Network Capital

Space is back at the centre of economic and geopolitical conversations. Over the past few years, SpaceX has become one of the most important technology companies in the world, Starlink has reached millions of users, and Starship has opened a new debate about what becomes possible next.In this episode, Dhruva speaks with Utkarsh and takes a slightly different approach from the podcast’s usual debate format. Rather than arguing a position, Dhruva plays the role of an interested sceptic and asks questions to explore one central idea: are we at the beginning of a new era in the space economy?The conversation begins with why space is suddenly attracting so much attention again. It then turns to SpaceX and the economics of access to space, asking what bottlenecks have existed in the past and what new technologies are making possible now. From there, the discussion widens to the business model of space itself, including three possible paths for the sector: colonising space, using space as a resource, and generating technological spillovers that create value on Earth.The episode also explores the geopolitical question, including the relationship between private companies and governments, and the risks that come with an increasingly strategic space domain. It closes with a broader historical question about what would need to happen for us to say that SpaceX truly changed the course of history.

Once, politics was something you debated and moved on from. Today, it can redraw the boundaries of who we call a friend. In this episode of Arguable, we ask a question that’s become uncomfortably common: when someone you care about stands for ideas you find intolerable, should you preserve the relationship or protect your principles?We explore how political identity has evolved into moral identity, how social media turns differences into declarations, and why disagreement now feels like disloyalty.Is friendship about shared values or shared history? Can empathy coexist with conviction?

The U.S. H-1B lottery just ended, and thousands of ambitious professionals are asking themselves the same question: is chasing a global career still worth it?Immigration rules are tightening, borders are harder to cross, and belonging feels more elusive than ever.In this episode, we think through the promise and pitfalls of building a life across countries. We’ll talk about the upside - bigger markets, faster growth, new horizons, and the downside - visa anxiety, dislocation, and the quiet ache of distance.Harvard Business School graduate Abhilasha Sinha shares her reflections and mental models about • Where you build your career, and how much of yourself you lose or find in the process. • Does living “between worlds” expand us, or does it fracture us?• What does success look like when the passport is as important as the résumé?• Is a global career still a realistic ambition?

Previously a Fulbright Scholar, Fox International Fellow and Teaching Fellow at Yale, Gul has also been a Lead for the Digital Transformation of Industries at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, and an Expert on Higher Education, Entrepreneurship, and Industrial Policy at the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in Vienna. His book The New Geography of Innovation won the Financial Times/McKinsey Bracken Bower Prize for writers under 35. In this episode you will learnHow the geography of innovation is shifting and what it means for the new world order The art of connecting innovation, geography, and ambition with the help of illustrative case studiesHow to write a deeply-researched book

This episode explores whether the modern millennial’s embrace of stoicism, rigorous health routines, and padel reflects a genuine search for meaning or a set of coping mechanisms that ultimately fall short. Has the rise of self-discipline and structured lifestyles created a more resilient generation, or has it led to a quiet sense of emptiness masked by routine?We examine the social and psychological roots of these trends, asking whether the appeal of ancient philosophy, physical optimisation, and curated leisure is a response to instability or a retreat from vulnerability and connection.

Urvashi Prasad has spent the last 15 years trying to make the world a kinder, fairer, and better place through her policy-based interventions in heathcare. Armed with degrees from Cambridge and LSTH, she worked as a director at NITI Aayog, and was awarded the India-UK Achievers Award. In addition to sharing principles and frameworks for building meaningful careers in public policy, Urvashi opens up about losing her beloved father and being diagnosed with cancer soon after. We admire her resilience and are proud to share her story with you. Here you will learnHow governments attempt to address systemic challenges in sectors like healthcareHow young professionals can carve out interesting and impactful careers in public policy How to make sense of life when you lose your beloved parent and are diagnosed with cancerUrvashi Prasad is a public health and policy advisor with over 15 years of leadership across government, academia, and grassroots innovation. As Director in the Office of the Vice Chairperson at NITI Aayog, India’s apex policy think tank, she helped shape the country’s COVID-19 response strategy, monitor Sustainable Development Goals in real time, and spearhead national programs advancing public health, gender equity, and social inclusion.A co-author of India’s first Voluntary National Review presented at the UN High-Level Political Forum in 2017, Urvashi’s policy insights have been featured in 150+ publications globally. She is also the British Council’s UK Alumni Ambassador for SDG 10, an Honorary Professor at De Montfort University, UK, and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network. Her accolades include the India-UK Achievers Honors and recognition among India's most influential women. In 2023, she founded Spcace by Urvashi, a pioneering platform amplifying patient voices.Diagnosed with Stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer at age 35, Urvashi now brings lived experience to the policy table --challenging invisibility in cancer discourse and driving recognition of under-researched malignancies in young adults. Her advocacy bridges science, storytelling, and systemic reform.She holds a master’s in public health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, an MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise from Cambridge University, and a Bachelor's in Biological Sciences (Genetics) from the University of Birmingham, UK. In 2024, Urvashi received an honorary doctorate for her work in public health and policy.

What kind of economy does India need—not just to grow, but to serve its people with dignity and purpose? In this episode, we speak with Arun Maira, former Member of India’s Planning Commission, Chairman of BCG India, and author of Reimagining India’s Economy: An Inquiry into the Real Costs of Economic Growth.Tracing his journey from Tata Motors to the highest levels of government, Maira reflects on what it takes to transform systems—both economic and institutional. He shares lessons from his work on industrial policy, capability-building, and ethical leadership, and calls for a bold shift away from GDP obsession toward a model grounded in inclusion, learning, and care.We discuss: • Why India is at a moral and economic crossroads • What a “learning economy” looks like in practice • How to design jobs-led growth that restores dignity to work • Why systems thinking and listening must be central to leadership todayA compelling conversation with one of India’s most original thinkers on development, purpose, and how to shape an economy that works for everyone.