Stanford Entrepreneurship Videos

Venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson asks Elon Musk to think back to his teenage years and his vision of the future at the time. Musk discusses how the Internet exceeded anyone's expectations, while adding that humans have failed to realize the dream of space exploration as depicted in science fiction. Their conversation kicked off STVP Future Fest on Oct. 7, 2015.

Panelists Christina Smolke, Steve Jurvetson, and Astro Teller discuss the importance for individuals and teams to blend process learning, domain expertise, and life experience to create desired impact in the world, in conversation with Stanford Engineering Dean Persis Drell.

Starting from a lofty vision of the first Mars colony, Elon Musk and Steve Jurvetson – both heavily invested in the future of space exploration – discuss issues of democratic governance on the red planet. Musk recalls a conversation with Google Co-Founder Larry Page, who suggested laws be limited to 1,000 words, while also pondering other ways to streamline policymaking.

In conversation with Stanford Engineering Dean Persis Drell, DFJ's Steve Jurvetson and X's Astro Teller discuss the challenges and understanding present in working with government regulators and policymakers.

Elon Musk explains how he initially estimated a slim chance of success for his companies Tesla Motors and SpaceX, and how major failures led to dismal times for each. Interviewer Steve Jurvetson, general partner at DFJ, calls Musk’s 2008 Christmas Eve investment in Tesla to keep it afloat the single-biggest act of entrepreneurial zeal he has ever seen.

In conversation with Stanford Engineering Dean Persis Drell, panelists Steve Jurvetson, Christina Smolke, and Astro Teller unpack the concerns and opportunities created for society by innovations, and the importance of educating the public on the full capabilities of new technologies.

In an interview with DFJ General Partner Steve Jurvetson, Elon Musk recalls how the rise of the Internet in the mid 1990s prompted him to switch from pursuing a Ph.D. to launching an online startup, based on his desire to produce something practical. Musk describes seeing the Internet as a “central nervous system” that was uniting humanity and turning it into “a super-organism.”

A special panel of highly scientific minds discusses what the future holds for tech innovation, education and entrepreneurship. Panelists include Google's "captain of moonshots," Astro Teller, Stanford bioengineer Christina Smolke, an associate professor at the university's medical school, and DFJ General Partner Steve Jurvetson. Persis Drell, dean of the Stanford School of Engineering, moderates the discussion, with introductions by Stanford Professor Kathleen Eisenhardt.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, discusses the benefits of a “purpose-driven company” with venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, adding that a business’s mission need not be world-changing, but just useful to many, even if only in some small way. “Even if something isn’t changing the world,” Musk says, “if it’s making people’s lives better, I think that’s great.”

In conversation with Stanford Engineering Dean Persis Drell, Christina Smolke, Astro Teller, and Steve Jurvetson articulate critical skills for this volatile century, including knowing how to learn, how to communicate clearly, how to collaborate in shifting environments, and the value of respecting other ways of thinking.

Beginning with the example of self-driving vehicles, Elon Musk and Steve Jurvetson discuss innovation sectors that will advance the most in the next 20 years, from artificial intelligence, to sustainable energy and space exploration. “It’s very important that we have things that are exciting and inspiring for the future because, otherwise, why get up in the morning?” Musk asks.

The iconic entrepreneur behind SpaceX, Tesla Motors and Paypal shares his predictions for artificial intelligence, renewable energy and space exploration, in conversation with DFJ General Partner Steve Jurvetson at Stanford on Oct. 7, 2015. University President John Hennessy introduces the future-focused discussion, which follows Musk's journey from his first Internet startup in the mid-nineties to his dream of a Mars colony in the next 20 years.

The renowned entrepreneur Elon Musk talks about how the definition of beauty may vary based on the person, but also how humans consistently agree on some characteristics. In conversation with venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson, Musk also underscores balancing aesthetics and utility, using the Tesla Model S as an example of how to make a spacious family sedan look just as attractive as a sleek sports car.

Panelists Astro Teller, Christina Smolke, and Steve Jurvetson explain why passion, plus non-traditional approaches to robotics, sensors, and software, are shaping breakthroughs in numerous fields, in conversation with Stanford Engineering Dean Persis Drell.

Elon Musk talks about how the goal of SpaceX was not to launch another lucrative startup, but to encourage the U.S. government to renew and increase funding for space exploration. The visionary entrepreneur, in conversation with Steve Jurvetson, paints a picture of a greenhouse on Mars that would inspire people to see colonization as a reality.