Giant Ideas

Hosted by Giant Ventures

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Giant Ideas invites leading minds from tech, business, politics and beyond to explore the giant ideas that use technology as a force for good. Giant Ventures, founded by Cameron McLain and Tommy Stadlen, backs purpose-driven founders solving the world’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.

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August 6, 2026Episode 2833 min

"Run Towards Growth" Career Advice From ex-YC COO and Applied Intuition CEO Qasar Younis

Today, we're back for our FINAL episode before a 3 week summer break! We're back the first week of September. Today we're joined by Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition and former COO of Y Combinator , to talk about his life lessons & career advice. He speaks about: The rule he got from a Harvard professor: a mediocre person in a high-growth industry beats the best person in a mediocre one The most useful advice of his career Optimising for the people you'll learn from over title and pay (at any cost) The four life-burners problem, and which one he switched off Working seven days a week since he was 14, and what his routine is on the weekend Why you can't become Nirvana by copying Kurt Cobain The three eras of Y Combinator, and why the old YC wouldn't work today "We Make Mistakes" — the only post he wrote as COO, and why it matters Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

July 30, 2026Episode 2739 min

Applied Intuition CEO, Qasar Younis: Why He Raised ~$1B but Never Spent a Dollar

Today, we're joined by Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, a physical AI company valued at $15 billion that builds the models and simulation tools behind autonomous vehicles, defence systems, and industrial machines (before this, he was COO of Y Combinator). Tommy Stadlen talks to Qasar about why he thinks physical AI will define the next 25 years, and why Applied's ability to run the same models across cars, drones, and construction equipment is its biggest edge. They also get into how he thinks about fundraising and cap tables, and why he says not all money is equally useful. He speaks about: Why Applied Intuition has never spent a dollar of the ~$1 billion raised Corporate VCs, multi-stage funds, and why the partner matters more than the firm name Why 85% of the global economy is physical (and why that's the real AI opportunity) Neural simulation, and how Applied trains one model to work in a car, a drone, and a tank Why timing is the hardest thing for founders to get right Why he's not worried about self-driving safety The billion-machine vision (and why he still drives a 1987 manual Land Cruiser) Enjoy! Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions. Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

July 23, 2026Episode 2617 min

"I Think of It More as Seduction": CNN Host Fareed Zakaria, on the Art of the Interview

Today, we're back with Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, to talk about his lessons about how to do a great interview. Fareed Zakaria has interviewed people from presidents, dictators, and the Dalai Lama over three decades, live on air. Tommy Stadlen and Cameron McLain talk to Zakaria about the craft behind those conversations: why he treats an interview as seduction rather than confrontation, why Lee Kuan Yew is the most impressive guest he's ever had, and why the Dalai Lama was a tough interview. He speaks about: Why he avoids confrontation and treats interviews as seduction instead The Omar Bartov interview, and why he thinks a soft question made the conversation deeper than an accusation would have Why he rarely books politicians in power anymore (and regrets it most times he has) Lee Kuan Yew turning a "polyglot population" into a nation with no race riots Why the Dalai Lama was his hardest interview What AI leaves for humans once it becomes the better "analytic machine" Why he doubts there will be another CNN Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

July 16, 2026Episode 2524 min

CNN Host, Fareed Zakaria: Is the Post-War World Order Collapsing?

Today, we're joined by Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN's flagship foreign affairs show and author of The Post-American World. Cameron McLain and Tommy Stadlen talk to Fareed about what the world could look like in 2040: why he believes the American-led order built in 1945 is dissolving, why he argues liberal democracy's issues are cultural rather than economic, and why he still thinks a coalition of the US, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore and India could keep a rules-based order alive. Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

July 9, 2026Episode 2416 min

"We Hire For Default Optimism": Deel Co-founder & CEO, Alex Bouaziz on Arsenal, His Father, and Video Games

Today, we're back with Alex Bouaziz, co-founder and CEO of Deel, to talk about his life lessons. Alex Bouaziz is the co-founder and CEO of Deel, the global payroll and HR platform he's grown from zero to a $17 billion business in just a few years. Tommy Stadlen talks to Alex about the mindset behind building Deel, from why he calls himself a "wartime CEO" to how a chance encounter on Reddit led to his first hire. Alex opens up about running the business alongside his father, why he thinks his generation's gaming habits made remote-first culture feel normal rather than crazy, and the moment of seeing Deel's logo on Arsenal shirts around London. Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

July 2, 2026Episode 2335 min

Deel Speed: From $1M to $100M in Less Than 2 Years - Deel Co-founder, Alex Bouaziz

Today, we're joined by Alex Bouaziz, co-founder and CEO of Deel, the global HR and payroll platform now serving companies across 150+ countries with more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Tommy Stadlen talks to Alex about how Deel became the fastest startup to reach $100M in recurring revenue: and why that record came down to one thing: following customers. Alex explains why Deel launched with contractors when everyone else went after employees, how they carried the intensity of Y Combinator all the way to a billion-dollar business, and why their M&A strategy (13 acquisitions in six years) has been one of their most underrated growth levers. He speaks about: The YC "time chamber" mindset they still run the company on Why speed of execution matters - and why comfort in any department is a warning sign Why hiring A players is less about finding them, and more about NOT lowering the bar when you're desperate to hire What most people miss about the Deel M&A strategy (and how they keep founders motivated years after acquisition) The case for brand marketing at the enterprise stage, and what Arsenal taught him about community Why being a remote company selling to remote companies is an unfair advantage And lots more! Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

June 25, 2026Episode 2242 min

Cityblock Co-Founder, Toyin Ajayi: What Happens When You Treat Healthcare as a Right, Not a Transaction?

Today, we're joined by Toyin Ajayi, co-founder and CEO of Cityblock Health and a former doctor who trained in the NHS before taking on the US healthcare. Toyin built Cityblock to serve people on Medicaid. The company is now around $1.5bn in annual revenue, with 150,000 members across 11 states. Tommy Stadlen talks to her about her giant idea, value-based care: why she thinks paying doctors for procedures instead of real outcomes is the root of America's healthcare crisis, why the patients who need care most are the least likely to walk into a clinic, and why she believes AI poured onto the wrong business model will do real damage. She speaks about: Why "value-based care" is the worst brand for one of the biggest ideas in healthcare The first Cityblock patient, an elderly, partially blind man living in a Brooklyn basement Why fee-for-service ends up paying more for the amputation than for keeping someone safe at home The ~140 million Americans on Medicaid and Medicare, and the market everyone missed How AI is pushing the marginal cost of a patient interaction close to zero Why most healthcare AI dollars are making the system more expensive, not better Growing up in Nairobi during the AIDS epidemic, and the UN moment that outraged her and still drives her NHS vs US healthcare - and the one-line answer to which she'd choose... Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

June 18, 2026Episode 2122 min

iPod & iPhone Inventor, Tony Fadell: Why Saying No Was Steve Jobs' Biggest Skill

Today, we're joined by Tony Fadell, the inventor of the iPod and co-inventor of the iPhone. Tony is the founder of Nest (the smart thermostat acquired by Google) and the New York Times best-selling author of Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making . In this second episode, Tommy Stadlen talks to Tony about his years working alongside Steve Jobs and what he's learned about building a career, why he thinks saying "no" is the most underrated skill in product, and why giving credit away is the thing most leaders get wrong. He speaks about: what Steve Jobs was truly great at, and the one thing he was bad at the two types of assholes, and how to tell ego from mission why giving credit to your team is the most joyful part of leading hustling his way into General Magic with seven months of letters and cold calls chasing heroes instead of brands early in your career why the best mentors (like Bill Campbell) know people, not tech the General Magic crash at 25 that taught him to stay grounded Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

June 11, 2026Episode 2037 min

"We Had to Kill the Ipod To Save Apple" - iPod & iPhone Inventor, Tony Fadell

Today, we're joined by Tony Fadell , inventor of the iPod, co-inventor of the iPhone, and founder of Nest, acquired by Google. He's also the New York Times bestselling author of Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making , and has invested in over 100 companies working across AI, surgery, textiles, and drug discovery. Tommy Stadlen talks to Tony about why Apple was so close to collapse when it bet on the iPod, why no single AI device will replace the smartphone, and the two-year internal standoff with Steve Jobs that a Wall Street Journal reviewer ended without knowing... He also speaks about: Why Apple had less than 1% market share and $500M in debt when they gambled on the iPod "Stay beginner": why great product teams design as if they've never seen the product before "Virus of doubt": the Nest approach to making people notice what they'd stopped seeing Why the iPhone was really three devices you already owned, merged into one General Magic: building the iPhone concept 15 years too early (and what that tells you about timing) Why companies (and people) only change when they're close to dying Why no single AI device will replace your phone... Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.

June 4, 2026Episode 1943 min

Twilio & Inertia Co-founder, Jeff Lawson: Is Nuclear Fusion The Holy Grail of Energy?

Today, we're joined by Jeff Lawson - co-founder of Twilio and now founder of Inertia, a fusion energy company commercialising the Lawrence Livermore fusion breakthrough (the first experiment to produce more energy from fusion than it consumed.) Cameron McLain talks to Jeff about why he thinks the barriers to fusion are manufacturing problems, not physics problems, what a 10-15 year timeline to grid energy actually looks like, and why he thinks SaaS is heading for a structural reckoning. He speaks about: Why the Lawrence Livermore breakthrough proved the physics works. Why the two commercial barriers are cost problems, not technical problems. For almost 100 years, fusion was '3 decades away' because nobody knew if it could work. But now it can work, the question is commercialisation. Why fusion and solar will win together. In 50 years, Jeff expects the grid to run on two sources: solar-plus-battery and fusion. How to make Agile work in hardware (and why the Gantt chart is a lie!) Why SaaS has an innovator's dilemma in the AI age. Why infrastructure companies win when the world is building. Why storytelling runs through everything: fundraising, hiring, selling. Building a purpose driven company? Read more about Giant Ventures at www.Giant.vc . Music credits: Bubble King written and produced by Cameron McLain and Stevan Cablayan aka Vector_XING . Please note: The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered financial, legal, or investment advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.