297 Thinktank Your Startup Economist Badri Gopalakrishnan From Infinite Sum Modeling

An interesting wide-ranging interview with Economist Badri Gopalakrishnan from Infinite Sum Modeling

• Technological progress tends to be retarded by policy 
• Does technology or policy drive innovation?
• How policy can negatively affect innovation
• Technology is powerful but is only part of the picture
• Policy always lags technological progress - but it doesn't need to be so
• Startups don't have to fight policy
• They should work with policymakers and competitors
• Would Uber's path have been smoother if they worked with the taxi unions?
• Economic models drive most pricing everywhere
• Blockchain and Farming  - gap on how to apply technologies
• Emotions typically overtake reality when it comes to technological progress
• Permissionless innovation is still valid, but it can be done better
• Disruptive technologies never come from policy, but it can drive policy if it grabs share fast enough
•  Constant battles between disruptive innovation and policy - can these work together?
• Startups should also be a thinktank - to deeply understand the implications of a startups business prior to creating an adversarial relationship with existing players in the space
• AI startups could provide mitigation plans for possible future job loss
• How to move to a collaborative environment from an adversarial environment
• Global trade and China - differentiate the people from the state - the regime is challenging and authoritarian
• China: IP issues and supply chain issues - startups without resources should probably stay away
• Free trade may drop into blocks - 3D printers will likely eliminate the requirement to manufacture in other countries
• 3D printing and robotics manufacturing will change the shape of trade worldwide
• If there is no skill upgrading, then we may need to implement UBI
• What do you do with the "unemployables" - outside of the high tech folks, we still need personal service folks
• UBI is definitely coming - its happening in many places already - India has already experimented with UBI
• Countries will likely become more protectionist - more free trade BUT more reciprocity