The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner
Bell Labs was one of a kind organisation that launched the information age. Developed as an organisation that helped solve problems that AT&T faced such as; How do we keep telephone poles from rotting? What kind of insulation would ensure that the telephone wires don’t need a constant replacement? They focused on science rather than just engineering. The focus on basics divorced from the need to think about commercial viability ultimately delivered. Radar, Transistor, Unix, C, Laser, fibre optics and many more innovations came out of the labs. This book chronicles the rise and fall of the organisation.
This book was recommended to me by Dr Balachandran A. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book.
Dr Balachandran A is the General Manager of the Vellore Institute of Technology - Technology Business Incubator (VIT-TBI). He has been running the incubator for the past 20 years. VIT-TBI was one of the first incubators under the TBI program of the Department of Science and Technology. He has had a front-row seat to watch the startup and innovation ecosystem evolve in India.
I spoke to him about the things I read in the book and sought his perspectives around innovation development from an Indian context.
Since he runs an incubator, he is constantly thinking about ways of improving the emergence of innovation and nurturing them. He has been active in Industry, Academia and Government initiatives and brings a unique perspective. I hoped to capture the same in this podcast.
Also, listen to it on:
Spotify -
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/learning-by-proxy-by-vivek-srinivasan/id1549224213
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=602202
Podbean - https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/388bp-19237b/Learning-by-Proxy-by-Vivek-Srinivasan-Podcast
Philanthropy | Podcast
Techocalypse | Podcast
Taxing the Rich | Podcast
Accessibility - A Podcast with Thomas Logan
Crypto Policy | Podcast
Small Oil | Podcast
Carbon Markets | Podcast
Dark Patterns | Podcast
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Insult to Injury
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Dead Meat
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Mutation Vs Mute Nation
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Tracking Behaviour
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Indecent Exposure
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Chipping Away
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Covid Returns
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Fearing Innovation
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | NFT
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | Under-Currents
Co-Working in India | Podcast with Yatin Thakur
Learning by Proxy | Podcast | The name is Bond
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
U.S Property Podcast
Aligned Money Show
Gorse Culture PODcast : The H.R. Detective Agency!
The Ramsey Show
Planet Money