Drift Signal
Episodes
"It’s Easier to Be Born Global than to Become Global": An Interview with Martin Mignot
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.driftsignal.comVenture capital has always been an American game played with American...
“Apple's Dependence on China Is Hard to Overstate”: An Interview With Patrick McGee
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.driftsignal.comManufacturing has become the defining battleground of 21st-century ec...
“China and America: The Error Bounds Are Larger Than We've Seen in Decades”: An Interview with Jordan Schneider
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🇨🇳 After publishing my in-depth piece on advanced manufacturing in China, I was struck by the volume and intensity of feedback it generated. The...
Exponential w/ Azeem Azhar. French Tech. Thumbs Up/Down. Unlocked Essays.
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* The Building Bridges podcast: a conversation with Azeem Azhar on his book Exponential 🎧* My latest Sifted column about French star...
Cycling in European Cities. Readings on Urban Transportation. Thumbs Up/Down.
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Chris Bruntlett talks about cycling in cities in the latest episode of the Building Bridges podcast* A complementary reading list on ...
Everything Formula 1 w/ Toni Cowan-Brown. Thumbs Up/Down. Summer Recess.
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with Toni Cowan-Brown about everything that’s changing in F1 🎧* Thumbs up/down for last weekI’m very happy to publish ...
The Future of Work w/ Roy Bahat. VC Firms Going Public. Thumbs Up/Down. Unlocked Archives.
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Laetitia spoke with Bloomberg Beta’s Roy Bahat about everything future of work 🎧* My latest column in Sifted is about publicly ...
The State of the World w/ Nils Gilman. Thumbs Up/Down. Work-Life Balance Across Cultures.
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with Nils Gilman of the Berggruen Institute about intellectual history and the state of the world 🎧* Thumbs up/down for la...
Empathy at Work w/ Sophie Wade. Upcoming Long Read on Formula 1. Thumbs Up/Down.
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Laetitia spoke with author and speaker Sophie Wade about everything future of work 🎧* A new “Long Read” format: first up on th...
The New Palo Alto w/ Saul Klein. Grocery Delivery Startups. Thumbs Up/Down.
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with investor Saul Klein about European tech and the New Palo Alto 🎧* My latest column in Sifted is about the capital depl...
Cosmopolitanism w/ Simon Kuper. Thumbs Up/Down for Last Week.
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Laetitia spoke with author and Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper about what cosmopolitanism means these days 🎧* Thumbs up/down...
China’s Industry Policy w/ Emily de La Bruyère. Tiger Global in Europe.
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with Emily de La Bruyère about industrial policy in China—and how it’s a challenge for the West 🎧* My Sifted column t...
How Innovation Works w/ Anton Howes. Diffracted VC. Vaccines in Germany. Productivity.
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Laetitia spoke with historian Anton Howes about innovation and the Royal Society of Arts 🎧* My essay published last week about the...
Technology & Finance w/ Byrne Hobart. Universities. Yahoo. Tangible Stuff. The Media.
12 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with The Diff’s Byrne Hobart about basically everything 🎧* My latest Sifted column is about university spinouts—and Eu...
Economic Insecurity w/ Deborah Copaken. Productive Fragmentation. Multi-Asset. Talent.
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* My wife Laetitia spoke with author Deborah Copaken about healthcare in America 🎧* Fragmentation has long been a downside for Europ...
Chinese Tech w/ Lillian Li. Founder Control w/ Bill Janeway. Daniel Ek, Arsenal & the Super League.
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* I spoke with Lillian Li, writer at Chinese Characteristics, about everything Chinese tech 🎧* What if Daniel Ek buys Arsenal? My la...
Productive Disagreements w/ Ian Leslie. Restructuring. Taxation. Velocity in VC.
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* My wife Laetitia Vitaud spoke with author Ian Leslie about conflicts and disagreements 🎧* Apply to On Deck Angels, an eight-week f...
Around Europe w/ Tyler Cowen. Lobbying. Startups Across Borders. Biden’s Global Tax Reform.
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Economist and blogger Tyler Cowen on everything Europe 🎧* Founders, investors, and governments: all can contribute to upgrading re...
Reinventing Housing w/ Diana Lind. Amazon's Politics. The Gig Economy. Centralization.
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Author Diana Lind on the future of housing 🎧* Is Amazon left-wing or right-wing? Actually, it’s a bit of both* Will the gig econ...
Discussing Europe (& Rabbits 🐰) w/ Noah Smith. Deliveroo. Delaware. Defensibility. Software Digesting the World.
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Bloomberg columnist (and writer, and Twitter extraordinaire, and owner of rabbits) Noah Smith on Europe in the Entrepreneurial Age* W...
Growing Your Network w/ Kelly Hoey. Europe. Stripe. Accelerators vs. Seed Funds.
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Author Kelly Hoey on what becomes of personal networks in the digital age* Apply to On Deck Catalyst ten-week remote program* Europe...
Investing Across the World w/ Chris Schroeder. Stripe. Consulting. IPOs. Digital Government.
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Global investor Chris Schroeder about startups in the Middle East and beyond* Today’s column in Sifted: would Stripe have succeeded...
Playing Video Games w/ Rachel Kowert. Consumption. Delivery. Profitability.
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Rachel Kowert on why we should let children play video games 🎧* What becomes of consumption in the Entrepreneurial Age* Everything...
Silicon Valley & Europe w/ Toni Cowan-Brown. Capital Call. AI. International Expansion. Consumer Goods.
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Toni Cowan-Brown’s insights on overcoming cultural differences 🎧* What 32 editions of Capital Call reveal about venture capital ...
The Digital Economy w/ Bill Janeway. Reinvention. Bezos. Musk. Communications.
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Bill Janeway’s vision of the state of the world 🎧* Should investors partner with corporates in their efforts at reinventing them...
The New Welfare State w/ Hilary Cottam. Remote Work. Strategy. GameStop. Jim Simons.
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Hilary Cottam’s inspiring map for reinventing the welfare state 🎧* My latest column in Sifted: remote work as the new frontier o...
Gender Equality w/ Nina Goswami. India. Financial Loops. Rich People. War & Inflation.
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Nina Goswami on how to make progress on the diversity front* A fascinating take by Sajith Pai on the Indian startup scene* McKinsey s...
My Worldview in 10 Ideas
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Laetitia Vitaud interviewing Andrew Scott about the “new long life”* What this newsletter, European Straits, is about in 10 ideas...
The Uncertainty Mindset w/ Vaughn Tan. Automation creating jobs. Financial loops. Industries shifting. Most read essays.
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* A conversation with Vaughn Tan on his book The Uncertainty Mindset* Why automation creates more jobs than it destroys* Learning from ...
Reinventing the State w/ Mariana Mazzucato. The gig economy. Brexit. Silver Lake. Tony Hsieh and Las Vegas.
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Mariana Mazzucato on how to create value post-COVID-19* We need to turn gig work into good work* Tony Hsieh’s legacy in Las Vegas...
Around the World w/ Bruno Maçães. America’s Strength. SaaS. The New Wise Men. Democratizing Upside.
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Building Bridges with Bruno Maçães 🎧* Can America cling to its technological lead?* SaaS startups are everywhere* Who will histo...
The Billionaire Raj w/ James Crabtree. A Long Week in the USA. Jack Ma and the CCP. Protectionism Back in Style.
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* James Crabtree on India, Asia, and Singapore 🎧👆* Important books about America* Speaking of America, what will become of it?* L...
Feminist Cities w/ Leslie Kern. America. Rebooting Businesses. Construction.
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Agenda 👇* Launching a podcast with Laetitia Vitaud. This week’s guest: Leslie Kern 🎧* Software will eat construction, too—one day* Turni...