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Convoy (with CEO Dan Lewis)

Coming to you live from the University of Washington, Ben and David are joined by hundreds of awesome Seattle listeners (and a few non-Seattle listeners!) to cover the meteoric rise of trucking industry disruptor and hometown hero Convoy. How did Dan and Convoy go from nervously conducting market research at truck stops on I-5 to one of the largest logistics companies and fastest-growing startups in the world in just four short years, raising over $650m (not a typo) along the way? Tune in to find out!

Special thank you to the Paul Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington and to Pioneer Square Labs for generously sponsoring the show venue.

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NASA and the Texas Economy

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar talks about managing finances for the Lone Star State and for its citizens. Hegar describes the economic impact of NASA on the state of Texas based on a report drafted by the Comptroller’s office. HWHAP Episode 122.

TikTok

We take Acquired to the Old Town Road to cover the amazing story behind the biggest global sensation of 2019 — and the highest valued private startup in the world — TikTok. How did a mid-30 year old UX architect at enterprise software giant SAP wind up creating Gen Z’s favorite social app that’s now rivaling Instagram in global MAU? Why is a 2017 merger of two Chinese companies being branded a US national security threat and retroactively placed under review by CFIUS? And perhaps most importantly, why is TikTok such an important product & technology innovation that all of us should be learning from? Tune in for all the answers!

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Apollo 17

Dr. Harrison Schmitt, the Apollo 17 lunar module pilot and the only geologist to walk on the Moon, discusses the 50th anniversary of the Apollo program, his Apollo 17 mission, what is scientifically interesting about the Moon, and what we have to look forward to during the Artemis program. HWHAP Episode 121.

Artemis Spacesuits

Chris Hansen, manager of the Extravehicular Activity Office, talks about the next generation of spacesuits that will be used during the Artemis Program. Hansen discusses the features, development, and testing of the two suits, and he previews upcoming milestones before these new suits are worn by the next astronauts on the Moon. HWHAP Episode 120.

Disney, Plus

The Flywheel is strong with this one. We dive deep into the origins of one of the boldest business strategy decisions of our time: Disney CEO Bob Iger’s attempt to buck the Innovator’s Dilemma – and forego billions of dollars in cashflow from Netflix and pay TV providers – in order to establish a direct distribution relationship with its customers for the first time in the company’s history. Is this the force awakening within the house that Walt built, or a phantom menace that will drag Disney to the dark side of unprofitability? Tune in to find out!

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Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: The Tools

Heather Bergman, Justin Cassidy, and Drew Hood discuss how unique tools were developed to complete the on-orbit repair of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a space particle detector that’s hot on the trail of dark matter and dark energy. This is part three of a three-part series on AMS. HWHAP Episode 119.

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: The Spacewalks

Tara Jochim and Brian Mader talk about a unique and difficult set of spacewalks to repair an experiment called the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. The two discuss the work that has been done so far to prepare for these spacewalks and what the teams will be doing to execute these complicated maneuvers. HWHAP Episode 118.

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer: The Science

Dr. Brandon Reddell discusses astrophysics, cosmology, and the science behind the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), an experiment looking for evidence of antimatter and dark matter in the cosmos. This is part one of a three-part series on AMS. HWHAP Episode 117.

Apollo vs. Artemis

Nujoud Merancy, Exploration Mission Planning Office Chief, returns to the podcast to explain how the mission architecture of the Artemis program differs from Apollo and why it is important to develop a sustainable presence on the Moon. HWHAP Episode 116.