EPISODE
Jordan Schneider, Robert Mendelsohn & Eric Olszewski, Billy Thalheimer, Aaron Cannon, Stephen Balaban
00:01:00 Jordan Schneider discusses China’s low-cost EVs, opposition to data centers, ineffective influence operations, AI-generated media, online censorship, and technology investment. The ChinaTalk founder and editor-in-chief also examines DeepSeek’s strategy and chip constraints, China’s employment climate, surveillance, flying vehicles, and corruption within the military’s Rocket Force.
00:02:00 Robert Mendelsohn, co-founder of Actinide, discusses the startup’s breakthrough production of HALEU, a specialized uranium fuel for next-generation nuclear reactors. He explains how Actinide modernized Manhattan Project-era Calutron technology and is navigating technical, regulatory, and commercialization challenges to scale isotope enrichment in the United States.
00:03:00 Billy Thalheimer discusses Regent’s $240 million Series B, growing commercial and defense orders, and plans to scale its Rhode Island seaglider factory. He explains the company’s electric and hybrid propulsion strategies, global coastal transportation opportunities, international expansion, and commitment to rigorous safety standards.
00:04:00 Aaron Cannon discusses Outset’s growth and its launch of AI-powered digital twins grounded in interviews and data from individual customers. He explains how these twins help companies simulate customer reactions, research hard-to-reach audiences, and eventually anticipate business questions and recommend actions.
00:05:00 Stephen Balaban, co-founder and CEO of AI cloud provider Lambda, discusses misinformation surrounding AI data centers and argues that accurate context can shift public opinion. He highlights their local economic benefits, efficient water use, renewable-energy potential, and strategic importance to U.S. national security and industrial growth while supporting community-level decision-making.