In this candid roundtable, Deborah, Karim, and Vassili pull back the curtain on the funding maze—where non-dilutive grants, state incentives, and slower VC check-writing collide.
Vassili argues that well-intentioned review systems get “gamed” over time, creating entitlement and weak accountability for outcomes. Karim brings data: an analysis of NIH neurosurgery grants (1993–2017) showing concentration among repeat awardees—and asks a harder question: how do we break the cycle so products, jobs, and patient impact move faster? Deborah presses on communication: if you’ve taken funding and three years pass, how should you show meaningful progress (not just “18 months to trial” forever)? Together they explore practical fixes—clearer, job-creating milestones, better cadence with funders, and even AI/ML to modernize review—plus the investor side: FOMO, cheap capital, and discipline.
🧠 Topics we explore
- Capital types: non-dilutive vs. dilutive, when each helps or hurts
- The grant game: incentives, entitlement, accountability gaps
- Geographic arbitrage: what moving hubs signals about commitment
- Progress reporting: milestones that actually matter
- Practical vs. “cool” science: why agencies should demand both
- AI/ML in review: more transparent, objective scoring
- Investor responsibility: resist FOMO, reward efficiency
- Enduring pace: why the tortoise still wins
If you’ve ever wondered why some teams raise endlessly while others ship, this episode offers a sharper lens—and a challenge to build systems that reward real progress.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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