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October 17, 2025 • 37 mins
In this episode of The Business Method Podcast, host Chris Reynolds sits down with legendary venture capitalist Tim Draper — the man behind early investments in Tesla, SpaceX, Hotmail, Skype, and Bitcoin. Tim shares how his bold approach to risk, belief in innovation, and commitment to empowering people have shaped a new generation of entrepreneurs. From building Draper University to backing technologies once deemed “impossible,” Draper reveals the mindset and vision that helped him redefine venture capital. He also opens up about the importance of embracing failure, encouraging freedom through technology, and creating environments that nurture innovation, lessons that have influenced founders and investors across the world. Episode Highlights:   00:00 Introduction to Tim Draper 00:35 Tim Draper's Early Investments 01:07 Meet the Drapers and Draper America Tour 02:46 Global Innovation Hotspots 04:56 Creating Entrepreneurial Cities 06:29 Challenges of Building a New Country 12:04 Evaluating Investment Opportunities 18:26 The Draper Legacy in Venture Capital 20:37 The Importance of Personal Connections in Deals 21:02 Lessons Passed Down Through Generations 21:50 Embracing Failure and Taking Risks 22:53 Thoughts on Abolishing the SEC 23:40 The Impact of Overregulation on Innovation 27:46 Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Investments 31:32 Reflections on Picking Winners 33:52 Favorite Books and Influences 36:01 Final Thoughts and Farewell    Connect with Tim Draper Website: https://www.draper.vc/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timdraper/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothydraper/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/timdraper Draper University: https://www.draperuniversity.com/  Subscribe to The Business Method Podcast  Website: thebusinessmethod.com  Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/TheBusinessMethod  Google Podcasts: bit.ly/TheBusinessMethodGooglePodcasts  Spotify: bit.ly/SpotifyTheBusinessMethod    Follow Chris Reynolds: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn — @chrisreynoldslive  https://linktr.ee/ChrisReynoldsLive
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