Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO, X PRIZE Foundation -TWiST #315

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On today's episode @jason chats with Peter Diamandis, founder of the XPrize Foundation and Singularity University. The two debate what are some of the world's biggest problems. Topics include illiteracy, cancer, alzheimer's, and renewable energy. Peter explains the roots of his fascination with space and breaks down the requirements for acceptance into his Singularity University.

Read the full transcript

0:25 Hey guys on the show today, it's Peter Diamandis. This is going to be the UPLIFTING episode
2:05 Go get Peter's new book Abundance
2:25 Thanks to our friend's at SourceBits. Parker Holcomb actually had his app made by Parker and he'll be talking about his app, eHighlighter
4:10 How are you transcribing the highlights?
4:30 You can check this application out in the app store under eHighlighter
4:50 So can you share all of your highlights?
5:40 Email sourcebits@thisweekin.com for more information to get your app on TWiST like Parker
6:25 How did you come to the concept of XPrize?
9:00 Who were putting up prize money for aviation?
10:00 Why did these prizes stop for a while?
11:25 What is your theory on innovation?
12:25 Can you unpack the idea, "People are afraid to fail publically?"
16:45 What was the first XPrize? How did it go?
18:05 How does XPrize define winning?
19:40 If someone gave you $100 million, what prize would you put it on?
20:40 Other than illiteracy, what else?
23:00 Is there a global conspiracy against cancer research because it would change the drug industry?
25:50 Thanks to MailChimp for sponsoring our program.
30:00 Take us through your thinking of the most important problems you could survive
32:00 Jason's pitch to end illiteracy
33:00 How would you judge the best way to end illiteracy ?
34:10 Is there value in getting 10-15 years out of people who would otherwise have alzheimers?
36:10 What is stopping some of the world's richest people to sponsoring projects that could solve some of the biggest problems in the world?
38:20 Why do people panic about things being unsolvable when we consistently survive and thrive?
41:30 What is the problem with modern news?
44:50 What is the role of government in all of this large scale problem solving?
45:45 Should we be ignoring government in all of this?
47:30 Have you thought of an XPrize, "To get rid of a dictator"
48:25 What do you think of China? Could there be a civil war there?
49:30 What is Singularity University?
52:30 So how is it different from something like YCombinator?
52:15 Are these type of people the ones who would normally go to graduate school?
55:15 What is the goal of the univeristy long term?
55:55 Have you thought about an XPrize about with gun control?
57:10 If a country was bankrupt could they break off and make 10 different companies?
57:45 What is the basis for being a new country?
58:45 What is the most dangerous XPrize that you had to turn down?
60:15 Let's talk about human trials
62:50 What is the organ generation XPrize?
63:25 How can normal folks support the XPrize?
65:00 This was a great episode, thanks to Peter Diamandis, MailChamp, SourceBits and everyone else who makes this show possible.

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Full Transcript

The full transcript is in process. Please check back.

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Jason: @jason
Peter: @peterdiamandis
MailChimp: @mailchimp
Sourcebits: @sourcebits

Special thanks to the members of the TWiST Backchannel Program!

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• Louis-Eric Simard
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• Octavian Mihai
• Will Paoletto
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