We kick off with a glance at Apple's new VR headset and explore the limitless horizons of Photoshop’s new AI image manipulation tool.  Joe Gebbia, Airbnb’s co-founder, unveils a project that reimagines backyard spaces and battles the housing-affordability crisis. Discover the tiny, net-zero homes that are not just houses, but power generators.  Unravel the mysteries of Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures. With over $1B in assets and a new AI fund, find out how the actor-turned-investor is championing the next wave of tech revolution.  Witness the epic Australian standoff between Burger King and Hungry Jack’s, a battle of trademarks, and a tale of one man’s unwavering vision.  If you liked this, check out some more below:    https://hqla.com.au/   https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZR7opGv9w7XB8GgKTbII2?si=BTs672wLQeGRan6_e2Resg   https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hqla/id1549485107   https://www.tiktok.com/@itshqla   https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NDVkMGViNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw   https://twitter.com/itshqla   https://www.instagram.com/itshqla/  

🎙️ HQLA - Episode 33 🎙️ Welcome back to HQLA! Join us on another thrilling journey as we unravel a tapestry of topics, from investment nuances and innovative ventures to the startling revelations surrounding age reversal. Big thanks to our sponsors for this episode! Index.dev https://www.index.dev/hire?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=HQLA&utm_campaign=podcast   Newnique https://www.newnique.com.au/contact Stay connected for an intricate blend of business, technology, culture, and personal stories. Subscribe, leave us a review, and don't forget the bell for timely updates! 📌 Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:48 – News 11:55 – MSCHF 32:01 – Soulbound: Privacy, Data Protection, and Web3 Solutions 1:05:51 – Bryan Johnson: The Age Reversal Enigma  Hit subscribe, and ring that bell to stay in the loop! 🎧 If you liked this, check out some more below: https://hqla.com.au/ https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZR7opGv9w7XB8GgKTbII2?si=BTs672wLQeGRan6_e2Resg https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hqla/id1549485107 https://www.tiktok.com/@itshqla https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NDVkMGViNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw https://twitter.com/itshqla https://www.instagram.com/itshqla/

Big thanks to our sponsors for this episode! Index.dev https://www.index.dev/hire?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=HQLA&utm_campaign=podcast   Newnique https://www.newnique.com.au/contact   Index.dev is a London-based company that helps enterprises find and hire world-class remote software developers. The company was founded by Sergiu Matei, who saw a need for a more efficient and effective way to hire remote developers. Index.dev's platform combines in-country sourcing, a rigorous vetting process, and an easy-to-hire business model to help businesses scale their remote engineering teams quickly and easily. In the podcast interview, Sergiu discusses the challenges of hiring remote developers and how Index.dev solves them. He also talks about the company's growth plans and the future of remote work. If you liked this, check out some more below: https://hqla.com.au/ https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZR7opGv9w7XB8GgKTbII2?si=BTs672wLQeGRan6_e2Resg https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hqla/id1549485107 https://www.tiktok.com/@itshqla https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NDVkMGViNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw https://twitter.com/itshqla https://www.instagram.com/itshqla/

Big thanks to our sponsors for this episode! Index.dev: https://www.index.dev/hire?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=HQLA&utm_campaign=podcast Newnique: https://www.newnique.com.au/contact In Episode 31 of HQLA, the hosts discuss various topics related to AI and technology. They start with a discussion on NFTs, particularly a song created using AI deep fake technology featuring Drake and The Weeknd, which sparks debates on intellectual property. They also mention musician Grimes' innovative but risky decision to split AI-generated music royalties. The hosts then move on to Apple's venture into banking, highlighting their partnership with Goldman Sachs for a high-yield savings account and buy now, pay later service, which is seen as a smart move for the tech giant. The episode delves into the world of AI, focusing on two new developments: AutoGPT and BabyAGI. AutoGPT is discussed in detail, as it automates tasks like website building and continuous self-improvement through a feedback loop, potentially replacing the need for prompt engineers. The hosts also mention AgentGPT as a solution to AutoGPT's lack of user interface. The future applications of AI are speculated upon, emphasizing cost and effort reduction in website creation, content generation, customized user experiences, real-time iteration of webpages based on user interactions, and on-demand entertainment. The hosts suggest that startups may need to reassess their business models due to these AI advancements, as many services can be more efficiently handled by AI, making traditional startup solutions less cost-effective. The requirements for setting up AutoGPT are explained, including a Python setup, IDE, and OpenAI subscription. In other news, Nike collaborates with RTFKT to release an NFT collection of Airforce 1 designs. Customers can redeem the NFTs for physical sneakers during a limited forge period on the RTFKT website. These NFTs are available on secondary markets, with prices ranging from $500 to $8,500 USD, and the shoes are set to ship in Q4 2023. Revere, a London-based company, promoted their new design and R-Tec spray shop through a marketing stunt involving a tagged Range Rover left outside Harrods in London. The incident was falsely claimed by the TV show 'Cheaters,' and the R-Tec team sprayed another vehicle with 'REVERENOTREVENGE'. Skittles staged a Broadway show called 'Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical' during Super Bowl Sunday in 2019, focusing on the manipulative nature of advertising. In 2017, Skittles streamed a Super Bowl ad exclusively to one teenage fan, with the world watching his reaction live on Skittles' Facebook page. Go Puff promoted its app in 2017 by sharing weird orders from actual customers on their Twitter page. Milka, upon entering the German and French markets in 2013, left out one square of chocolate from their bars, allowing purchasers to claim the missing piece or send it to a loved one using a code on the packaging. In 2016, the Art Institute of Chicago partnered with Airbnb to create an immersive artwork experience, re-creating Van Gogh's 'Bedroom in Arles'. The room was advertised for rent, and several respondents were able to rent it on Airbnb for $10 per night.

Coastalworld.com is a browser game developed by Coastal Community Bank that gamifies fintechs and helps you learn more about personal finance. Play mini-games that represent the fintechs, such as international money transfer, budgeting, and financing your home improvement Discover the latest breakthrough in construction technology: 3D printed houses. Learn how companies like Icon, Peri, Mighty Buildings and Palari Group are using this innovative method to build homes faster, cheaper, and more sustainable. Find out how 3D printing is shaking up the housing industry and how it could help address the affordable housing crisis. Finally, we explore the recent legal battle between luxury brand Hermes and NFT creator Mason Rothschild over the MetaBirkin NFT collection. We discuss the key arguments presented by both parties, the relevant legal tests used to determine trademark infringement, and the court's final judgment. We then consider how this may apply to an ongoing dispute between StockX and Nike. Tune in to learn more about the intersection of trademark law and the NFT market.

We start off with talking about web3 music, with four projects creating playlist-based NFT-enabled projects to integrate with Spotify. Bard suffers against OpenAI. GPT integrated into Bing. Bald man Jeff Bezos running for president? Or just buying football teams and newspapers? Next up, we talk about AI tools to power your business. When we move on from just focusing on GPT, where can we get with the other startups in the market, and how can these be integrated into your tech stacks? Firstly we take a look at chatbots and how customer service can be automated using Landbot.io. Next up is Synthesia.io, which can create a completely AI-generated fake person to speak on behalf of your company. Then we take a look at RATH, which is a protocol by the company Kanaries; it’s basically an AI version of Tabelou and will help with your dataset interpretation. Looka is your new personal graphic designer, all from just text prompts. Galileo is an app that will let you describe an app from text, and it will design it for you. Of course, all of these are cool tools, but how do they all tie together? That’s the most important part, and we discuss how you could form a business from these and combine them to make money on the internet. Next up is Hermès, a luxury brand that has become synonymous with timeless elegance, quality craftsmanship, and high fashion. In this segment, we explore the fascinating history of this iconic brand, from its founding in 1837 as a small harness workshop in Paris to its rise to global fame as a symbol of luxury and refinement. From the famous Birkin bag to the brand's silk scarves and ties, we delve into the cultural significance of the brand, exploring how Hermès has become a status symbol and global cultural icon. Artifact is a new app created by the founders of Instagram. It’s like TikTok if it was full of articles instead of videos. Sure to grab the attention of those news readers out there.   If you liked this, check out some more below: https://hqla.com.au/ https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZR7opGv9w7XB8GgKTbII2?si=BTs672wLQeGRan6_e2Resg https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hqla/id1549485107 https://www.tiktok.com/@itshqla https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NDVkMGViNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw https://twitter.com/itshqla https://www.instagram.com/itshqla/

Stripe is an online payment processing platform that simplifies the payment process for online businesses. Its founders, John and Patrick Collison started the company in 2010, intending to provide an easy-to-use platform for businesses to process payments. Stripe offers a user-friendly interface, support for multiple currencies, recurring payments, and physical card readers for brick-and-mortar businesses. Stripe's technology includes machine learning and AI to detect fraud, analyse customer behaviour and preferences, and encrypt transactions. The company has partnerships and integrations with various companies across industries, and its services include payment processing, fraud detection, and other business management tools. Stripe's fee structure includes transaction fees, additional fees for international payments and refunds, custom pricing, and interchange fees. Stripe's main competitors are PayPal, Square, and WePay. Stripe has allegedly been profitable since 2018, but its financial information is not public. Vertical farming is a future agriculture technique that allows crops to be grown in a building using only 1% of the land, zero soil, no pesticides, and way less water. It offers many advantages over traditional farming, such as a 700% increase in yield, 99% water recovery and recirculation, and more efficient use of resources. The cost of setting up vertical farms is rapidly declining, and technology is getting cheaper. The farms use LED lighting, which can be modified to meet certain taste profiles and can be powered by solar panels to minimise energy loss. There are many different ideas and predictions about the future; we've taken a few from "2050 Earth," which is a site that shows a Google Street View-like simulation of cities in the future, including 2030, 2040, and 2050. The ideas presented range from developing high-tech wearables that capture biometric data to creating moneyless societies and replacing human body parts with electronic ones.

Chat GPT is an incredible piece of engineering which pushes the boundaries of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Chat GPT was developed by the non-profit organization OpenAI, which is run by entrepreneur Sam Altman. Altman is an original Y-Combinator founder, the accelerator which has funded companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Reddit. Chat GPT is a text-based interface that can answer any question you have in a conversational tone. It's amazing how in just 5 days, Chat GPT went from zero users to 1 million users, by comparison it took for Facebook and Instagram at least two years to reach that point. OpenAI has received over $10 billion from Microsoft and is projected to make $200 million in revenue by the end of 2023. The possibilities of this technology are endless. You can use it to write code, emails or even phone scripts for your business. GPT will even write blogs for your website to optimize SEO, or automate creative tasks like generating website ideas or writing movie scripts. Furthermore, Chat GPT can also help you with generating customer profiles, creating lists of cities, ranking stocks, and even give you step-by-step process of making a mobile game. And if that wasn't enough, OpenAI also recently released DALL-E 2, which generates highly detailed and realistic images from textual descriptions. This truly cutting-edge technology is only the beginning of what's possible with AI. So, sit back and enjoy the video as we dive deeper into the world of Chat GPT and DALL-E 2. Smart. Agile. Aerodynamic. Fast. Not typically what you think of when you think of a truck. But Silverado EV isn't just a truck. It's a category-defying, boundary-breaking game changer.

In this episode, we talk to Matt Allen from Tractor Ventures. Matt shares with us how he runs a successful VC firm and why Tractor has a different model than most Venture Capital structures, choosing to use a debt first, revenue share solution, then shifting to a warrant for equity model if a startup wants to plan a big exit like a sale or an IPO. Matt also gives us some insights into his decision-making models, generally choosing to go for the boring B2B models over the ‘rocket-ship’ high-growth, high-risk startups. After one of the best interviews we’ve ever had on HQLA, we ask Matt’s ever-important question: ‘what’s next?’. Of course, we also can’t forget: always sell picks & shovels during the gold rush.

**Disclaimer: we filmed this episode earlier in the year, prior to the escalation of events in Ukraine** On episode 25 of HQLA we talk to Aleks Volodarsky, who is the founder of online marketplace lemon.io. Lemon allows you to add an Eastern European engineer to your existing startup team. Aleks talked us through his startup career, having other ideas that worked, and some that didn't, including being early in the Google Ads space for Ukraine, and joining a digital ads startup. After his early side hustles and failed ideas, Aleks got into an idea for his startup: Coding Ninjas, which was supposed to be an Uber for web developers, allowing you to use the service for special one-off projects, and tasking a developer to your project. This idea didn’t work for the team, and they ended up pivoting into Lemon.io, which is more focused on adding developers to existing ideas and projects. Although it may seem straightforward, it’s challenging to keep both the supply and demand side of the market busy, all while managing the business in between. Lemon.io isn’t just another UpWork or Fiver, one of the main differences is that the developers are carefully vetted, and matched to the company which is applying to use the service based on the needs of the startup team hoping to add the developer. Remember, there are two great questions in the world: ‘what is the meaning of life?’ AND ‘how do I balance supply & demand?’ You can find Aleks on Twitter @volodarik You can find us on Twitter @IJSmith01 & @NJNotley Find more of HQLA below: http://hqla.com.au/ https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZR7opGv9w7XB8GgKTbII2?si=77fe074be1e04a47 https://twitter.com/itshqla?s=20&t=bLQA1spJxfizEQ5OQxC0vw https://www.tiktok.com/@itshqla https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hqla/id1549485107 https://www.instagram.com/itshqla/