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For decades, much of the world viewed Africa through the lens of aid, extraction, or geopolitical risk. Taj Eldridge argues that perspective is rapidly becoming obsolete.

Drawing on experience spanning venture capital, private equity, climate investing, and now living and working in Nairobi, Taj explains why Africa is emerging as one of the world's most important innovation markets—not because it mirrors Silicon Valley, but because it solves problems born from necessity.

He explores:

• Why workforce may become the most overlooked investment thesis of the AI era
• Why corporate venture capital is uniquely positioned to build long-term infrastructure
• Why investors should pay as much attention to energy, water, food, and human potential as they do to artificial intelligence.

Steve, Philipp, and Taj also discuss China's growing influence across Africa, Kenya's rise as a regional innovation hub, the intersection of climate and healthcare, and what founders and investors must understand before entering emerging markets.

This episode offers a fresh perspective on global innovation—and why the next generation of transformative companies may emerge where necessity, not convenience, drives invention.

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Stuart Russell co-wrote Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, the textbook that trained a generation of AI researchers, and founded UC Berkeley's Center for Human-Compatible AI. He joins Philipp and Steve on Inside CVC straight from the floor of SuperReturn in Berlin, where AI was the only topic anyone wanted to talk about.

Stuart takes apart the "but China" argument used in Washington to block AI safety regulation, and explains why China's rules are actually stricter than Europe's. He walks through why a Paris AI startup can raise three hundred thousand euros while the same company gets one hundred million in California, and why that funding gap, not regulation, is what pushed a generation of British and European AI pioneers to Stanford and Silicon Valley. He also breaks down why no country, including the US, actually has a sovereign AI stack, and shares a randomized trial showing chatbot users gave up on problems twice as often once the tool was taken away.

If you sit on a board or in the C-suite weighing where AI belongs in your business, this conversation will sharpen the questions you ask before you approve the next deployment.

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Lynda Mansson spent close to thirty years in the nonprofit sector, most recently as Director General of the MAVA Foundation, a large family philanthropic foundation. She started her career about as far from philanthropy as it gets: as a stockbroker. Today she's a leadership coach for mission driven leaders, working from a framework of six practices that separate those who sustain impact from those who burn out chasing it.

Lynda walks Steve and Philipp through why transformation problems almost always trace back to leadership rather than strategy, citing a study MAVA commissioned with Cambridge University's Conservation Evidence group that found over 85 percent of failed projects came down to people issues. She makes the case for stakeholder capitalism over shareholder value, unpacks what happens when a leader's personal values collide with their organization's stated ones, and explains why stated values without follow through are just pretty words on a piece of paper.

The conversation closes on what boards should screen for in a new CEO, and why the pressure leaders feel today is never going away, so the real work is changing our relationship to it.

If you're trying to sustain impact without burning out your team or yourself, this episode will give you language for it.

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Boardrooms in Transition is a five-part special series from Inside CVC by U-Path on how boards make decisions when the information is incomplete and the stakes are real. Start with Episode 1 and listen in order.

All five episodes are live now.

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This is episode 1 of 5 in Boardrooms in Transition, a special series from Inside CVC by U-Path. Start here and listen in order.

In the opening chapter of Boardrooms in Transition, IMD professor and globally recognized governance expert Didier Cossin examines why so many boards fail—not because they lack information, but because they fail to act on what they already know. Drawing on his experience advising boards around the world, Didier explores the human dynamics that prevent organizations from making difficult decisions and the courage required to lead through uncertainty.

We also discuss:

• Why governance structures alone do not guarantee better decisions

• The "gray rhino" risks boards see but fail to address

• Why information—not talent—is often the weakest link in governance

• The role of AI in helping boards become better sensing organizations

• Why courage and psychological safety matter more than compliance

• How the best boards move from deliberation to action

As we begin the series, Didier reminds us that boards rarely fail because they lack data. They fail because they hesitate. In a world moving faster than ever, the greatest risk may not be making the wrong decision—but failing to make one at all.

Boardrooms in Transition: www.boardroomsintransition.u-path.com
Inside CVC: www.u-path.com/podcast
U-Path Venture Advisors: www.u-path.com

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery for lending his music to the soundtrack of Boardrooms in Transition. A member of the Yale School of Music faculty and one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, Wayne's work helps bring this series to life. Learn more about Wayne and his music at www.wayneescoffery.com.

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Catch up on all episodes of Inside CVC at www.u-path.com/podcast.

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This is episode 2 of 5 in Boardrooms in Transition, a special series from Inside CVC by U-Path. We recommend starting with Episode 1 and listening in order. This episode opens with a short recap. If you are listening to the full series in one sitting, use the chapter marker to jump straight to the conversation.

In the second chapter of Boardrooms in Transition, former Deloitte Global CIO and seasoned board director Larry Quinlan explores what it means to govern in an AI-driven world. Drawing on decades of experience leading technology transformations, Larry argues that AI is not simply a productivity tool—it is a force that could fundamentally reshape business models, risk profiles, and competitive advantage.

We also discuss:

• Why speed—not technology—is the defining challenge of the AI era

• How boards should rethink risk and strategy in an AI-driven world

• Why governing AI is different from directing IT implementation

• The role of data, cyber resilience, and board education

• The human capacity required to absorb transformational change

• Why optimism—not fear—should guide leaders through the AI transition

As the series continues, Larry reminds us that velocity is ultimately a human problem. Organizations rarely fail because technology moves too quickly. They fail because people, processes, and governance cannot adapt at the same pace.

Boardrooms in Transition: www.boardroomsintransition.u-path.com
Inside CVC: www.u-path.com/podcast
U-Path Venture Advisors: www.u-path.com

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery for lending his music to the soundtrack of Boardrooms in Transition. A member of the Yale School of Music faculty and one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, Wayne's work helps bring this series to life. Learn more about Wayne and his music at www.wayneescoffery.com.

Support the show

Catch up on all episodes of Inside CVC at www.u-path.com/podcast.

Send us Fan Mail

This is episode 3 of 5 in Boardrooms in Transition, a special series from Inside CVC by U-Path. We recommend starting with Episode 1 and listening in order. This episode opens with a short recap. If you are listening to the full series in one sitting, use the chapter marker to jump straight to the conversation.

In the third chapter of Boardrooms in Transition, seasoned public company director and Chair Circle co-founder Karen Francis explores what it takes to lead through uncertainty. Drawing on decades of experience across automotive, mobility, technology, and healthcare, Karen examines how boards weigh transformational opportunities, allocate scarce capital, and maintain confidence when the future is anything but clear.

We also discuss:

• The tradeoffs boards face when pursuing major transformations

• Why timing matters as much as conviction when placing strategic bets

• How investor trust influences a company's ability to execute

• The distinction between board oversight and management execution

• Why broad experience around the board table matters in times of uncertainty

• How trust between directors and management enables better decisions

As the series reaches its midpoint, Karen reminds us that transformation is rarely a straight line. Success depends not only on making the right bet, but on having the confidence and discipline to stay the course when the road ahead disappears into the fog.

Boardrooms in Transition: www.boardroomsintransition.u-path.com
Inside CVC: www.u-path.com/podcast
U-Path Venture Advisors: www.u-path.com

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery for lending his music to the soundtrack of Boardrooms in Transition. A member of the Yale School of Music faculty and one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, Wayne's work helps bring this series to life. Learn more about Wayne and his music at www.wayneescoffery.com.

Support the show

Catch up on all episodes of Inside CVC at www.u-path.com/podcast.

Send us Fan Mail

This is episode 4 of 5 in Boardrooms in Transition, a special series from Inside CVC by U-Path. We recommend starting with Episode 1 and listening in order. This episode opens with a short recap. If you are listening to the full series in one sitting, use the chapter marker to jump straight to the conversation.

In Part Four of Boardrooms in Transition, former Deloitte Global CEO and longtime board leader Barry Salzberg explores what leadership looks like when organizations are operating under prolonged pressure, uncertainty, and scrutiny.

Drawing on decades of experience leading through crises and transformation, Barry argues that a board's greatest responsibility isn't simply managing risk—it's signaling confidence. From his memorable "flight attendant" analogy to the lessons behind building Deloitte University during one of the worst economic environments in decades, he explains why calmness, trust, and resilience are strategic assets.

Barry also challenges leaders to rethink short-term decision making. Cutting recruiting, R&D, or innovation investments to protect quarterly results may provide temporary relief, but it can create leadership and capability vacuums years later. His message is clear: long-term stewardship requires protecting the seeds during the winter.

We also discuss:

• Why leadership is fundamentally about signaling confidence under pressure

• The balance between quarterly performance and long-term investment

• Why boards should resist turning off the "innovation spigot"

• How involving skeptics early can turn critics into champions

• Lessons from creating Deloitte University and building board alignment

• Why trust, transparency, and resilience matter more than ever

If previous episodes focused on sensing disruption and allocating capital, this chapter examines what happens after the bet has been made—and why the most resilient organizations are the ones that keep investing when others retreat.

Boardrooms in Transition: www.boardroomsintransition.u-path.com
Inside CVC: www.u-path.com/podcast
U-Path Venture Advisors: www.u-path.com

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Wayne Escoffery for lending his music to the soundtrack of Boardrooms in Transition. A member of the Yale School of Music faculty and one of the leading voices in contemporary jazz, Wayne's work helps bring this series to life. Learn more about Wayne and his music at www.wayneescoffery.com.

Support the show

Catch up on all episodes of Inside CVC at www.u-path.com/podcast.