What is The Future for Cities?
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765 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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398I_Bradford Cross, CEO of Alpha City and Managing Partner at Pronomos Capital and Two Lions
28 januari 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
"There is a way to do small-scale experiments-" Lees meer
Are you interested in governance experiments? What do you think about decentralisation efforts? How can we utilise blockchain and crypto to create better governance systems?
Interview Bradford Cross, CEO of Alpha City and Managing Partner at Pronomos Capital and Two Lions. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, difference between governance and governments, government and governance experiments, and many more.
Bradford Cross is founder and CEO of Alpha City, a federation of frontier cities in Africa built from first principles to unleash local ambition and global talent. He runs Two Lions, his family office and startup lab, and co-manages Pronomos Capital, backing new jurisdictions and governance models. A two-decade AI veteran, he started CEAI in Central Europe in 2002 and co-founded DCVC, a deep-tech VC managing billions. His earlier ventures span clinical trials, anti-money-laundering, newsfeed AI, flight prediction, cyber insurance and real-estate lending. Dad, gym junkie, sharp dresser, jungle-to-nightclub explorer - and still outlasting his iPhone battery.
Find out more about Bradford through these links:
Bradford Cross on LinkedIn
Bradford Cross on Substack
@bradfordcross as Bradford Cross on X
@bradfordmode as Bradford Cross on Instagram
AlphaCity on LinkedIn
@alphacityinc as AlphaCity on X
@alphacityinc as AlphaCity on Instagram
Pronomos Capital website
Pronomos Capital on LinkedIn
@PronomosVC as Pronomos Capital on X
@pronomosvc as Pronomos Capital on Instagram
Two Lions on LinkedIn
Connected episodes you might be interested in:
No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about Prospera Honduras
No.380 - Interview with Adam Miller about voting when you want
No.397R - Urbanisation and entrepreneurship in development: Like a horse and carriage?
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter …
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Authority (a.k.a. government) vs execution (a.k.a. governance) Bradford Cross (398I trailer 3)
27 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in governance experiments? What do you think about decentralisation efforts? How can we utilise blockchain and crypto to create better governance systems? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 398 - interview Bradford Cross, CEO of Alpha City and Managing Partner at Pronomos Capital and Two Lions. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, difference between governance and governments, government and governance experiments, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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397R_Urbanisation and entrepreneurship in development: Like a horse and carriage?
26 januari 2026 · 15 min
Are you interested in how urban evolution and entrepreneurial capitalism is connected? Lees meer
Our debate today works with the book chapter titled Urbanisation and entrepreneurship in development: Like a horse and carriage? from 2018, by Wim Naudé, part of the Smart Futures, Challenges of Urbanisation, and Social Sustainability book, published by Spinger Nature.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Bradford Cross in episode 398 talking about the importance and opportunities of entrepreneurial capitalism.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how entrepreneurial capitalism is connected to the future of cities. This chapter explores the interdependent relationship between urbanisation and entrepreneurship, suggesting that they act as primary drivers for economic development.
Find the article through this link.
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.347R - The economy forward framework: How midsized cities can achieve inclusive growth in the knowledge economy
No.380 - Interview with Adam Miller about urban economics
You can find the transcript through this link
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available
I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)
Music by Lesfm …
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Entrepreneurial capitalism for better future of cities - Bradford Cross (398I trailer 2)
25 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in governance experiments? What do you think about decentralisation efforts? How can we utilise blockchain and crypto to create better governance systems? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 398 - interview Bradford Cross, CEO of Alpha City and Managing Partner at Pronomos Capital and Two Lions. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, difference between governance and governments, government and governance experiments, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Why and how urban governance experiments can help futures of cities? Bradford Cross (398I trailer 1)
24 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in governance experiments? What do you think about decentralisation efforts? How can we utilise blockchain and crypto to create better governance systems? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 398 - interview Bradford Cross, CEO of Alpha City and Managing Partner at Pronomos Capital and Two Lions. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, difference between governance and governments, government and governance experiments, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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396I_Lior Steinberg, urban planner and co-founder of Humankind
21 januari 2026 · 36 min
"To build more complex models we need all those professions that have something to do with cities and collaborative." Lees meer
Are you interested in cities without cars? What do you think about redefining transport as moving AND staying? How can we improve our public spaces?
Interview with Lior Steinberg, urban planner and co-founder of Humankind. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, active transportation, car-free cities, public spaces, good urban examples, and many more.
Lior Steinberg is an urban planner and co-founder of Humankind, a multidisciplinary collective accelerating the transition towards urban happiness for all. He helps cities to look beyond functionality and to plan urban spaces that make people smile. All the projects Lior participates in have one thing in common: they create people-oriented cities. Being a Jane Jacobs’ enthusiast and a fan of great public spaces, he is keen on making cities better with an emphasis on local, innovative interventions and on including residents in urban planning.
Learn more about Lior through these links:
Lior Steinberg on LinkedIn
Lior Steinberg website
Humankind website
Humankind on LinkedIn
@humankindcity as Humankind on Instagram
Lior Steinberg at Urban Futures
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.340 - Interview with Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin about the city as a learning machine for kids
No.368 - Interview with Josh Rands about urban transport modelling
No.395R - Car free cities: Pathway to healthy urban living
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.
I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.
Episode generated with Descript…
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Getting rid of the car for the better future of cities - Lior Steinberg (396I trailer 3)
20 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in cities without cars? What do you think about redefining transport as moving AND staying? How can we improve our public spaces? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 396 - interview with Lior Steinberg, urban planner and co-founder of Humankind. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, active transportation, car-free cities, public spaces, good urban examples, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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395R_Car free cities: Pathway to healthy urban living
19 januari 2026 · 17 min
Are you interested in car free cities? Lees meer
Debate of the article titled Car free cities: Pathway to healthy urban living from 2016, by Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen and Haneen Khreis, published in the Environment International journal.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Lior Steinberg in episode 396 talking about the idea of a car free city.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to investigate our urban environments without cars. This article examines the global transition of urban centres toward private car-free models to improve environmental and public health outcomes.
Find the article through this link.
Connected episodes you might be interested in:
No.325R - Economic and social impacts of public transport investments: A scoping literature review
No.326I - Interview with Sarah Bridges about the importance of public transport
You can find the transcript through this link
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available
I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Mobility as moving AND staying - Lior Steinberg (396I trailer 2)
18 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in cities without cars? What do you think about redefining transport as moving AND staying? How can we improve our public spaces? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 396 - interview with Lior Steinberg, urban planner and co-founder of Humankind. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, active transportation, car-free cities, public spaces, good urban examples, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Collaboration is crucial for the better future for cities - Lior Steinberg (396I trailer 1)
17 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in cities without cars? What do you think about redefining transport as moving AND staying? How can we improve our public spaces? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 396 - interview with Lior Steinberg, urban planner and co-founder of Humankind. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, active transportation, car-free cities, public spaces, good urban examples, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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394I_Harriet Shing, MP for the Eastern Victoria Region. Minister for Housing and Building, Precincts and Development Victoria, and Suburban Rail Loop
14 januari 2026 · 41 min
"Responsible governance requires you to make decisions that have a long term input - a long term positive impact." Lees meer
Are you interested in the governments’ role for the future of cities? What do you think about urban retrofitting? How can we encourage our politicians to think long term?
Interview with Harriet Shing, MP for the Eastern Victoria Region. Minister for Housing and Building, Precincts and Development Victoria, and Suburban Rail Loop. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the government’s role, liveability, urban retrofit, and many more.
The Hon. Harriet Shing MP has served as a Labor Member for Eastern Victoria since 2014. She has been a Minister in the Labor Government since 2022, and in December 2024 she was appointed Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building and Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts. Before her election to the Victorian Upper House, Harriet worked as a lawyer. An accomplished negotiator and advocate, she has extensive experience in industrial relations, employment and discrimination law, and dispute resolution at State and Federal levels. Harriet has worked as a senior policy adviser, lawyer, and industrial relations specialist in the Victorian private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. She has also served as a trustee director on the board of industry superannuation fund Vision Super. As Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet is focused on identifying and enhancing opportunities across the entire region to ensure that local communities thrive.
Find out more about Harriet through these links:
Harriet Shing website
Harriet Shing on LinkedIn
@ShingvWorld as Harriet Shing on X
@harrietshingmlc as Harriet Shing on Instagram
Harriet Shing at the Parliament of Victoria
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about governance experiments
No.370 - Interview with Vít Jedlicka about new forms of governments
No.378 - Intervi…
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Government's role for the better future for cities - Harriet Shing (394I trailer 3)
13 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in the governments’ role for the future of cities? What do you think about urban retrofitting? How can we encourage our politicians to think long term? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 394 - interview with Harriet Shing, MP for the Eastern Victoria Region. Minister for Housing and Building, Precincts and Development Victoria, and Suburban Rail Loop. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the government’s role, liveability, urban retrofit, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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393R_The economics of adaptive reuse – Comparative cost analysis of revitalization vs demolition and construction at Radex Park Marywilska (research debate)
12 januari 2026 · 15 min
Are you interested in the comparison of urban development and retrofit? Lees meer
Our debate today works with the article titled The economics of adaptive reuse – Comparative cost analysis of revitalization vs demolition and construction at Radex Park Marywilska from 2025, by Janusz Sobieraj, Marcos Fernandez, and Dominik Metelski, published in MDPI Buildings journal.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Harriet Shing in episode 394 talking about the government’s perspective on urban retrofit vs new development.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see a comparison of adaptive reuse and demolition and development. This article proposes adaptive reuse as the optimal strategy for sustainable urban development, reinforcing the importance of preserving existing structures and integrating circular economy principles.
Find the article through this link
Abstract: The revitalization of post-industrial areas has emerged as a critical strategy for sustainable urban development, achieving a balance between economic, social, and environmental priorities. This study assesses the transformative capacity of revitalization strategies by conducting a comprehensive case analysis of “Radex Park Marywilska” in Warsaw, Poland. The analysis quantifies the benefits of revitalization in comparison to demolition and new construction methodologies. An examination of the revitalization initiative demonstrates that it yielded a total of PLN 41.15 million in benefits, with PLN 28.13 million attributed to direct cost savings and another PLN 13.02 million resulting from environmental improvements. In practical terms, this equates to a return of PLN 1.93 for every PLN 1 invested—a notably efficient outcome. The project transformed four industrial buildings, significantly increasing usable space in some (e.g., Building L1 by 345% and K1 by 21.6%) while slightly reducing it in others (B1 by 4.7% and I1 by 10.5%). From an environmental im…
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Urban retrofit and adaptive reuse in Victoria - Harriet Shing (394I trailer 2)
11 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in the governments’ role for the future of cities? What do you think about urban retrofitting? How can we encourage our politicians to think long term? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 394 - interview with Harriet Shing, MP for the Eastern Victoria Region. Minister for Housing and Building, Precincts and Development Victoria, and Suburban Rail Loop. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the government’s role, liveability, urban retrofit, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Melbourne as the example of urban change - Harriet Shing (394I trailer 1)
10 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in the governments’ role for the future of cities? What do you think about urban retrofitting? How can we encourage our politicians to think long term? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 394 - interview with Harriet Shing, MP for the Eastern Victoria Region. Minister for Housing and Building, Precincts and Development Victoria, and Suburban Rail Loop. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the government’s role, liveability, urban retrofit, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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392I_Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University and President of Australasian Green Infrastructure Network
7 januari 2026 · 47 min
"With the knowledge that we create we will find solutions to make cities more liveable." Lees meer
Are you interested in improving urban asset management? What do you think about the urban heat island effect? How can we empower people to work towards a better future instead of cowering with fear in the corner?
Interview with Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University and President of Australasian Green Infrastructure Network. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, climate change, urban heat island effect, practical solutions, urban change, and many more.
Sebastian Pfautsch is a Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University. He is also the President of the Australasian Green Infrastructure Network. By combining his knowledge of urban planning, material science, plant ecophysiology and climate change, he develops evidence-based solutions that help cities adapt to rising summer heat. His projects won multiple awards for innovation, sustainability and technology, and his high-quality research is documented in 150 published works. He has generated more than $17 million in research funding and is listed in the top 2% of scientists worldwide (Stanford University and Elsevier).
Find out more about Sebastian through these links:
Sebastian Pfautsch on LinkedIn
as Sebastian Pfautsch on X
as Sebastian Pfautsch on Instagram
Sebastian Pfautsch at Western Sydney University
Sebastian Pfautsch on Google Scholar
Sebastian Pfautsch about Urban Adaptation on the 100 Climate Conversations
Mapping summer microclimates across the City of Sydney, Australia - report co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch
Guide to climate-smart playgrounds - Research findings and application - report co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch
Despicable urban places: Hot car parks - report co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch
Next generation cool-green car park concept for urban heat resilience - report co-authored by Sebastian P…
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Research changing the urban environment - Sebastian Pfautsch (392I trailer 3)
6 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in improving urban asset management? What do you think about the urban heat island effect? How can we empower people to work towards a better future instead of cowering with fear in the corner? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 392 - interview with Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University and President of Australasian Green Infrastructure Network. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, climate change, urban heat island effect, practical solutions, urban change, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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391R_Urban heat, its effects, and solutions for it - co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch (research summary)
5 januari 2026 · 16 min
Are you interested in solutions for the urban heat island effect? Lees meer
Our summary today works with 5 articles and reports, titled Spatiotemporal variation of intra-urban heat and heatwaves across Greater Sydney, Australia, Mapping summer microclimates, Despicable urban places, Climate-smart playgrounds, and the Next generation cool-green car park concept for urban heat resilience co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch, the next interviewee in episode 392, talking about his research and urban experiments to solve some of the challenges caused by urban heat.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how urban heat can be combatted with specific solutions. These resources advocate for integrating heat-responsive design solutions, such as permeable surfaces and natural shading, to create resilient and thermally safe public infrastructure in a warming climate.
Find the articles and reports - co-authored by Sebastian Pfautsch - through these links:
Spatiotemporal variation of intra-urban heat and heatwaves across Greater Sydney, Australia
Mapping summer microclimates across the City of Sydney, Australia
Guide to climate-smart playgrounds - Research findings and application
Despicable urban places: Hot car parks
Next generation cool-green car park concept for urban heat resilience
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.257R - Formal Model for Green Urbanism in Smart Cities
No.258 - Interview with Matt Gijselman about blue and green infrastructure
No.321R - Synergies and exacerbations— effects of warmer weather and climate change
You can find the transcript through this link.
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the w…
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Moving towards solutions instead of fearmongering - Sebastian Pfautsch (392I trailer 2)
4 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in improving urban asset management? What do you think about the urban heat island effect? How can we empower people to work towards a better future instead of cowering with fear in the corner? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 392 - interview with Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University and President of Australasian Green Infrastructure Network. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, climate change, urban heat island effect, practical solutions, urban change, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Getting beyond net-zero to solve climate change - Sebastian Pfautsch (392I trailer 1)
3 januari 2026 · 2 min
Are you interested in improving urban asset management? What do you think about the urban heat island effect? How can we empower people to work towards a better future instead of cowering with fear in the corner? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 392 - interview with Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor of Urban Management and Planning at Western Sydney University and President of Australasian Green Infrastructure Network. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, climate change, urban heat island effect, practical solutions, urban change, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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390I_Robin Hanson, American economist and author
31 december 2025 · 54 min
"Natural selectin is innovation ... that is when new things are invented in biology. The difference with humans is we have culture which makes us able to make innovations much faster." Lees meer
Are you interested in new forms of government? What do you think about betting markets – can they help our governance? How can we ensure the continuation of our cherished values?
Interview with Robin Hanson, American economist and author. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, cultural evolution, adaptability, innovation, and many more.
Robin Hanson (born August 28, 1959) is an American economist and author known for his pioneering work on prediction markets and unconventional futuristic concepts. He currently serves as an associate professor of economics at George Mason University and was a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. He holds a PhD in social science from Caltech, as well as degrees in physics and the conceptual foundations of science. Robin is widely recognized for inventing the Logarithmic Market Scoring Rule used in prediction markets and for proposing "futarchy," a governance system determined by betting markets. He also originated the "Great Filter" hypothesis to explain the lack of observable extraterrestrial civilizations. His major publications include The Age of Em (2016), which models a future economy of brain emulations, and The Elephant in the Brain (2018), which explores hidden human motives. Additionally, Robin is a vocal advocate for cryonics.
Find out more about Robin through these links:
Robin Hanson on LinkedIn
Robin Hanson website
@robinhanson as Robin Hanson on X
@RobinHanson as Robin Hanson on Youtube
Overcoming Bias - Robin Hanson's blog
The Age of EM - book by Robin Hanson
The Elephant in the Brain - book by Robin Hanson and Kevin Simler
Robin Hanson on Wikipedia
Robin Hanson on Google Scholar
Robin Hanson at TED
Connected episodes you might be interested in:
No.274 - Interview w…
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Futarchy - governance based on decision markets - Robin Hanson (390I trailer 3)
30 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in new forms of government? What do you think about betting markets – can they help our governance? How can we ensure the continuation of our cherished values? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 390 - interview with Robin Hanson, American economist and author. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, cultural evolution, adaptability, innovation, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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389R_Shall we vote on values, but bet on beliefs? (research debate)
29 december 2025 · 12 min
Are you interested in a governing system based on betting? Lees meer
Our debate today works with the article titled Shall we vote on values, but bet on beliefs? from 2000, by Robin Hanson.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Robin Hanson in episode 390 talking about the opportunities in the betting markets for governance.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how this new form of governance could work. This article presents the revolutionary governing system where the public votes on values but bets on beliefs, with design challenges and opportunities within the system.
Find the article through this link.
Abstract: A key question to ask about any social institution is how well it generates, aggregates, and distributes information. Speculative markets seem to do well at this, while familiar democratic institutions, relying in part on academic institutions, seem to fail in many ways. So perhaps we should consider “futarchy,” a form of government where betting markets become our primary common source on matters of fact. Democracy would say what we want, while speculators would say how to get it. That is, elected representatives would formally define and manage an after-the-fact measurement of national welfare, while market speculators would say which policies they expect to raise national welfare. If we are willing to recommend policies that macroeconomic data suggest are causally related to GDP, it seems we should be willing to consider futarchy. Using an qualitative engineering-style approach, this paper considers thirty design issues with futarchy, and then presents a relatively specific proposal which responds to those concerns.
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.022R - CryptoCities
No.369R - Liberland Blockchain Whitepaper
You can find the transcript through this link.
What was the most inte…
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Why we need adaptability for cultural evolution? Robin Hanson (360I trailer 2)
28 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in new forms of government? What do you think about betting markets – can they help our governance? How can we ensure the continuation of our cherished values? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 390 - interview with Robin Hanson, American economist and author. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, cultural evolution, adaptability, innovation, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Why innovation is crucial for the future of cities - Robin Hanson (390I trailer 1)
27 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in new forms of government? What do you think about betting markets – can they help our governance? How can we ensure the continuation of our cherished values? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 390 - interview with Robin Hanson, American economist and author. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, cultural evolution, adaptability, innovation, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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388I_Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective
24 december 2025 · 50 min
Are you interested in liveability as choices? What do you think about cultural evolution? How can we create a community of changemakers? Lees meer
Interview with Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective. We will talk about their vision for the future of cities, liveability, cultural evolution, human connection, and many more.
Maurice Berger is the co-founder of Liveable Cities Collective. Combining scientific training with lifelong business experience, he has spent two decades working globally with governments and planners to collect and analyse transport data that makes streets safer and more efficient. He believes data only matters when it tells a meaningful story, and that real change happens where evidence and community meet. An avid cyclist and traveller, Maurice champions sustainable transport and community building through cycling groups and charity rides. His commitment to connection also drives his men’s group, creating space for honest conversation, courage and shared leadership.
Raquel Medrano Clemente is the co-founder of Liveable Cities Collective. She brings a rich and varied professional background, having worked across banking, mining, education, construction, and hospitality. Her passion for communities has been a constant, reflected in her work founding educational programs and leading non-profit organisations. With a decade of experience in business coaching and consulting, Raquel is committed to leadership empowerment and sparking meaningful conversations. Her multicultural background and experience living in multiple countries give her a global perspective on building more connected communities and championing multiculturalism and belonging. Passionate about music, culture, and art, she now advocates for creative approaches to shaping communities and places. Through Liveable Cities Collective, she co-leads a social enterprise that connects changemakers around the world for collaboration and shared impact.
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Urban opportunities by changemakers - Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente (388I trailer 4)
23 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in liveability as choices? What do you think about cultural evolution? How can we create a community of changemakers? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 388 - interview with Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective. We will talk about their vision for the future of cities, liveability, cultural evolution, human connection, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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387C_Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with better future for cities!
22 december 2025 · 18 min
Today would be a research episode, but since it is 2025 Christmas time, I want to just wish you all relaxing holidays with or without celebrating Christmas, Merry Christmas if you do celebrate it, and a very Happy New Year! Lees meer
We will have many interesting topics to discover and further discuss in 2026. I am already preparing those episodes and I am very excited about what will come! First, this episode will be followed by a panel conversation in episode 388 with a collective working on creating a network of people who want to create better future for cities – a very hopeful and motivating conversation!
Then in 2026 we will have guests from all over the world and many areas like government, policy, fiction and exploration, infrastructure, urban planning and design, and many more!!!
If you need some food for thought while you are awaiting the next episode, check out episode 360 with Barry O’Reilly, where we discuss the opportunities to create antifragile systems. I hope you are well and also full with plans for the new year, see you then and thanks for tuning in.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Saving character & evolution in balance - Maurice Berger & Raquel Medrano Clemente (388I trailer 3)
21 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in liveability as choices? What do you think about cultural evolution? How can we create a community of changemakers? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 388 - interview with Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective. We will talk about their vision for the future of cities, liveability, cultural evolution, human connection, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Culture evolves like language evolves - Maurice Berger & Raquel Medrano Clemente (388I trailer 2)
20 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in liveability as choices? What do you think about cultural evolution? How can we create a community of changemakers? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 388 - interview with Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective. We will talk about their vision for the future of cities, liveability, cultural evolution, human connection, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Liveability centred around choice - Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente (388I trailer 1)
19 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in liveability as choices? What do you think about cultural evolution? How can we create a community of changemakers? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 388 - interview with Maurice Berger and Raquel Medrano Clemente, co-founders of Liveable Cities Collective. We will talk about their vision for the future of cities, liveability, cultural evolution, human connection, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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386I_Niklas Anzinger, Founder & CEO of Infinita City, General Partner of Infinita VC
17 december 2025 · 51 min
"My take on the future of cities that it's not the physical part that needs innovation ... what we hasn't figured out in the governance part." Lees meer
Are you interested in service-based governance? What do you think about governance innovation? How can we create more autonomous cities?
Interview with Niklas Anzinger, Founder & CEO of Infinita City, General Partner of Infinita VC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, difference between governance and government, autonomous cities, people voting with their feet, and many more.
Niklas Anzinger is the Founder & CEO of Infinita City and General Partner at Infinita VC. Based in Próspera, Honduras, he is building a network of hubs for longevity biotech acceleration. Infinita hosts startup competitions (e.g. BioHub), events (e.g. the upcoming Infinite Games 2026) and works with policymakers on enabling legislation like Montana's recent SB 535 right-to-try law.
Find out more about Niklas through these links:
Niklas Anzinger on LinkedIn
@NiklasAnzinger as Niklas Anzinger on X
@niklasanzinger as Niklas Anzinger on Instagram
Infinita City website
Infinita City on LinkedIn
@infinitacity as Infinita City on X
@infinita.city as Infinita City on Instagram
Infinita City on Youtube
Infinite Games 2026 website
Stranded Technologies Podcast on Linkedin
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.030 - Interview with Ville Sirviö about Estonia's e-governance
No.090 - Interview with Matthew McCartney about the connection between cities and economics
No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about Prospera Honduras
No.395R - The Honduran ZEDE law, from ideation to action
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.
I hope this was an interestin…
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Human nature and innovation - Niklas Anzinger (386I trailer 3)
16 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in service-based governance? What do you think about governance innovation? How can we create more autonomous cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 386 - interview with Niklas Anzinger, Founder & CEO of Infinita City, General Partner of Infinita VC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, difference between governance and government, autonomous cities, people voting with their feet, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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385R_The Honduran ZEDE Law, from ideation to action
15 december 2025 · 18 min
Are you interested in new forms of governance? Lees meer
Debate of the article titled The Honduran ZEDE Law, from ideation to action from 2021, by Jeffrey Mason, Carl Peterson, and Daniela Ivette Cano, published in the Journal of Special Jurisdictions.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Niklas Anzinger in episode 386 talking about the opportunities in the Prospera Honduras governance experiment.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how new forms of governance in special economic zones could work. This article presents the legal framework for the Honduran special economic zone, highlighting and contrasting economic and governance models within this innovative legal framework.
Find the article through this link.
Abstract: Honduras has struggled to attract the investment needed to spur sustained economic growth in recent decades, and as a result remains one of the poorest countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. To attract greater foreign investment, the Honduran government passed a groundbreaking special economic zone (SEZ) law in 2012 creating Zonas de Empleo y Desarrollo Económico (Zones for Employment and Economic Development) or ZEDEs. Among the most innovative special jurisdictions in the world, ZEDEs grant sweeping legal and regulatory autonomy to allow for improved governance and economic competitiveness, in order to attract greater investment in Honduras. In this paper, we detail the political and legislative history of the ZEDE law, offer a textual analysis of the ZEDE statute, discuss the principal objections to the ZEDE law and responses to those objections, and provide case studies of the first two ZEDEs.
Connecting episodes:
No.293R - Rethinking the governance of urban infrastructural transformations: a synthesis of emerging approaches
No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about Prospera Honduras
You can find the transcript through thi…
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Governance services form a monopoly or the market - Niklas Anzinger (386I trailer 2)
14 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in service-based governance? What do you think about governance innovation? How can we create more autonomous cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 386 - interview with Niklas Anzinger, Founder & CEO of Infinita City, General Partner of Infinita VC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, difference between governance and government, autonomous cities, people voting with their feet, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Cities as economic actors in competition - Niklas Anzinger (386I trailer 1)
13 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in service-based governance? What do you think about governance innovation? How can we create more autonomous cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 386 - interview with Niklas Anzinger, Founder & CEO of Infinita City, General Partner of Infinita VC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, difference between governance and government, autonomous cities, people voting with their feet, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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384I_Rutger de Graaf, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue21 Group
10 december 2025 · 40 min
"The water [and floating cities] are an opportunity to break through the past lock-ins [traditional infrastructure]." Lees meer
Are you interested in floating cities? What do you think about the symbiosis between floating and coastal cities? How can we enhance affordability with floating cities?
Interview with Rutger de Graaf, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue21 Group. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, floating cities, affordability, permitting, industry opportunities in floating cities, and many more.
Rutger de Graaf envisions cities rising with the water, turning climate threats into opportunities for resilient, regenerative floating communities. With 20 years of experience, he leads Blue21 for project delivery, Blue Revolution Foundation for global awareness, and Floating Future for applied research - including the world's largest program on floating solutions with 44 partners and €5.3M funding. He designs and delivers iconic projects like floating pavilions in Rotterdam and housing in Delft, while advising Dutch governments and international clients. Bridging ecology, policy, technology, and business, Rutger ensures solutions are technically robust, socially resilient, and environmentally regenerative.
Learn more about Rutger de Graaf through these links:
Rutger de Graaf on LinkedIn
@degraaf_e as Rutger de Graaf on X
Rutger de Graaf on Google Scholar
Blue21 website
Blue21 on LinkedIn
@Blue21Float as Blue21 on X
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.190 - Interview with Adrian McGregor about cities being part of nature
No.214 - Interview with Anders Sandberg about consecutive disasters
No.314 - Interview with Andrew Vass about nuclear power
No.383R - Potential floating urban development for coastal cities
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com web…
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Why floating cities provide new economic opportunities - Rutger de Graaf (384I trailer 3)
9 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in floating cities? What do you think about the symbiosis between floating and coastal cities? How can we enhance affordability with floating cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 384 - interview with Rutger de Graaf, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue21 Group. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, floating cities, affordability, permitting, industry opportunities in floating cities, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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383R_Potential floating urban development for coastal cities (research debate)
8 december 2025 · 15 min
Are you interested in floating cities and communities? Lees meer
Debate of the article titled Potential of floating urban development for coastal cities: Analysis of flood risk and population growth from 2019, by B. Dal Bo Zanon, B. Roeffen, K. M. Czapiewska & R. E. de Graaf-van Dinther, published in the WCFS2019 Proceedings of the World Conference on Floating Solutions.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Rutger de Graaf in episode 384 talking about floating cities and communities.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how floating cities can enhance opportunities for coastal cities. This article proposes a multi-criteria analysis to identify best locations for floating cities and implementation strategies.
Find the article through this link.
Abstract: Population growth and urbanization mainly take place in vulnerable coastal areas. This article presents a global overview of these areas with both rapid population growth and high flood risk, in order to identify coastal areas that could benefit most from floating urban development. The analysis focuses on port cities, since they are coastal cities that have both availability of locations and the required expertise (e.g. maritime industry and services) to enable floating developments. After identifying the most promising locations, an implementation strategy is discussed, which favours areas where floating projects are already present to start testing medium and large-scale concepts. Next, a large scale floating maritime spatial project is presented, which integrates urban and ecosystem development with food and energy production in the North Sea. This plan provides a spatial concept for floating urban expansion in front of the coast of the Netherlands.
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.023R - Smart cities and disaster resilience
No.282 - Interview with Keygan Huckleberry about disaster resilience planning
You can find the transcr…
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Symbiosis between coastal and floating cities - Rutger de Graaf (384I trailer 2)
7 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in floating cities? What do you think about the symbiosis between floating and coastal cities? How can we enhance affordability with floating cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 384 - interview with Rutger de Graaf, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue21 Group. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, floating cities, affordability, permitting, industry opportunities in floating cities, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Floating cities changing traditional urban approach - Rutger de Graaf (384I trailer 1)
6 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in floating cities? What do you think about the symbiosis between floating and coastal cities? How can we enhance affordability with floating cities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 384 - interview with Rutger de Graaf, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue21 Group. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, floating cities, affordability, permitting, industry opportunities in floating cities, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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382I_Carolyn Whitzman, Adjunct Professor and Housing Researcher at the University of Toronto School of Cities
3 december 2025 · 43 min
"At its best, cities offer the opportunity to be your best authentic self." Lees meer
Are you interested in thriving historical neighbourhoods to learn from? What do you think about looking into other people’s homes through the window? How can we learn and apply what works for communities?
Interview with Carolyn Whitzman, Adjunct Professor and Housing Researcher at the University of Toronto School of Cities. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, feminism, curiosity, learning from historical evidence, and many more.
Dr Carolyn Whitzman is a leading housing and social policy researcher. She advised UBC’s Housing Assessment Resource Tools (HART) project, creating open-data best practices for analysing housing need, repurposing public land for non-market housing, and property acquisition - tools that shaped federal policy. Now a senior researcher at University of Toronto’s School of Cities, she examines land policy, financing, and construction to scale affordable housing. Author of six books, including Home truths: Fixing Canada’s housing crisis (2024) and Clara at the door with a revolver (2023), plus 80+ chapters, articles, and reports on the right to the city. She advises governments, UN Habitat, UN Women, and organisations, and comments frequently in the media.
Find out more about Carolyn through these links:
Carolyn Whitzman on LinkedIn
Carolyn Whitzman at the University of Toronto School of Cities
Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisis - book by Carolyn Whitzman
Clara at the Door with a Revolver - book by Carolyn Whitzman
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.340 - Interview with Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin about the city as a learning machine for kids
No.381R - Directions for new urban neighbourhoods: Learning from St. Lawrence
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com…
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How to learn from examples to improve places for communities - Carolyn Whitzman (382I trailer 3)
2 december 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in thriving historical neighbourhoods to learn from? What do you think about looking into other people’s homes through the window? How can we learn and apply what works for communities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 382 - interview with Carolyn Whitzman, Adjunct Professor and Housing Researcher at the University of Toronto School of Cities. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, feminism, curiosity, learning from historical evidence, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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381R_Directions for new urban neighbourhoods: Learning from St. Lawrence (research debate)
1 december 2025 · 13 min
Are you interested in creating mixed-housing communities? Lees meer
Debate of the article titled Directions for new urban neighbourhoods: Learning from St. Lawrence, by Joseph DeLeo and David L.A. Gordon, published Canadian Institute of Planners and Association of Canadian University Planning Programs Case Study Series.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Carolyn Whitzman in episode 382 talking about the opportunities in mixed housing and communities in St Lawrence.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see an example of mixed-housing communities and its context. This article presents the key elements of the neighbourhood, establishing its future success, such as finances, political context, and design principles.
Find the article through this link.
Connected episodes you might be interested in:
No.096 - Interview with Chris Maher about mixing and matching housing
No.245R - Urban Resilience: Bridging the Gap Where Cities and Towns Embrace Abundance
No.302 - Interview with Darren Murphy about moving away from homogenous models
You can find the transcript through this link.
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.
I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm …
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Learning from historical examples for better future for cities - Carolyn Whitzman (382I trailer 2)
30 november 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in thriving historical neighbourhoods to learn from? What do you think about looking into other people’s homes through the window? How can we learn and apply what works for communities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 382 - interview with Carolyn Whitzman, Adjunct Professor and Housing Researcher at the University of Toronto School of Cities. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, feminism, curiosity, learning from historical evidence, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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Why curiosity is crucial for the future of cities? - Carolyn Whitzman (382I trailer 1)
29 november 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in thriving historical neighbourhoods to learn from? What do you think about looking into other people’s homes through the window? How can we learn and apply what works for communities? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 382 - interview with Carolyn Whitzman, Adjunct Professor and Housing Researcher at the University of Toronto School of Cities. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, feminism, curiosity, learning from historical evidence, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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380I_Adam Miller, founder of MIDAO
26 november 2025 · 58 min
"The biggest opportunity [in cities] is to give back more control over more things to smaller groups of people." Lees meer
Are you interested in decentralised autonomous organisations? What do you think about technologies which enhance governance transparency? How can we involve more people in governance?
Interview with Adam Miller, founder of MIDAO. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, transparency and accountability, information environments, and many more.
Adam Miller is a forward-thinking leader in decentralized governance and emerging technologies. As founder of MIDAO, he enables Web3 and AI projects including Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) to incorporate in the Marshall Islands - the only jurisdiction that explicitly recognises their unique structure while providing limited liability to members. Formerly, he offered expert consulting on tech stack selection, launch, and operations for DAOs of all scales. Previously, he researched emerging technologies at Capital Group and co-led the EDGE-TREx IT rotation program. An active investor, start-up founder, and non-profit board member, Adam is dedicated to driving positive global change.
Find out more about Adam through these links:
Adam Miller on LinkedIn
@0xThriller as Adam Miller on X
Adam Miller's presentation at The Network State Conference
MIDAO website
MIDAO on LinkedIn
@MIDAODS as MIDAO on X
Connecting episodes you might be interested in:
No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about technology as applied knowledge
No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about Prospera Honduras
No.370 - Interview with Vít Jedlicka about Liberland
No.379R - Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) Adoption for Smart City Governance
What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the …
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People choosing DAOs and cities based on their preferences - Adam Miller (380I trailer 3)
25 november 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in decentralised autonomous organisations? What do you think about technologies which enhance governance transparency? How can we involve more people in governance? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 380 - interview with Adam Miller, founder of MIDAO. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, transparency and accountability, information environments, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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379R_Decentralized Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) adoption for smart city governance (research debate)
24 november 2025 · 15 min
Are you interested in decentralised autonomous organisations, also known as DAOs? Lees meer
Debate of the book chapter titled Decentralized Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) adoption for smart city governance from 2025, by Aiman Erbad, published in the Blockchain and Applications, 6th International Congress book.
This is a great preparation to our next interview with Adam Miller in episode 370 talking about DAOs and their connection to the future of cities.
Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how a new decentralised governance model can influence the future of cities. This chapter investigates how DAOs could address challenges in citizen participation and distributed decision-making in rapidly urbanising centres.
Find the article through this link.
Abstract: Cities are the foundation upon which civilization is built, but their large population concentrations present significant challenges in terms of economic, environmental, and social resilience. One promising approach to address these challenges is the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) based on the smart city concept. To effectively implement smart city initiatives, it is essential to foster active participation from both public and private actors in the rapid urbanization process. This study focuses on the governance of smart cities, specifically addressing issues of participation and distributed decision-making using the lessons of Web 3.0 online communities. Our goal is to understand the potential challenges and opportunities of adopting blockchain-based decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) for smart city governance. A DAO is a form of organization represented by rules encoded as computer programs called smart contracts that are transparent, controlled by the organization members and not influenced by a central authority. We employ a qualitative research methodology using an inductive approach to explore DAO adoption with experts.…
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Transparency in DAOs with technology - Adam Miller (380I trailer 2)
22 november 2025 · 2 min
Are you interested in decentralised autonomous organisations? What do you think about technologies which enhance governance transparency? How can we involve more people in governance? Lees meer
Trailer for episode 380 - interview with Adam Miller, founder of MIDAO. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, decentralised governance, transparency and accountability, information environments, and many more.
Find out more in the episode.
Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).
Music by Lesfm from Pixabay