Interview begins: 7:32
Debrief begins: 50:16

Alex Lazarow is the author or "Out-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs from Delhi to Detroit Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley."

Alexandre (Alex) Lazarow has spent his career working at the intersection of investing, innovation, and economic development in the private, public, and social sectors. He is a venture capitalist with Cathay Innovation, a global firm that invests across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. 

Alex is an adjunct professor specializing in impact investment and entrepreneurship at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He is a Kauffman Fellow, CFA Charterholder, and a Stephen M. Kellen Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.Comm from the University of Manitoba. 

Alex is a regular columnist with Forbes, and his writing has been featured in the Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Business Insider, and Insurance CIO Outlook magazine, among others. He speaks regularly on global innovation trends and has presented at Collision, Endeavor, InsureTech Connect, Harvard Business School, the Social Innovation Summit, SOCAP, and the Corporate Venture Capital Summit. 

In today's episode, Alex shares his research into innovation outside of Silicon Valley, including successful attributes that are often overlooked when working outside the Valley, and the surprises he found in his research.

We discuss:

• Ad: Finding experienced employees for your new business with Integrity Power Search (5:08)
• Ad: Business calling and texting anytime, anywhere with Tresta (6:32)
• Entrepreneurial interest outside the Bay Area (7:35)
• Harmful biases from the valley (11:48)
• Questioning the necessity of unicorn companies (15:24)
• Adapting VC for non-Valley founders (25:37)
• Revenue shares with employees (31:57)
• Balancing innovation as a startup (36:50)
• The "new" trend in remote work (40:22)
• Bidirectional innovation from outside Silicon Valley
• Ten-year predictions for Valley vs. non-Valley startups

Check out Alex's book: https://amzn.to/2JT0MMt
Follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alex_Lazarow
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This episode is sponsored by Integrity Power Search, the #1 full stack high growth startup recruiting firm between the coasts. They partner with venture capitalists, private equity groups and CEOs to build amazing teams for the world’s most disrupting companies.

Learn more about or get in touch with Integrity Power Search: https://upside.fm/integrity
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