building experiences (22:04) What Ben learned working for startups (28:03) High school projects: X-ray machines, rocket engines, and fusion reactors (33:14) The eureka moment that led to Reflect (35:24) Early validation of the idea (38:35) The Russian space mirror experiments of the 1990s and what’s changed (42:31) Partnering with Tristan Similac as co-founder (45:05) Baiju Bhatt’s involvement (47:04) Why Reflect isn’t pivoting to space-based data centers (50:54) Common misconceptions about Reflect’s technology (55:11) Why programmable light is valuable (1:01:28) Initial target markets (1:03:42) The future markets for Reflect (1:07:33) Reflect’s company culture and operational philosophy (1:12:05) Surprises and struggles in building Reflect (1:14:56) Putting the idea to the test — Follow Ben Nowack LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nowack X: https://x.com/bennbuilds — Resources and episode mentions —People— Vladimir Syromyatnikov: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_SyromyatnikovTristan Semmelhack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristan-semmelhack-6a1ba0149Baiju Bhatt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bprafulkumarMarc Andreessen on X: https://x.com/pmarcaJ.P. Morgan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._P._MorganRic Burton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjburton —Other resources— Reflect Orbital: https://www.reflectorbital.comZipline: https://www.zipline.comCassegrain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassegrain_reflectorAdvanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3): https://www.nasa.gov/mission/acs3Znamya: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Znamya_(satellite)Aetherflux: https://www.aetherflux.comElon Musk’s post on X about building a sentient sun: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1985048731818094950Denali: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali— Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 19m
  3. Nothing’s Carl Pei on Building a $1B Smartphone Company, Why He Left OnePlus After 10 Days of Retirement, and Why He Thinks About Death Every Week

    JAN 13

    Nothing’s Carl Pei on Building a $1B Smartphone Company, Why He Left OnePlus After 10 Days of Retirement, and Why He Thinks About Death Every Week

    Carl Pei is the founder of Nothing, the consumer electronics company known for its distinctive transparent design language across smartphones and audio products. Before launching Nothing in 2020, Carl co-founded OnePlus, where he spent seven years helping build it into a major smartphone brand. But Carl’s instincts as a builder showed up much earlier. As a teenager, he taught himself to code by building Pokémon fan sites, all while moving between China, the U.S., and Sweden. That combination of early creation and constant change shaped a founder comfortable with uncertainty—and deeply motivated by questions bigger than products. Carl thinks often about time and mortality, is skeptical of early retirement, and believes creativity is humanity’s real advantage. In an industry obsessed with optimization, he’s focused on making technology feel meaningful again. In our conversation, we explore: The origins of Nothing’s transparent design language and how it helps differentiate the brand in a mature, competitive marketCarl’s childhood fascination with mortality and how it continues to drive his ambition todayNothing’s multiple near-death experiences, from 80% defect rates on first products to fundraising strugglesWhy India has become a crucial market for Nothing’s smartphone businessHow Nothing approaches community involvement, including letting users invest alongside VCsThe company’s approach to integrating AI features without overhyping the technologyCarl’s admiration for Genghis Khan’s management style and talent acquisition approachThe future of consumer electronics beyond smartphones— Thank you to our sponsor, Guru — The AI source of truth for work — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/nothings-carl-pei-on-building-a-1b-smartphone-company — Timestamps 00:00) Introduction to Carl Pei and Nothing (02:44) Nothing’s long-term vision (06:33) How existential thinking shapes Carl’s motivation (10:12) Why Carl’s planned sabbatical ended after ten days (12:35) Carl’s international upbringing (16:02) Entrepreneurial experiments in China (19:10) Carl’s competitive nature and attitude toward school (25:30) Lessons from seven years at OnePlus (28:07) Taking a break at age 31 (30:50) Carl’s fundraising strategy (33:26) Why Carl chose London for Nothing’s HQ (35:12) Lessons from Genghis Khan (38:38) Nothing’s first near-death moment (42:56) Nothing’s product evolution and breakout hits (45:24) Partnering with Teenage Engineering (49:28) Design inspirations (51:36) How Nothing recruits talent (53:42) Nothing’s approach to marketing (56:51) How India became a key market (59:48) Why Nothing created CMF (1:02:12) Why Carl is bullish on India (1:03:32) How Carl thinks about AI (1:07:05) Rethinking ads based on community feedback (1:09:05) How Nothing leverages community (1:11:23) Why AI hardware is struggling (1:13:37) Carl’s thoughts on the future of consumer electronics (1:15:10) Philosophies that shape Carl’s worldview (1:16:45) Final meditations — Follow Carl Pei LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/getpeid X: https://x.com/getpeid — Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/nothings-carl-pei-on-building-a-1b-smartphone-company — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 19m
  4. Why Being a Generalist VC Is a Competitive Advantage (Aydin Senkut, Founder & Managing Partner at Felicis Ventures)

    12/09/2025

    Why Being a Generalist VC Is a Competitive Advantage (Aydin Senkut, Founder & Managing Partner at Felicis Ventures)

    Two decades ago, Aydin Senkut was a first-time fund manager with a thin track record to show prospective backers. LPs didn’t believe a solo GP, especially one without experience at a legacy firm, could build a lasting franchise. They were wrong. Today, Felicis is a Silicon Valley mainstay on its 10th fund, a $900M vehicle. Across its history, Felicis has backed a slew of winners, including Shopify, Canva, Crusoe, and dozens of other billion-dollar outcomes. Rather than specialize over time, Aydin has remained a true generalist, investing across markets and cycles. In this conversation, we dig into the frameworks, stories, and philosophies that shaped Felicis into what it is — and where Aydin believes the next decade of technology is heading. We explore: How growing up in Turkey with entrepreneur parents shaped Aydin’s approach to risk and investingLessons from working alongside Larry Page and Sergey Brin during Google’s early daysWhy Felicis deliberately chose a generalist strategy when most VCs were specializingHow international experience became a competitive advantage in finding global winnersThe mathematical case for portfolio diversification (50-70 companies per fund)Why valuation concerns are often overblown when revenue growth is exponentialFelicis’s aggressive AI investment strategy and what other investors are missingThe future of robotics and physical AI through companies like Skild AIWhy learning and adapting rapidly is Felicis’s constitutional principle— Thank you to our sponsor, Guru: The AI source of truth for work. — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/why-being-a-generalist-vc-is-a-competitive-advantage — Timestamps (00:00) Introduction (03:09) How Aydin made his way to Silicon Valley (06:15) What he learned from his entrepreneurial parents (08:55) Learnings from the early days at Google (15:05) The childhood roots of his investing philosophy (16:31) Why rejection became a catalyst for his venture career (19:28) Strategy behind Felicis's first $41M fund (25:44) How his international background became an investing edge (28:17) How Aydin approaches diversification at scale (32:08) How he sizes investments based on conviction (33:15) Generalist vs. specialist investing (38:23) Why founders are the foundation (42:48) Why success may look different than expected (43:46) The Felicis journey (48:18) Why Felicis is going all in on AI (54:54) Why entry point matters less than potential (57:33) How the AI bubble debate misses the point (59:47) What makes Skild AI a standout company (01:04:58) The AI bets Felicis missed (01:07:55) How missing Airbnb and Uber led to backing Adyen (01:11:20) Final meditations — Follow Aydin Senkut LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aydins X: https://x.com/asenkut — Resources and episode mentions —Books— Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder: https://www.amazon.com/Antifragile-Things-That-Disorder-Incerto-ebook/dp/B0083DJWGOClear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results: https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Thinking-Turning-Ordinary-Extraordinary/dp/0593086112 —People— Larry Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_PageSergey Brin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_BrinEric Schmidt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_SchmidtBrian Chesky on X: https://x.com/bcheskyShane Parrish’s blog: https://fs.blog —Other resources— Felicis: https://www.felicis.comMastering Portfolio Construction: https://www.generalist.com/p/mastering-portfolio-constructionSteve Jobs’s quote on focus: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/629613-people-think-focus-means-saying-yes-to-the-thing-you-veAngry Birds: https://www.angrybirds.comRovio: https://www.rovio.comAdyen: https://www.adyen.comCanva: https://www.canva.com...Resources continued at: https://www.generalist.com/p/why-being-a-generalist-vc-is-a-competitive-advantage⁠ — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 17m
  5. Joey Krug on Prediction Markets, Crypto Treasuries & the Next Era of On-Chain Finance (Partner at Founders Fund)

    12/02/2025

    Joey Krug on Prediction Markets, Crypto Treasuries & the Next Era of On-Chain Finance (Partner at Founders Fund)

    Prediction markets are no longer a fringe curiosity. They are becoming one of the most revealing instruments in modern finance. Platforms like Polymarket, once a niche corner of crypto, now regularly clear billions in monthly volume as traders speculate on everything from political outcomes to sports to cultural events. Few people saw this future as early, or as clearly, as Joey Krug. A decade before prediction markets went mainstream, Joey dropped out of college to co-found Augur, the first decentralized prediction market protocol. He later became one of the most influential investors in the category by backing Polymarket at Founders Fund. In this conversation, Joey shares why the moment for prediction markets has finally arrived, what has changed, and how these markets are reshaping information flows across society. We explore: The experimental mindset that led Joey from horse-racing predictions to mining bitcoin in high schoolWhy Augur was the right idea at the wrong moment, and what it taught Joey about timing and infrastructureThe product, liquidity, and founder-market fit signals that persuaded Founders Fund to back PolymarketWhy resolution is the hardest problem in prediction markets, and how Polymarket approaches itHow crypto treasury companies are emerging as a major force and where ETFs fit inWhy mimetic behavior drives entire sectors and how savvy investors read those wavesThe rise and fall of Operation Choke Point and its impact on cryptoHow Founders Fund reframed Joey’s approach to evaluating founders, markets, and structural shifts— Thank you to the partners who make this possible Guru: The AI source of truth for work. Auth0: Secure access for everyone. But not just anyone. — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/joey-krug-on-prediction-markets — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (04:10) How Joey began making predictions with horse racing (08:00) Why Joey began coding with Applesoft BASIC (09:32) How Joey first discovered crypto (11:06) Why Joey dropped out of school to pursue crypto (12:52) The origins of Joey’s interest in medical school (16:15) How Joey spends nights and weekends splitting time between biotech and trading (17:18) The early influences behind Augur’s creation (19:40) Why prediction markets captivated early crypto thinkers (23:26) The unlock crypto created for prediction markets (29:22) How Polymarket began and why Joey decided to back it (32:11) What made Polymarket the right team (35:25) The FBI raid and how Shane responded (38:20) Why Joey expected Polymarket’s volume to hold after the election (40:20) The trend toward duopolies in financial markets (42:37) What sets Polymarket’s product design apart (45:25) How to keep prediction markets clear and unambiguous (48:31) The rise of crypto treasury companies and FF’s work with BitMine (51:26) The value of crypto treasuries and the role of ETFs (54:33) The mimetic rise of crypto treasury companies (57:03) Joey’s take on where the crypto market stands now (1:00:23) Why Founders Fund is bullish on ETH (1:03:03) Operation Choke Point, regulatory whiplash, and the end of the crypto crackdown (1:06:04) Where the Clarity Act falls short (1:08:56) How Joey’s thinking has evolved since joining Founders Fund (1:13:21) Final meditations — Follow Joey Krug LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeykrug — Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/joey-krug-on-prediction-markets⁠ — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 16m
  6. How a Solo Founder is Reshaping Global Finance (Parth Garg, CEO of Aspora)

    11/18/2025

    How a Solo Founder is Reshaping Global Finance (Parth Garg, CEO of Aspora)

    In the summer of 2022, Parth Garg woke up in Bangalore to discover that his co-founder had fled the country and emailed their investors to tell them their company was dead. Just over three years later, Aspora is one of fintech’s fastest-growing startups. The company, which makes it faster and cheaper for India’s diaspora to send money home and access banking services, now processes close to half a billion dollars in volume every month and has earned a $500 million valuation with backing from elite investors like Hummingbird Ventures, Sequoia, and Greylock. In this conversation, Parth shares his journey from physics prodigy to fintech founder, offering insights into what it really takes to build resilience as a founder and how to create a culture where feedback flows freely, even without a co-founder to provide checks and balances. — We explore: • The moment when Parth discovered his co-founder had left the country and told investors the company was shutting down • How Parth’s childhood moving between cities in India and later to the UAE shaped his adaptability and entrepreneurial mindset • His journey from physics prodigy to startup founder, including early ventures before Aspora • The process of discovering product-market fit through structured experimentation after the initial business model failed • Why the Indian diaspora represents a massive, underserved financial opportunity (1% of the population contributing 30% of deposits) • How stablecoins dramatically reduced Aspora’s working capital requirements and transformed their business model • The regulatory landscape for fintech and crypto in India and the impact of the GENIUS Act in the US • Aspora’s vision to become a comprehensive cross-border bank serving multiple diaspora communities globally — Thank you to the partners who make this possible GoFundMe Giving Funds: One Account. Zero Hassle. Guru: The AI source of truth for work. Persona: Trusted identity verification for any use case. — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (03:53) How Parth felt when his co-founder fled the country (07:04) Parth’s early days in India and the UAE (09:37) Parth’s love of physics and competitiveness (12:15) The not-so-straightforward path from studying physics at Stanford to entrepreneurship (14:13) Parth’s physics heroes (16:24) The gap year that sparked Parth’s entrepreneurship journey (18:36) Parth’s first startup: selling near-expired groceries (21:58) Moving back to the United States and founding Vance (28:00) Joining YC and finding early backers (31:14) How Parth realized Vance needed to pivot (35:22) How Parth moved forward after his co-founder fled (37:37) Building psychological safety and open debate at Aspora (40:15) How conversations with immigrants inspired Aspora’s idea (45:13) How stablecoins solved Aspora’s biggest operational challenges (46:57) Aspora’s current scale and why India was the perfect starting point (51:34) How Aspora builds loyalty in a low-switching-cost market (52:42) The GENIUS Act and the real opportunity in stablecoins (55:52) The evolution of crypto and stablecoins in India (56:50) The importance of partnerships for scaling Aspora in India (58:18) The next phases of Aspora’s growth (01:00:04) The role of Aspora’s new bets team (1:01:20) Final meditations — Follow Parth Garg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parth29 — Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/banking-the-diaspora-parth-garg — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 9m
  7. How Do You Build a New Singapore? Inside Próspera’s Bet on Private Governance (Erick Brimen, Founder & CEO)

    11/11/2025

    How Do You Build a New Singapore? Inside Próspera’s Bet on Private Governance (Erick Brimen, Founder & CEO)

    What if you could redesign the rules of society? Not tweak the margins, but start over entirely. That’s the question driving Erick Brimen, founder and CEO of Próspera, a private charter city in Roatán, Honduras. Próspera is a radical experiment in governance: a platform that lets governments and entrepreneurs build cities with new legal systems, regulatory frameworks, and institutions from the ground up. Brimen believes that governance itself can be innovated upon. That cities, like software, can be upgraded. His goal isn’t just to build one new jurisdiction, but to create an operating system for hundreds of prosperous, self-governing communities around the world. In this conversation, Erick and I explore what it really takes to build a modern Singapore from scratch — and why better governance might be humanity’s most powerful lever for progress. Together we explore: • How Brimen’s childhood in Venezuela shaped his understanding of governance and poverty • The historical precedents for charter cities like Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong • Why common law, trusted dispute resolution, and dynamic governance are essential foundations • How Próspera’s Governance-as-a-Service model aligns incentives between governments, operators, and residents • The current state of Próspera in Honduras, including its three hubs and economic impact • The political challenges Próspera has faced and how international arbitration has protected the project • Why regulatory innovation enables industries like biotech, crypto, and advanced manufacturing to flourish • How the model could be applied to “catch-up growth,” industry diversification, and accelerating growth in developed nations • The vision for a modern Hanseatic League of charter cities operating on shared governance principles — Thank you to the partners who make this possible GoFundMe Giving Funds: One Account. Zero Hassle. Guru: The AI source of truth for work Tezi: The AI agent for recruiting high-quality candidates quickly. — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/the-170m-experiment-to-build-a-private-city — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (04:10) An overview of Próspera and charter cities (06:43) City of Próspera vs. the platform (08:06) How growing up in Venezuela shaped Erick’s entrepreneurial vision (12:36) The limits of seasteading and why Erick took a different path (15:20) The opposing philosophies that shaped Erick’s path (16:16) The moment that reshaped Erick’s understanding of poverty (19:57) The limits of learning from Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong (23:01) Building on the DIFC blueprint (25:12) From Arizona to Honduras: how Próspera built its first city (30:36) Why Honduras won (32:12) Inside the ZEDE framework (36:56) Próspera’s business model (43:45) Conditions on the ground in Honduras (47:14) A quick summary of how it works (48:24) Quick stats on Próspera’s scale and financing (50:47) What years of preparation made possible (52:44) The scale and purpose of Próspera’s three hubs (58:12) Próspera’s 10-year vision (1:01:12) The people Próspera was built to serve (1:04:10) Why less regulation unlocks more innovation (1:05:58) Próspera’s political headwinds (1:12:36) Why Erick remains optimistic that things will work out in Honduras (1:14:44) Addressing criticism of ZEDEs and Próspera (1:18:08) What’s next, and why the U.S. may be the greatest opportunity (1:22:30) Final meditations — Follow Erick Brimen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickbrimen Website: https://www.erickbrimen.com — Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/the-170m-experiment-to-build-a-private-city — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 24m
  8. Why Psychedelics Might Be the Breakthrough That PTSD Patients Need (Kevin Ryan, The Godfather of NYC Tech)

    10/28/2025

    Why Psychedelics Might Be the Breakthrough That PTSD Patients Need (Kevin Ryan, The Godfather of NYC Tech)

    Often called the godfather of NYC tech, Kevin Ryan is one of America’s most influential entrepreneurs and investors. He co-founded MongoDB, Business Insider, Gilt Groupe, Zola, and Transcend Therapeutics, and continues to build and back new companies each year through AlleyCorp. Earlier in his career, he led DoubleClick from a 20-person startup to a global leader, taking it public before its acquisition by Google. In this episode, Kevin shares his insights on two surprising pockets of the future that he’s betting on: psychedelics for mental health and AI-powered materials science. He unpacks how psychedelics are showing remarkable success in treating depression and PTSD, and why AI may discover revolutionary new materials, from helicopter blades to smartphone glass, that humans never imagined possible. We explore: • The promising results of psychedelics in treating depression, PTSD, and addiction • How AI is accelerating materials discovery by exploring combinations humans wouldn’t try • The challenges of building successful incubators and why most attempts fail • How MongoDB lost $1 billion before turning a profit (and why it was worth it) • Why e-commerce businesses like Gilt Groupe often struggle against physical retail • How AlleyCorp plans for the future when shaping its investment strategy • What it really costs society to imprison someone for a year • The hard truth about Europe’s tech ecosystem and why it struggles to compete with the US — Thank you to the partners who make this possible Enterpret: Transform feedback chaos into actionable customer intelligence. Auth0: Secure access for everyone. But not just anyone. Persona: Trusted identity verification for any use case. — Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/why-psychedelics-might-be-the-breakthrough — Timestamps (00:00) Intro (04:30) How Kevin collaborated with Scott Adams (07:11) The origins of AlleyCorp (08:33) The challenge of incubation (10:00) Why intellectual flexibility matters (10:54) What made MongoDB a breakout success (13:49) How shifting market dynamics hurt Gilt’s business (16:22) What Kevin would do differently if he built Gilt again (17:45) Juggling AlleyCorp’s long-term vision with day-to-day demands (20:26) How to make boards more productive (22:25) Why Kevin believes investors should also found companies (24:18) Future spaces Kevin is excited to invest in (25:52) Kevin’s interest in psychedelics and founding Transcend (28:20) Psychedelics for mental health (32:03) How psychedelic therapy is being conducted (34:11) Transcend’s work and the path to approval for methylone (37:47) The challenges of psychedelic research (40:28) How the Trump administration aims to accelerate psychedelic research (41:50) The size and growth of the psychedelic market (44:28) Materials science: What it is, its design tradeoffs, and how AI speeds discovery (49:02) Radical AI’s work creating new compounds (50:34) The industries Radical AI is targeting (52:50) The state of European tech and why it still lags behind (58:26) Final meditations — Follow Kevin Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinryan3/ X: https://x.com/alley_corp — Resources and episode mentions —Books— • How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence: https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transcendence/dp/1594204225 • Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future: https://www.amazon.com/Breakneck-Chinas-Quest-Engineer-Future/dp/1324106034 • Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams: https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams/dp/1501144324 — Episode resources continued at: ⁠https://www.generalist.com/p/why-psychedelics-might-be-the-breakthrough⁠ — Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

    1h 8m
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About

“The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed.” The Generalist Podcast brings you weekly conversations with the people who live in these pockets of the future – visionary founders, prescient investors, and original thinkers. Each episode is designed to introduce you to new ideas, technologies, and markets and help you prepare for the world of tomorrow.

Information

  • Creator
    Mario Gabriele
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mario Gabriele
  • Show Website
    The Generalist

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