Summary: Steve Blank (@sgblank), creator of Hacking For Defense and author of 4 Steps To The Epiphany, joins Lucas Bagno and Ian Cinnamon on this episode of Solarpunk. Takeaways:<br><br>- The secret history of Silicon Valley is that it emerged from the government’s desire to develop advanced technology and weapons in universities during World War II.<br><br>- Stanford became a powerhouse in microwaves and electronics post-WWII. People were encouraged to leave to start companies, which kickstarted Silicon Valley.<br><br>- The Department of Defense needs a radical redesign. Steve says the US can’t even keep pace with innovation in North Korea, let alone China.<br><br>- The DoD was designed for a different world. China currently operates like Silicon Valley and the DoD operates like GM.<br><br>- The “game is fixed” against small startups trying to sell to the government.<br><br>- Steve says things typically don’t change unless there’s a leadership change or a crisis, and that the US is lying to itself about China and how fast it is advancing.<br><br>- Billionaires like Peter Thiel, Palmer Luckey, and Elon Musk have accomplished “miracles” building companies in the defense space in spite of how the system is designed. <br><br>Thanks for listening — if you like what you hear, please review us on your favorite podcast platform.<br><br>Check us out on the web at <a href="http://www.villageglobal" rel="noopener">www.villageglobal</a>.vc or get in touch with us on Twitter @villageglobal.<br><br>Want to get updates from us? Subscribe to get a peek inside the Village. We’ll send you reading recommendations, exclusive event invites, and commentary on the latest happenings in Silicon Valley. <a href="http://www.villageglobal.vc/signup" rel="noopener">www.villageglobal.vc/signup</a>
