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Wait But Why's full SpaceX post — read by Tim Urban 

How (and Why) SpaceX Will Colonize Mars - Full Post

Blockchain without bitcoin? It's a debate as old as the cryptocurrency itself (which, to be honest, isn't that old). Given that bitcoin is not just a digital bearer instrument/token but is a network, a distributed ledger, a protocol, the question of separating blockchain from bitcoin isn't a moot one. Especially when you think of it analogously to voice over IP, but for financial services.

So what is the financial services industry doing with this "money over IP"? Clearly many large business players are paying attention and trying to get ahead of disruption, by asking themselves exactly what their bitcoin/blockchain strategy is. Adam Ludwin shares what's happening here from his perspective as founder of Chain, an enterprise blockchain platform that partners with financial institutions to help them apply the technology to their markets.

In this episode of the a16z Podcast, Ludwin covers what it's like merging the cultures of finance and tech; what's driving the recent bitcoin prices; why he believes in blockchain beyond bitcoin; whether there can be such a thing as private or permissioned blockchains; definitions of newer concepts like 'colored coins' and 'sidechains'; and more. Oh and what are the most interesting native apps, too.

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The views expressed here are those of the individual AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by a16z. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, a16z has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation.
 
This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and other relevant documentation of any such fund and should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz (excluding investments and certain publicly traded cryptocurrencies/ digital assets for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly) is available at https://a16z.com/investments/.

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a16z Podcast: Blockchain vs/and Bitcoin

Your homeowner’s insurance didn’t anticipate Airbnb. Your car insurance certainly didn’t see Lyft and Uber coming. And when your car drives itself, it’s anyone’s guess how the insurance industry will wrap its collective head around that one.

a16z’s Frank Chen and Mike Paulus talk insurance on this segment of the pod. Yes, insurance. 

Insurance may not be the sexiest part of your life (hopefully), but because of the changes in how we move through the world -- literally and figuratively -- insurance is due for a reinvention. What are the possibilities for new and better insurance, and which technologies and trends are driving it.

a16z Podcast: Reinventing Insurance

"All of a sudden you can program the world" -- it's the continuation of the software eating the world thesis we put out over five years ago, and of the trajectory of past and current technology shifts. So what are those shifts? What tech trends and platforms do we find most interesting on the heels of raising our fifth fund? Are we just building on and extending existing platforms though, or will there be new platforms; and if so, what will they be? Well, distributed systems for one...

This episode of the a16z Podcast covers all things distributed systems -- encompassing cloud and SaaS; A.I., machine learning, deep learning; and quantum computing -- to the role of hardware; future interfaces; and data, big and small. Podcast guests Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz (in conversation with Scott Kupor and Sonal Chokshi) also share the one piece of advice from a management and go-to-market perspective that all founders should know. And finally, why simulations matter... and what do we make of our current reality if we are all really living in a simulation as Elon Musk believes?

a16z Podcast: Software Programs the World

Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing? Daniel Coyle, author of The Culture Code, joins the Talent Angle to discuss what makes some of the world’s most successful organizations tick - including Pixar, the San Antonio Spurs, and U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six. Coyle offers specific strategies to help you trigger learning, spark collaboration, build trust, and drive positive change to ultimately unlock the hidden potential of teams.

Cracking the Culture Code with Daniel Coyle

What is it like to work for Uber as its new dead of diversity after holding the same post for Hillary Clinton’s campaign? Bernard Coleman shares his insights on diversity and inclusion based on his experiences as head of diversity at Uber and Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “Diversity in isolation in not effective - to be successful it must always be paired with inclusion,” says Coleman. Meaningful D&amp;I efforts requires engaging with others and navigating different perspectives to build lasting solutions.

Bringing Diversity to Uber with Bernard Coleman III

*This is a 20 minute excerpt from our 2016 conversation with Roselinde Torres Roselinde Torres distills down&nbsp;the characteristics of leaders who are thriving,&nbsp;what they do differently&nbsp;and the&nbsp;preparation practices that enable people to grow to their potential. Roselinde Torres is a senior leader in the People &amp; Organization practice at The Boston Consulting Group and has served as the first global head of BCG’s leadership topic. In addition, she has been a member of the firm’s Americas Leadership team. &nbsp;

The Essence of Great Leadership with BCG's Roselinde Torres

“Conscious is the new smart” says Dr. Bob Rosen, CEO of Healthy Companies International. The more conscious we are, the faster we adapt and the higher performing we become. Nothing is more important than understanding ourselves, our actions, and our environment. Dr. Bob Rosen joins the Talent Angle to discuss how leaders can thrive in an age of disruption and uncertainty by becoming more aware and accountable to the world around them. &nbsp;

Creating Conscious Leaders with Dr. Bob Rosen

Humankind is on the brink of an unprecedented technological transformation, and people and organizations that prepare properly have a massive opportunity ahead of them. Listen to Peter Hinssen, business school lecturer, futurist, and author of The Day After Tomorrow as he discusses the technological changes that will fundamentally change how we work, how we live, and how we relate to each other.

The Day After Tomorrow with Peter Hinssen

The Gartner Talent Angle