My guest today is Samuel Gil. Samuel is a partner at JME Ventures, a Spanish Venture Capital firm that invested in Flywire and 21 Buttons, to name a few. He is also the founder of the excellent newsletter Suma Positiva that covers technology and how innovation can be positive-sum.

I discovered Samuel through his series on longevity and his interests in health. I wanted to get him on the podcast to discuss his perspectives on the craft of investing, founders, longevity, and more!

We start the conversation by exploring the Spanish tech ecosystem, the opportunities and the challenges, and how it's related to international tech hubs. Then, Samuel explains his investing philosophy, how they help founders build successful companies at JME Ventures, and what makes a great founder versus a bad one. After that, we talk longevity, what got him interested in the field, and other opportunities in health optimization right now. We finish the conversation talking about the two books Samuel loved recently.

Please, enjoy my conversation with Samuel Gil!

You can find the show notes here!

Find Samuel online:

• Twitter
• Suma Positiva

Topics we discuss:

• An overview of the Spanish tech ecosystem (the opportunities, the challenges), and more generally, how it's related to international tech ecosystems.
• Underrated spaces in the Spanish Tech ecosystem.
• The craft of Venture Capital and Samuel's philosophy around it.
• What's a great founder, and how to spot them.
• How to help founders succeed as a venture firm.
• Growth loops.
• Core action and aha moments.
• "More questions than advice."
• The field of longevity. Samuel's perspectives on the topic, the opportunities in the field right now.
• How to speed up progress on healthspan & lifespan extension.
• Samuel's favorite books recently.
• Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work, by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal
• Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life, by Rory Sutherland

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