In part 2 of this episode with veteran founders and investors Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein, we get into the data of building human-centered cultures. In part one, we heard how Mitch and Freada went all-in on investing their values, committing 100% of new investments in “gap-closing” companies that aim to improve society, even as they aim for scale and liquidity as well. Now, Mitch and Freada can share how that’s played out in practice, with both positive examples … and some negative ones as well. (Yes, they were early investors in Uber!)

Rapid Response with Bob Safian: Should you begin incorporating AI now or wait to see how it shakes-out for early adopters? AI pioneer Rana el Kaliouby urges business leaders to embrace their exploration mindset in order to accelerate faster. El Kaliouby takes us inside her own AI shop, Smart Eye, where she serves as deputy CEO, to share their process for adapting to the latest technology. An expert on emotional AI and its ethical boundaries, El Kaliouby argues that to succeed in the AI era, we need to focus on what makes us human. She offers key lessons about AI’s role on your core product and functions as well as the risks of overreaching.

Can you build with conscience and still succeed? Mitch Kapor & Dr. Freada Kapor Klein certainly think so. As tech industry veteran founders and investors, Mitch and Freada have long embraced non-traditional metrics that put humans at the center. Mitch co-founded Lotus, the 1980s software giant, and hired Freada to help make the company “the most progressive employer in the U.S.” And years later, their early-stage VC firm, Kapor Capital, aligns their portfolio with their values, investing in companies that close gaps in access and opportunity. Human-centered metrics don’t just improve cultures — they improve the bottom line.

How do you balance saving capital versus taking advantage of current opportunities? How do investors and founders evaluate risk differently? And how do you embrace disruptive new technology without sending the message that you’re replacing humans with robots? Reid Hoffman and Bob Safian answer these questions and more, all posed in a special live Strategy Session by entrepreneurs across many industries and stages of scale. Plus Reid shares how playing games can revolutionize the way you strategize as a leader.

With guest host Angela Ahrendts (Burberry, Apple). To innovate, you need to build an instinct to smash through barriers — especially the ones that terrify you. Music industry legend Jimmy Iovine has done this throughout his career working with legendary artists like John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and Dr. Dre, working in innovative tech like Beats Electronics and Apple Music, as well as in his groundbreaking work educating the next generation of creatives.

In the final installment of this two part series, we learn how fear is the tailwind that Jimmy has harnessed to break down barriers and drive creative breakthroughs.

With guest host Angela Ahrendts (Burberry, Apple). To innovate, you need to build an instinct to smash through barriers — especially the ones that terrify you. Music industry legend Jimmy Iovine has done this throughout his career working with legendary artists like John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and Dr. Dre, working in innovative tech like Beats Electronics and Apple Music, as well as in his groundbreaking work educating the next generation of creatives.

In part one of this two-part episode, we learn how fear is the tailwind that Jimmy has harnessed to break down barriers and drive creative breakthroughs.

To change the status quo, we need to lean into whatever advantages we have. Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud of Saudi Arabia has privileges that many do not: She is a member of the royal family and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States. But she is also a woman in a traditional culture who has encountered many obstacles — as an entrepreneur, a CEO, and in government. Princess Reema has deftly maneuvered to help expand women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, in ways few predicted. Recorded live at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Princess Reema talks with host Bob Safian about how anyone can use their advantages to push the boundary of what’s possible.

Being authentic defines strong leadership. Bozoma Saint John has continually challenged expectations, moving purposefully across multiple roles, from Uber’s chief brand officer to Netflix’s CMO, from Pepsico to Apple, from working for celebrated director Spike Lee to working for iconic Hollywood talent agent Ari Emmanuel. The wall between the personal and professional is artificial, Boz argues, and a barrier to leading what she calls The Urgent Life in a new book. The best leaders tap into their emotions and listen to their instincts, she says, which helps to drive a team and a business forward.

How do you stay focused and committed to putting out a fire while new fires ignite elsewhere? Mercy Corps CEO, Tjada D’Oyen McKenna returns to Rapid Response to discuss the expansive relief effort in Turkey and Syria since the earthquake, leading a grieving team, and how the org’s support strategy in Ukraine must pivot as the country enters its second year of war. Tjada also shares insights about the greater role businesses can play in societal improvement, and why altruism doesn’t mean sacrificing scale.

Hard challenges demand that we embrace tension. Former CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty argues that, right now, business has a responsibility to deploy what her new book calls Good Power — from putting skills first in hiring, as a way to close systemic opportunity gaps, to thoughtfully erecting guardrails around new technology. As an early pioneer in the AI space with IBM’s Watson, Ginni acknowledges the risk that disruptive technology can have on society. She offers her insider perspective on balancing what she calls “the teeter-totter” of marketplace demands with positive long-term impact.

Reid Hoffman and Bob Safian answer questions posed live by entrepreneurs across many industries and stages of scale. Plus Reid reminds us the importance of staying grounded in our humanity amid the spate of big tech layoffs in our Need to Know segment.

The carbon-capture industry notched a breakthrough in early 2023, when Climeworks became the first company to be third-party certified for taking carbon out of the air and mineralizing it underground. Climeworks co-founder and co-CEO Christoph Gebald is now racing to scale this new potential, from Iceland to Oman to the United States, by convincing investors, corporate partners, and governments to support a new pillar in the quest for net-zero goals. Christoph points to both serendipity and learning from mistakes as key in helping Climeworks navigate the steep path required in addressing climate-crisis.