The IVY Podcast

Veteran entrepreneur Christian Cotichini is the Co-founder and CEO of HeroX. This revolutionary organization empowers anyone to crowdsource the solutions to their most urgent challenges and incentivizes innovators from around the world to compete to solve them. Through this platform, NASA has already challenged coders to speed up its supercomputer, Land O’Lakes has called on investors to develop drone technology to assist in agriculture, and NBC has sought new designs for its iconic peacock logo, just to name a few examples.

 HeroX was co-founded in 2013 by Christian, Peter Diamandis & Emily Fowler to democratize the innovation model of their existing company, XPRIZE, which was designed to offer huge financial incentives for groundbreaking innovations in science, technology, and engineering. In 2004, XPRIZE was responsible for incentivizing the first private suborbital spaceflight, by rewarding the triumphant developers of SpaceShip One with $10 million dollars. Using HeroX, anyone can post a challenge and offer a prize of any size for projects big and small.

Prior to HeroX, Christian had 20 years of experience in the startup and technology worlds. He founded Absolute Software, a leader in computer security and asset management, and subsequently founded MAKE Technologies, which was sold to Dell Computers in early 2012.

 In this compelling conversation, Christian spoke with IVY’s Co-founder, Beri Meric, about some of the biggest challenges facing our world today, and how anyone might be the person to find the solution.

 Please enjoy our conversation with Christian Cotichini. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

Suki Kim did the unimaginable—she broke all the rules and worked undercover in North Korea for an entire year, documenting her fascinating experience. An award-winning novelist & journalist, Kim has been featured on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria’s GPS, Christiane Amanpour’s Show and Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. She has authored two books, Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Koren Elite and The Interpreter - which have both been tremendous critic and commercial successes. In this illuminating episode, Kim tells her story about her travels abroad as she helps us all understand this elusive

In this illuminating episode, Kim tells her story about her travels abroad as she helps us all understand this elusive world, while addressing the broader social and political implications.

Please enjoy our conversation with Suki Kim. 

And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

With a background in both marketing and the military, Australian native Adam Garone's career took a left turn in 2003 when his brother challenged him to grow out a mustache. The two wondered if they could bring the mustache back in vogue and, in the process, both raise awareness for men's health, and fundraise for prostate cancer research. Thus began the Movember movement.

 The Movember challenge is simple: men begin November 1st clean shaven and, for the next 30 days, grow out their mustaches while seeking out sponsorship for their efforts. The proceeds go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation as well as Livestrong. In 2011, Movember raised $126 million in 14 countries. 

As Movember’s CEO from the start, Adam built the company into one of the most innovative and impactful charities created this millennium, changing the face (both literally and figuratively) of men's health, and in the process, creating a cult brand that inspired a global movement.

As part of an IVY Ideas Night at Movember’s LA office, Adam shared his incredible story with IVY’s Sarah Zapp, and showed IVY members how to draw on their passion and resilience to overcome even the toughest obstacles and make a difference in the world.

Please enjoy our conversation with Adam Garone. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

For the past twenty-five years, Aldo Civico has served as a negotiation adviser and facilitator in armed conflicts in Colombia, the Western Balkans, and Syria. He has also led efforts to curb urban violence in Mexico, Haiti, Italy, and the United States, and advised national governments on the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former combatants. Since 2001, Aldo has been intimately involved in the peace talks between the Colombian government and the insurgent group known as the National Liberation Army.

Though most of us will, fortunately, never be forced to negotiate with terrorists, drug lords, and urban gangs, a close study of these same scenarios, according to Civico, yields lessons relevant for any successful leader -- involving communication, flexibility, and self-mastery.

 In this fascinating conversation with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Aldo led IVY members through several conflict resolution scenarios and unpacked the thinking behind them.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress and the CEO and founder of Automattic. Matt launched WordPress in 2003, transforming the free blogging software into the most popular publishing platform in the world. More than 27% of the web currently runs on WordPress, making Matt a crucial figure in powering a generation of writers, entrepreneurs, startups, and companies across the globe.

Automattic is also the company behind WooCommerce, and Jetpack, among other products, with more than 500 employees working from more than 50 different countries.  In this illuminating conversation, Matt talks about his journey from open source developer to tech tycoon, revealing the entrepreneurial tools necessary to scale a company as large as Automattic, and create world-changing platforms for success.

Please enjoy our conversation with Matt Mullenweg. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

Jeff Rosenblum is an author, documentary filmmaker, and the founder of Questus, a digital marketing agency that has worked with some of the world’s most influential brands including American Express, Apple, Bloomberg, and Capital One, just to name a few.

Jeff is widely regarded as one of the leading innovators in the field of digital marketing. His latest book, Friction argues that brands don't simply need clever messages or new, shiny technologies. They need a fundamental change in strategy.

 Jeff further explored these themes as the co-writer and director of a groundbreaking documentary, The Naked Brand, which speculates about the future of the advertising industry and argues that corporations have the opportunity to use their influence to save the planet.

In this live discussion with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Jeff discusses what it takes to become a ‘passion brand’ and assess friction in every aspect of business and leadership.

Please enjoy our conversation with Jeff Rosenblum. 

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high-density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

In his final State of the Union address, President Obama asked Vice President Biden to head up the “Cancer Moonshot” to end cancer as we know it. Our next guest, Greg Simon was named the Executive Director of this Initiative, leading a team of professionals to seek out unprecedented advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Greg’s work supported the passage of the “21st Century Cures Act” on December 7, 2016, providing $1.8 billion for the Cancer Moonshot over the next seven years.

In this fascinating discussion, Greg explains the steps necessary to make a Moonshot Initiative succeed by harnessing the resources of government, academia, non-profits, and the private sector in the fight against cancer. Greg illuminates how we can all bring together diverse groups of people to create movements that solve the world’s biggest problems.

Please enjoy our conversation with Greg Simon. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

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This episode of the IVY Podcast is brought to you by Eight, maker of the Eight Smart Bed.

The Eight Smart Bed is a four layer high density foam mattress paired with a smart cover that goes on the mattress just like a fitted sheet.

This nearly invisible technology layer has multiple sensors that measure the quality of your sleep and deliver a daily sleep report each morning through the Eight app. The Eight cover also has a bed warming feature that warms each side of the bed individually to accommodate different sleeping temperatures. And Eight connects to almost any wifi enabled device in your house.

Coffee makers, blinds, smart lights, did we mention bed warming?

As a partner at the premier venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Eric Feng focuses on consumer Internet investments and incubations.

 Before joining KPCB, Eric was the founding Chief Technology Officer and head of product at Hulu.com. Under Eric’s leadership, Hulu was recognized as the Associated Press Website of the Year (2008), the PC World Best Product (2008), and the TIME Magazine Best Invention (ranked No. 4 in 2008), among other honors. Earlier in his career, Eric was Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore.

Eric was also previously CTO at Flipboard, the personal magazine application for mobile devices. At Flipboard, Eric led the global engineering team as well as strategic partnerships and company strategy, including financings and M&A.

Eric sat down with IVY’s co-founder Beri Meric, and spoke about the role of a venture capitalist outside of just a monetary investment. They also dove into what makes a great entrepreneur and what investors look for in both a company and team.

Please enjoy our conversation with Eric Feng. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

Baz Dreisinger is the Founding Academic Director of John Jay's Prison-to-College Pipeline program. The program offers college courses and reentry planning to incarcerated men at Otisville Correctional Facility, and more broadly works to increase access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Professor Dreisinger moonlights as a journalist and critic, writing about Caribbean culture, race-related issues, travel, music, and pop culture, for outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal. She has also produced on-air segments about music and global culture for NPR.

Professor Dreisinger has authored two books focused on criminal justice reform; Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World, and Near Black: White-to-Black Passing in American Culture.

In this compelling conversation with IVY’s co-founder, Beri Meric, Baz illuminates the history of mass incarceration in the United States, and draws on her experience at the forefront of the movement towards restorative justice to reveal how we can fix a broken prison system and generate new opportunities for reform.

Please enjoy our conversation with Baz Dreisinger. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.

How are the traditional titans of print journalism adapting to the brave new world of online news? At this crucial turning point in the history of media, Mike Sheehan, the former CEO of The Boston Globe & Hill Holiday, is ready to apply the lessons of the past to the challenges of the future.

Sheehan joined Boston Globe Media Partners a few months after its acquisition from the New York Times and helped the company navigate through some of the most challenging years in the history of print news. Mike's belief that world-class journalism can attract a sizable, premium audience, is validated by the Globe's digital subscription numbers -- the Globe has the most paid digital readers of any major metro daily in America, and during Mike's tenure, the Globe newsroom and editorial pages were awarded four Pulitzer Prizes.

Prior to being named CEO of the Globe, Mike worked for 20 years at Hill Holiday, where he served as Executive Creative Director, President, CEO, and Chairman. In that period, he led the agency's transition from a traditional advertising agency to a digitally focused communications firm.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Sheehan also took a lead role in creating One Fund Boston to support victims of the Marathon bombings. The fund has already raised over $81 million, which has directly benefited over 250 survivors.

At an IVY Ideas Night in Boston, Mike shared stories and insights from his days leading one of the most prolific news outlets in the nation and predicted what lies ahead for both traditional and digital publishers, and how that might impact media producers in every industry.

Please enjoy our conversation with Mike Sheehan. And remember to visit IVY.com to enjoy access to a lifetime of learning, growth, and impact through in-person collaborations with world-class leaders, thinkers, and institutions.