Podcast
"Can't Be Done"
Hosted by Adam Draper · EN
Join Boost VC’s Founder & Managing Director Adam Draper, to learn about emerging technology from leading figures in the industry. Each episode we interview founders and investors to explore topics like startup strategy and venture capital, as well as incredible technology like bitcoin, virtual reality, AI, exoskeletons, drones, space and more.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Max Haot - Mission for Infinite Humanity
Jun 1700:43:57Tap to summarizeJoin Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with Max Haot, CEO of Vast. Max shares his wild ride from Livestream founder to launching a space startup acquired by Vast. They explore his vision for humanity in space, from private stations to cosmic bathrooms. Expect deep insights, big dreams, and a lot of laughs in this inspiring, future-focused episode on tech, space, and what it all means for us.Max is an aerospace, consumer electronics, and internet entrepreneur. Founded, scaled, and successfully sold four companies including Launcher (acquired by Vast), Mevo (acquired by Logitech), and Livestream (acquired by IAC/Vimeo).Connect with Max HaotCompany website https://www.vastspace.com/Vast Space on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/vastspace/Vast Space on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vastspacestation/Vast Space on X https://x.com/vastMax on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaot/Max on X https://x.com/maxhaot Connect with Boost VCBoost VC https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=trueBoost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en
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James Sinka - We Can Save Ourselves
Apr 3, 202500:44:00Tap to summarizeJoin Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with James Sinka, Chief Scientific Officer at BIO Protocol. They dive into sci-fi novels, leadership, and the challenges Sinka faced on his journey. Beyond personal insights, they explore DeSci, the crucial role of scientists, and how researchers can secure financial rewards alongside recognition for groundbreaking work. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation on science, motivation, and innovation!Science Lead @ Bio.xyz - YCW19 Alum, repeat founder, and chemist. Connect with James SinkaBio Protocol https://www.bio.xyz/Bio Protocol on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bioprotocol/Bio Protocol on X https://x.com/bioprotocolJames on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessinka/James on X https://x.com/jamessinka Connect with Boost VCBoost VC https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=trueBoost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en
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Andrew Bakst - "Cure hair loss, obviously"
Mar 25, 202500:41:37Tap to summarizeAdam Draper, Founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, sits down with Andrew Bakst, Co-Founder of HairDAO, to explore how decentralized research is transforming hair loss treatments. They discuss HairDAO’s mission as an open-source R&D network, the role of crypto in reshaping technology, and why DAOs are redefining scientific funding. Plus, they dive into changing perceptions of hair loss and the flaws in traditional testing models."The answer to life is in your hair follicles.” - Douglas AdamsCo-founder/Chief Technocrat of HairDAO; MechE turned BioE; Stanford 2018. Connect with Andrew BakstHairDAO https://www.hairdao.xyz/HairDAO on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/hairdao/HairDAO on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hairdao/HairDAO on X https://x.com/HairDAO_?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorHairDAO on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hairdao?lang=enAndrew on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-bakst-78b21b100/Andrew on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/apballer4/?hl=enAndrew on X https://x.com/andrew_bakstAndrew on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewbakst242?lang=en Connect with Boost VCBoost VC https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=trueBoost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en
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Patrick Joyce - "Nullius in verba"
Mar 18, 202500:42:37Tap to summarizeJoin Adam Draper, Founder of Boost VC and host of the "Can’t Be Done" Podcast, as he chats with Patrick Joyce, Co-Founder of ResearchHub. They dive into the challenges of modern science, the DeSci movement, and how ResearchHub is transforming funding for researchers. Joyce shares insights on “shorting academia” and reimagining the scientific process. This conversation is a must-watch for anyone passionate about the future of research and innovation.Patrick is a former PhD and medical student who dropped out of two separate academic institutions because of the broken incentives that govern the global economy for scientific research. He cofounded ResearchHub to accelerate science by building a modern venue for the decentralized publication of scholarly literature that leverages cryptocurrency rewards to align incentives and increase knowledge creation. Connect with Patrick JoyceResearch Hub https://www.researchhub.com/Research Hub on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/researchhubtechnologies/Research Hub on X https://x.com/ResearchHubPatrick on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-joyce-396b953b/Patrick on X https://x.com/joycesticks Connect with Boost VCBoost VC https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/boost-vc/?viewAsMember=trueBoost VC on X https://x.com/BoostVC?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/?hl=en
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Jordan Kutzer - Overcoming Rejection, Visceral Virtual Connections, and VR as a Car for the Internet
Dec 10, 202400:48:30Tap to summarizeJoin Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Jordan Kutzer, founder of Throwback Studios, about how Jordan correlates the competitive nature of starting a company to baseball, especially regarding his mission to become the biggest VR brand and media company in the world. During this high velocity discussion, Jordan details the overcoming of multiple rejections, "coaching" customers, building visceral relationships in VR, and his inherent instinct to win. Tune in for key insights into the world of VR!Jordan holds a Stanford University B.A. in Science, Technology & Society with a concentration in Information Technology, Media and Society (2015). Former Stanford Student-Athlete and Pitcher. Working to empower the next generation of game creators. Connect with Jordan KutzerThrowback Studios https://throwback.studio/Throwback Studios on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/throwbackvr/Throwback Studios on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/throwback.vr/Throwback Studios on X https://x.com/throwbackvrThrowback Studios on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@throwbackvr Jordan on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordankutzer/Jordan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jordankutzer/?hl=enJordan on X https://x.com/jordankutzer Jordan on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@jordankutzer Connect with Boost VCBoost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc
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Sampriti Bhattacharyya - An Awakening, Flying Boats, and Maritime Dynamism
Dec 3, 202400:49:09Tap to summarizeJoin Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Sampriti Bhattacharyya, founder of Navier. She shares her journey from a small city in India to building a next-gen maritime company in the U.S. From sun-tracking solar panels to dodging marriage and surviving a landslide, Sampriti’s story is one of overcoming challenges. She highlights the value of exceptional people, persistence through failures, and her mission to transform the future of waterways. Tune in for an inspiring episode!Sampriti is a 3x founder and the CEO of Navier, a pioneering company at the forefront of innovation in sustainable, maritime transportation. Sampriti's journey began with a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) after completing projects with NASA. Her academic pursuits span diverse fields including Electrical Engineering, High Energy Physics, Aerospace Engineering, MechE/Robotics/Control & AI. Driven by a passion for tackling fundamental technological challenges with global implications, Sampriti thrives on creating products that push the boundaries of exploration and discovery. Her work reflects a deep-seated commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to address pressing societal needs and unlock new frontiers of possibility.Connect with Sampriti BhattacharyyaNavier https://www.navierboat.com/Navier on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/navierboat/Navier on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/navierboat/?hl=enNavier on X https://x.com/navierboatSampriti on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampriti-bhattacharyya-40368a3/Sampriti on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sampriti_bh/?hl=enSampriti on X https://x.com/sampritibh?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Connect with Boost VCBoost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc
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AJ Forsythe - from 2000lb Crystals, to Cracked iPhones, to Chickens on Mars
Nov 26, 202400:49:08Tap to summarizeJoin Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with AJ Forsythe, founder of Coop, about his not-so-illustrious journey as a founder, and the rewarding yet challenging components of building companies. Discover how AJ’s journey evolved from his first steps building iCracked to his ambitious mission of putting chickens on Mars. Adam and AJ reflect on the nature of entrepreneurship and the importance of seizing life's fleeting moments. Tune in for another fun episode filled with shark diving, fossils, and more! AJ is going to put chickens on mars. He’s a serial entrepreneur and absolutely loves the startup life (mainly because he’s probably unemployable 😂). In college he founded YC-backed iCracked which was a multinational on-demand phone repair and insurance company that grew to 6 countries and a few thousand technicians. They were acquired by Allstate in 2019 and now he’s running Boost VC backed company, Coop, which builds AI powered chicken coops for anyone’s backyard. AJ has been recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list , was #23 on INC 5000, and continues to innovate at the intersection of agriculture and tech – and wakes up with a smile everyday because he’s building his dream company. Connect with AJ ForsytheCoop https://smart.coop.farm/Coop on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/coop-inc/Coop on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesmartcoop/Coop on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thesmartcoopCoop on X https://x.com/thesmartcoopAJ on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajforsythe/AJ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aj__forsythe/AJ on X https://x.com/spudzeee Connect with Boost VCBoost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc
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Collin West - Rowing across the Arctic, Near Death Experiences, and Venture Capital
Nov 12, 202400:46:39Tap to summarizeJoin Boost VC’s Adam Draper as he chats with Collin West, founder of Ensemble VC, about his incredible journey rowing across the Arctic Ocean and how it changed his approach to decision-making and team management. Learn how this experience influences Ensemble’s data-driven approach to assessing startups. Adam and Collin dive into the evolution of venture capital and reflect on their near-death experiences. Tune in for laughs, insights, and a fresh perspective on adventure and opportunity in VC! Collin is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ensemble VC, which focuses on using data to identify top teams building companies that can impact a billion people. Collin is also a Guinness World Record holder for leading the first-ever crossing of the Arctic Ocean. His team of four rowed non-stop and unsupported for 41 days through the biggest storm season in Arctic history - this is where he learned just how important a great team is pursuing a mission that's never been done before. Collin's prior investments include Zoom Video (NASDAQ: ZM), Carta, Groww, ICON, Saronic, Sidecar Health, and many others. Previously, Collin was a founder of the Kauffman Fellows VC fund and on the founding fund team at the pioneering data-driven VC firm Correlation Ventures. An avid competitor, Collin spends his free time training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mountain biking, and climbing mountains.Connect with Collin WestEnsemble VC https://www.ensemble.vc/home/#ensemble Ensemble VC on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/ensemblevc/Collin on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/collinwest/Collin on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/collinrwest/?hl=en Connect with Boost VCBoost VC LinkTree https://linktr.ee/boostvc
Transcribe →Bringing Scientific Expertise to the VC Market—with Arkady Kulik of RPV
Sep 12, 202300:42:02Tap to summarizeAccording to a BCG report, only 19% of VCs have some kind of scientific or technological competence. And that creates a translation problem between deep tech founders and investors. To close that gap, Arkady Kulik and his cofounder, Tamaz Khunjua, built RPV, a venture fund that brings scientific expertise to the market and helps scientists become strong entrepreneurs. On this episode of The Boost VC Podcast, Arkady joins us to explain how the RPV team’s extensive background in science and entrepreneurship serves deep tech startups. Arkady describes how starting a venture fund differs from founding other companies and shares his excitement around ‘being at the edge of science’ as a frontier tech VC. Listen in for Arkady’s unique take on what it means to be useful to others and learn how RPV is working to make talented scientists billionaires! Topics Covered The idea behind RPVHelp scientists become strong entrepreneurs‘Commercialization of science’ How Arkady got into venture capitalMoved to US to be part of scientific exploration of humanityLack of funding in prototyping stage of deep tech startups Arkady’s biggest accomplishment before age 20Launched first company at 18 without external investmentScaled to annual revenue of $5M in third year How starting a venture fund differs from starting other companiesMore competitive, thousands of similar funds raising moneyHarer to differentiate and properly tell story of niche What part of being a VC Arkady enjoys the mostBeing at edge of science and meeting interesting peopleFinding processes that make things work The secret skills Arkady is most proud ofDeveloped extreme level of disciplineExtremely organized in managing time and data How Arkady thinks about being useful to othersProvide with relevant information or connectionsPut smile on someone’s face, make life better The most valuable thing RPV provides for deep tech startupsExternal proof point for science and technologyEntrepreneurial experience and change management Arkady’s ‘deathbed test’ to measure successNothing ‘could have but didn’t achieve’Self-actualization (happy, complex person) Connect with Arkady Kulik RPV https://rpv.global/RPV on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/rpvglobal/Arkady on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arkady-kulik/Arkady on X https://twitter.com/arkadykulik Resources Starburst Aerospace https://starburst.aero/Cantos VC https://cantos.vc/Countdown https://countdown.capital/Fifty Years https://fiftyyears.com/Productivity Planner https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/productivity-plannerTerraforming Mars https://www.fryxgames.se/games/terraforming-mars/Breakfast with Pops: A Venture Capital Handbook by Adam Draper and William H. Draper III https://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Pops-Venture-Capital-Handbook/dp/B0C1JHXTQF Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/Boost VC on X https://twitter.com/BoostVCBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/
Transcribe →DeepTech Series Ep # 4: Betting on Mission-Driven Deep Tech—with Maryanna Saenko of Future Ventures
Jun 12, 202300:50:27Tap to summarizeIf a VC is excited about a deep tech company upfront, what can we do to temper our enthusiasm and make a rational decision on whether to invest? Maryanna Saenko is Cofounder and Partner at Future Ventures, an early-stage VC firm that focuses on mission-driven companies at the cutting edge of disruptive technology. Future Ventures looks to back visionaries who push the boundaries of possibility. Some of their recent investments include Beeflow, Deep Genomics and Earthshot Labs. On this episode of Boost VC, Maryanna joins us to share her definition of deep tech, describing how Future Ventures looks for opportunities ‘unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.’ Maryanna offers her take on why the two-person structure of a venture firm is ideal and discusses some of the deep tech deals she wishes she’d been closer to. Listen in for Maryanna’s insight on building organizations around big shifts in science or technology and learn her process for dialing down the excitement after a pitch to decide whether her YES will hold. Topics Covered Maryanna’s biggest accomplishments before age 20Recognized she wouldn’t survive public high schoolGot into Hopkins prep school on scholarship How Maryanna got into venture capitalWorked for early-stage company out of collegeJob offer from Daimler to figure out driverless carsIntroduced to head of innovation lab at Airbus The most important lessons Maryanna has learned as a VCTrust your intuitionDon’t waste time justifying a startup’s relevance How Maryanna defines deep tech‘Unlike anything we’ve ever seen before’Index on novelty at Future Ventures What Maryanna does when she’s all-in on a company right awayAsks what she must believe about reality for YES to holdDiscussion with partner to temper her excitement Why Maryanna prefers the two-person structure in ventureIdeal for its efficiency and intellectual honestyNever puts someone in tie-breaker position Maryanna’s superpowers as a venture investorConfident in ability to assess tech on first principlesKnow how to build orgs around shifts in science or tech What deals Maryanna wishes she had been closer toStructure of open AIDeep seabed mining, recycling battery technology Maryanna’s definition of successFeel landscape of possibility was totally exhausted‘Everything I could give to this, I did’ Connect with Maryanna Saenko Future Ventures https://future.ventures/ Future on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FutureVenturesVCFuture on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/future.ventures/Future on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureventures/Maryanna on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryannasaenko/Maryanna on Twitter https://twitter.com/FutureSaenko Resources Lux Research https://www.luxresearchinc.com/DARPA Grand Challenge https://www.darpa.mil/about-us/timeline/-grand-challenge-for-autonomous-vehiclesAirbus BizLab https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/innovation-ecosystem/airbus-bizlabBeeflow https://www.beeflow.com/Decoding the World by Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-World-Questioner-Po-Bronson/dp/1538734311Redwood Materials https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin https://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-audiobook/dp/B000OZ0J0W/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVCBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/
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