Future Optimist

Today's episode feels like pure science fiction. What is a digital twin? How could this help us make better and faster pharmaceuticals? And why is that important? We know that there is so much data about us and our bodies and soon, our brains. Is there a reality in which we can use data to remove human testing from the process of finding new drugs? How can we use machine learning and artificial intelligence to better understand the data that we have? If this feels like something with massive, profound implications for our future, you’re right. And I’ll be honest: I barely understand what any of this means. That’s why we’re lucky that joining me right now is Mike Loos, the Vice President of Solution Architecture at TetraScience, a tech/bio company with over 100 leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies as customers.

➡️ https://www.tetrascience.com/demo

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/mike-loos

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Tom Frazier is the co-founder and CEO of Redivider, a company that is making sustainable & responsible edge computing. But first, what is edge computing? You might not realize it, but every single device you use and every single platform you interact with is storing massive amounts of data somewhere. And the farther away from you physically these data centers are the more inefficient and unsustainable they become. Edge computing is the idea that we should keep the source of our data closer to where we're physically located, which is no easy task. In theory, this could help us be more sustainable, more efficient, and more secure in a world where our data is floating around everywhere, and can easily fall into the wrong hands. Now this is one of those subjects that is extremely timely, especially as we march headfirst into a future that is entirely digital. Redivider builds modular, smaller facilities, and diverse locations which enables faster data processing and increased to capacity, and they're also focused on improving sustainability, because their modular solutions are hydrogen powered. This episode falls into the category of something that humanity desperately needs, but we don't necessarily know we do yet, and that's why I'm so excited to share this conversation with you today.

➡️ https://www.redivider.co/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/tom-frazier

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Travis Rosbach is the creator and founder of Hydro Flask, and a brilliant 600x MoM serial entrepreneur.

Do you know those water bottles you've seen everywhere? Every single time you go to the airport, it seems like every single person has one? Well, it turns out that that's called the Hydro Flask, and it was invented by Travis Rosbach.

Today we are going to discuss the unlikely journey and strange path of a true entrepreneur’s entrepreneur. Prior to founding his first company, Travis was a SCUBA dive master, a US Merchant Marine Boat Captain, and a commercial airline pilot in addition to being a world explorer. And yet somehow he ended up inventing what would go on to become one of the world’s most successful eco-friendly consumer products. He since sold that company and has helped countless others as an advisor, so his advice is something that we all should take very seriously. Brace yourself for truly enjoyable conversation with somebody I deeply respect.

➡️ https://www.travisrosbach.com/  

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/travis-rosbach

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Robin Simsa is the CEO of Revo Foods, the first company to sell 3D printed, vegan “salmon” filets – already available all over Europe. They're making 100% plant-based seafood to reduce overfishing and relieve pressure on our marine ecosystem. Robin himself has a PhD in biotech from the university of Gothenburg and Tufts University, and he was also nominated to Forbes 30 Under 30. 3D printing food is one of those exciting or terrifying ideas depending on your perspective, especially if “it's people!” is still ringing through your brain and you're worried about a Soylent Green future. However, I see technologies like this as a necessary step towards our evolution as a species, which is why I'm so excited about this episode and I'm not the only one; investors have already poured up to $400 million into alternative seafood start-ups in recent years, including over $7 million into Revo Foods.

➡️ https://revo-foods.com/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/robin-simsa

➡️ Follow me on Instagram: @therosspalmer

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Nicki Driscoll, PhD is a post-doc researcher at MIT, and CTO of NeuroBionics, a company that has developed a new kind of neural interface using microscale, flexible, bioelectronic fibers that seamlessly integrate with the body. Have you ever seen a fiber optic cable? Imagine a tiny strand that is as thin as a human hair. Each fiber integrates a range of functions, such as electrical, chemical, and optical capabilities to sense and modulate the biological environment. This gives us unprecedented access into the “symphony” of a properly functioning brain (something we’ll talk about later that is ultra ultra cool…) and also a better understanding of the brain when it’s not functioning properly. This is the kind of stuff the sci-fi future is made of, so buckle up!

➡️ https://neurobionics.io/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/nicki-driscoll

➡️ Follow me on Instagram: @therosspalmer

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Viraj Mane is the co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer at Lactiga, an award-winning, venture-backed biotherapeutics company treating and prevent infections using an unusual but genius method…human milk. That’s right, Lactiga uses human breast milk to battle even the world’s most dangerous pathogens. It turns out, some people would benefit tremendously from what’s found in the breast milk of other humans, and if done right, the power of this novel approach is astounding. Viraj has a PhD in Human Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine, and has completed two post-doc fellowships, including one for the U.S. FDA. After he became a father, he had a strange but brilliant idea after seeing excess breast milk stored in the freezer. I know you’ll love this episode from a very smart person.

➡️ https://lactiga.com/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/viraj-mane

➡️ Follow me on Instagram: @therosspalmer

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Guanhao Wu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Exovolar, a company making personal flying jetpacks (finally!).

Exovolar aims to augment our main mobility tool, the legs, to make flying as simple as walking. The combination of jet engines, exoskeleton, and their patented thrust vector nozzle design allows the legs to fulfill their destined duty – to support and move our body – like a certain heavily trademarked action movie franchise character. You know, what’s his face. I love it when someone attempts the truly ridiculous and flying in a suit like Steel Dude (that’s his name, right?) is a bold, audacious, ridiculous concept that is too fun to ignore.

➡️ https://exovolar.com/

➡️ Highlights: https://rosspalmer.com/Guanhao-Wu

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Amber Rivas is the President and CEO at Aviva Family & Children's Services in Los Angeles. She’s dedicated her life to solving the complex housing issues facing major metropolitan areas like LA. Amber has worked for non-profits her entire career, helping women, children, and local communities with mental health and crisis intervention. She’s engaged with the most vulnerable parts of society—tackling issues head on that most of us choose to ignore. Today we’ll learn how her selfless journey has brought her satisfaction, joy, and a connection to her community in ways that are so powerful. She’s proof that while judgment is easy, doing something about it is far more rewarding and noble. I’m excited to share with you a powerful, and moving conversation.

➡️ https://aviva.org/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/amber-rivas

➡️ Follow me on Instagram: @therosspalmer

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Have you ever gone from just a few dollars in your bank account to a thriving business? Or maybe you have less than you’d like in the bank right now, and you’re feeling lost, hopeless, or unsure if there’s any way out for you. Well today’s guest Candice Smith was there, just three short years ago. Today? She has a thriving PR business, and she’s been featured in Glamour, Good Morning America, Forbes, and a lot of other places that are a lot cooler and more influential than this show. Umm. But please don’t stop listening. Just… uhh, strike that last remark from the record. I wanted to showcase this story because it represents a very real, practical transformation that so many people who are struggling right now can make, and it’s a prime example of the power of entrepreneurship and determination to change the arc of our life when things aren’t working out the way we want them to.

➡️ https://frenchpresspr.com/

➡️ https://rosspalmer.com/candice-smith

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Morgan Mercer is the CEO of Vantage Point, a VR product that’s being used by big companies like Ikea and Hyundai to teach soft skills and also to offer Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as well as Sexual Harassment training.

It turns out, Morgan’s major insight is that VR is an unprecedented tool for “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes”, which means that it’s an ingenious way to teach empathy. She’s been featured in over 150 major publications and Vantage Point’s tagline “While technology can cause apathy, immersive technology can drive empathy and fundamentally make the world more human” is something I deeply resonate with.

➡️ https://www.tryvantagepoint.com/

➡️ Highlights: https://rosspalmer.com/morgan-mercer

➡️ Follow me on Instagram: @therosspalmer

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