WIRED25 Day 2: How to Build a More Resilient World

WIRED25 Day 2: How to Build a More Resilient World

On the second day of the WIRED25 three-part virtual speaker series, topics ranged from the disastrous effects of the Anthropocene to the importance of journalism in an authoritarian regime. Today’s premise: how to make our communities, systems, and planet more resilient.


Sarah Friar, the CEO of Nextdoor, kickstarted the discussions with an interview by Lauren Goode, a senior writer at WIRED and host of the Get WIRED podcast. As communities around the world suddenly faced Covid-19 lockdowns, Friar explained, Nextdoor was there to "cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbor to rely on.” The site, based in 268,000 neighborhoods in 11 countries, aims to foster trust and kindness among locals through user verification measures, promoting positive posts, and moderating heated debates. Even in the pre-pandemic world, the company’s research showed that loneliness plagues people around the globe and from every walk of life—a condition whose effects have been equated to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So while those living on opposite sides of a picket fence may not look or think the same, she explained, an outstretched hand during a time of crisis might just save a life. Empathy, above all, is key.

Arielle Pardes, a senior writer at WIRED, was then joined by venture capitalists Arlan Hamilton and Katie Rae. Hamilton is the founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, a fund designed to promote underrepresented innovators. Rae is the CEO and managing partner of the Engine, whose stated goal is to back founders with transformational tech requiring years of development.

When asked about the genesis of Backstage Capital, Hamilton responded, “90 percent of venture funding goes to straight, white men.” Where most p ..

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