Jay Reno — Making A Point (EP.247)
Infinite Loops
My guest on Infinite Loops this week knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur from the time he was buying and selling things on eBay. Jay Reno claims he didn’t know what the word ‘arbitrage’ meant back then, but if you tug on the colourful threads of his career, you’d reveal the kind of tenacity and resourcefulness that allows special founders like him to repeatedly find value in places that have long been deserted by everybody else. If you listen in on today’s episode, it will become apparent why O’Shaughnessy Ventures invested in Jay and his current venture. Jay is the CEO and...
info_outline
Michael Garfield — Play the (Mind) Jazz (EP.246)
Infinite Loops
My guest today is Michael Garfield, a paleontologist, futurist, writer, podcast host and strategic advisor whose “mind-jazz” performances — essays, music and fine art — bridge the worlds of art, science and philosophy. This year, Michael received a for his “Humans On the Loop” discussion series, which explores the nature of agency, power, responsibility and wisdom in the age of automation. This whirlwind discussion is impossible to sum up in a couple of sentences (just look at the number of books & articles mentioned!) Ultimately, it is a conversation about a subject...
info_outline
Max Meyer Launched a Print Magazine in 2024. Here’s Why. (EP.245)
Infinite Loops
My guest today is Max Meyer, the proprietor of Arena Magazine, a new quarterly publication exploring technology, capitalism and civilization. Arena’s aim? To “make it okay to dream in public again.” Max and I discuss why he launched a print magazine in 2024, WTF happened to legacy media, the wisdom of Ratatouille and MUCH more. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our . Important Links: Show Notes: What is...
info_outline
Parmita Mishra — How to Think About Biology (EP.244)
Infinite Loops
Parmita Mishra is a computational biologist and the founder & CEO of Precigenetics, a company aiming to become a rocket to precision medicine. Parmita is deeply knowledgeable about cutting-edge biology, particularly epigenetics — how behavior and environment can affect gene function without altering genetic code. Her passion for advancing our understanding of diseases is inspiring (and contagious: OSV is an investor in Parmita’s company!) In our conversation, Parmita and I discuss everything from the curious case of male baldness to how her parents have saved 50,000 lives. I hope...
info_outline
Luis Seco — On Mathematical Beethovens, Decentralized Education & the Voyage to the Human Brain (EP.243)
Infinite Loops
Professor Luis Seco is a mathematician, educator, and investor. Among many other titles and achievements, he is the Professor of Mathematics at the University of Toronto, Director of the quant research hub Risklab, Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Development at the Fields Institute, and co-founder of the asset management firm Sigma Analysis & Management Ltd. Got all that?! This one was really fun, and not just because Luis is a fellow quant. We discuss how maths resembles Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the future of the ‘metaversity’, the most important lesson Luis gives his...
info_outline
Anthony Pompliano — How to Live an Extraordinary Life (EP.242)
Infinite Loops
Anthony Pompliano — investor, entrepreneur, and media powerhouse — returns four years and 228 episodes later to discuss his new book, , a collection of 65 heartfelt letters to his two children. At just 36, Anthony has already invested in circa 200 companies, served in Iraq with the U.S. Army, built and sold multiple businesses, and created one of the world’s largest independent media platforms. You don’t accomplish all that without learning a thing or two, and in this episode we dig into his hard-earned insights — from the uniting traits of the world’s smartest people, to the...
info_outline
Sajith Pai — Exploring Indus Valley (Ep.241)
Infinite Loops
There’s a quote I heard a long time ago that goes something like this - “India has consistently disappointed both the optimists and the pessimists”. It is equal parts pithy and profound, and does a somewhat passable job of summarising the multitudes contained in 21st century India. It’s a quote that was brought to life for me numerous times in my conversation with this week’s guest on Infinite Loops - Sajith Pai. Sajith is a GP at Blume Ventures, one of India’s largest homegrown VC firms. He's known for his prolific writing and sharp frameworks that have become part of Indian...
info_outline
Scott Aaronson — Quantumania (EP.240)
Infinite Loops
My guest today is Scott Aaronson, a theoretical computer scientist, OG blogger, and quantum computing maestro. Scott has so many achievements and credentials that listing them here would take longer than recording the episode. Here's a select few: Self-taught programmer at age 11, Cornell computer science student at 15, PhD recipient by 22! Schlumberger Centennial Chair of Computer Science at The University of Texas at Austin. Director of UT Austin's Quantum Information Center. Former visiting researcher on OpenAI's alignment team (2022-2024). Awarded the ACM prize in computing in 2020 and...
info_outline
Danny Crichton — Player of Games (EP.239)
Infinite Loops
Danny Crichton is a man of many talents. He’s got a background in computer science, has worked in the worlds of foreign policy, was a managing editor at Techcrunch, and now serves as Head of Editorial at Lux Capital. As Lux’s de-facto games master, Danny also devises their Riskgames: strategic simulations that immerse players in complex scenarios reflecting real-world challenges and dynamics. These games – whose players include senators, major generals, congressmen and, think-tank CEOs – include scenarios like ‘Hamptons at the Cross-Roads’ (that deals with climate change and...
info_outline
Yuk Chi Chan — On Rockets, Dog Years & Robotic Space-Snakes (EP.238)
Infinite Loops
My guest today is the human Swiss Army Knife, Yuk Chi Chan, who has packed more into the last decade than many people do in a lifetime. Yuk Chi is the founder of Charter Space, the first British space company to graduate from the Techstars Space Accelerator. Before that, he served as an officer in the Singapore army (hmm, so maybe I should have described him as a Singaporean Army Knife) and practiced as a space lawyer (it’s funny how much cooler being a lawyer becomes when you preface it with the word “space”). Suffice to say, Yuk Chi knows a lot about space. We had a blast discussing...
info_outlineProfessor Julia Sonnevend believes that charm is one of the defining political trends of our era.
In her latest book, she argues that charm will do no less than “shape the future of democracy worldwide,” exploring how it is weaponized by politicians ranging from Jacinda Arden to Kim Jong Un.
In our episode, you will discover why charm has emerged as a political force and how to innoculate yourself when you encounter it in the wild.
Julia and I also dig into the five components of a charming interaction, a tantalizing prospect for those of you who want to dabble in the dark arts yourself…
For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other stuff designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!” check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Why social scientists are scared of charm
- The beer test of political leadership
- Can charm be manufactured?
- How humor affects charm
- The five building blocks of charm
- Does writing a book about charm make you immune to charm?
- Suspicion of seduction
- Is personality damaging politics?
- The true arbiter of authenticity
- How to encourage students to think critically
- How global iconic events are constructed
- Historical villains & the banality of evil
- Charming or not-charming: a speed-round
- The transitory nature of the charm offensive
- The benefits of taking a moment
- Julia as Empress of the World