Who? As head of startup connections at Google for Startups, Amrit Dhir connects promising tech entrepreneurs to those who can help them, drawing from his extensive network and experience in new business development. He specialises in AI as well as business strategy, partnerships and operations. For challenges and opportunities beyond his immediate skill and experience set, he works with entrepreneurs to identify and refine their needs. Importantly, he measures his success not in financial terms but by the success of the startups he connects.

Topics we're interested in Startups are typically formed from a small, exclusive group, but as they grow in size the need to build a team culture is greater than ever—and something certain startups struggle with. Dhir discusses what makes a positive and productive team culture and how founders can steer their team in the right direction when it comes to fostering a supportive environment that will make their startup successful. Elsewhere, he will talk about what he learned from some of Google's most ambitious projects, including Verily's Project Baseline; X's killed cargo airships investigation; and Google Helpouts.

Quote this "We may all be tech guys, but to get ahead it’s amazing how much an actual interpersonal interaction matters. Resumes only say so much; cover letters say a lot less. Get out in front of people."

Who? If you have a kid, you either want to thank Ryan Lee or strangle him. Why? Because Lee is the co-founder of SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the beloved children’s brand Pinkfong—which children are completely obsessed with. Through Pinkfong, the company has produced more than 4,000 songs and stories such as Baby Shark, which created a viral phenomenon around the world. The company’s Pinkfong app series is the highest grossing educational content on mobile in 112 countries, with 200 million downloads worldwide.

Topics The global phenomenon that is the Baby Shark song has changed the foundation of children's entertainment. In one speech, Lee discusses what the song’s success means for viral kid's content. Elsewhere, Korea-born Lee opens up on the K-Pop global phenomenon, what it means for government-sponsored entertainment and why K-Pop will conquer the global market. 

Quote this “Mobile devices aren’t just babysitters. Parents need to have a keen interest in what content their children watch rather than just giving them a screen. A good way of forming a healthy relationship with technology starts with making small promises and communicating with your children.”

Who Kaidi Ruusalepp, founder of Funderbeam and former chief executive of the Tallinn Stock Exchange, was just 20 years old when she was recruited by the Estonian government to write the country’s digital signatures regulation. The experience gave her a love of innovation—as evidenced by the fact that a few years ago, Ruusalepp had an idea to build a game to teach young people how to use the stock market. Initially for teenagers to trade with assets they would find exciting, like startups, Ruusalepp soon realised that she was building more than a game. Today, Funderbeam is a platform for investors to fund and trade startups—or high-growth private companies—with enough liquidity, or activity from buyers and sellers, so that traders could get in and out of the market when they want. 

Topics we're interested in Discussion around blockchain and its uses are ongoing. However, when it comes to real life, there is very little evidence that the technology is being used as it was initially envisioned. What are the challenges it faces? And why is its development being prohibited?

Quote this "The blockchain solves one thing in the industry and that is trust. Stock markets originated in coffee shops, where traders met in person. In the centuries since, intermediaries such as brokers and exchanges have been introduced to provide security, standing between the seller and the buyer of the shares. Blockchain connects the buyer and the seller again, just digitally."

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