E93: Exploring Venture Capital & Surveillance Capitalism w/ Rob Lalka

Rob Lalka, Tulane professor and author of The Venture Alchemist, explores how big tech used venture capital and surveillance to convert profits into political and societal power.Guest Bio: Rob Lalka is a Professor of Practice at Tulane University, where he leads the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. A former senior advisor at the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and staffer at the U.S. Department of State, Lalka is the author of The Venture Alchemist: How Big Tech Turned Profits Into Power.Topics Discussed:The roots of big tech’s power in government partnerships and VC incentivesThe evolution of surveillance capitalism post-9/11 and the Patriot ActVenture capital’s hidden influence on founders and startupsUber, Palantir, Facebook, and Google as case studies in privatized powerThe blurring lines between government and Silicon ValleyThe role of Saudi wealth, Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel in shaping tech empiresAlternatives to the VC model and stories of ethical entrepreneurshipThe political ascent of J.D. Vance and the networked power of tech elites 📺Watch Full Episode YouTube https://youtu.be/1rbqtg0kKxI 🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us. Thanks for listening!