Betting on America: Winning the Global Tech Race explores how new and emerging partnerships between government and business are shaping the future of U.S. industrialization and the country’s prospects for winning the global tech race. Betting on America will dive into strategies and investments that government and business are pursuing together – sharing risks and generating returns – as they bet on the innovation, commercialization, and scaling of critical and emerging technologies across the country. These include climate technologies, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, bio technologies, and more. The podcast will feature in-depth discussions with policymakers, experts, and industry leaders on the most complex policy questions of the day. Hosted by Navin Girishankar, President, CSIS Economic Security & Technology Department

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a leading voice on U.S. competition with China, joins Navin Girishankar on this episode of Betting on America to discuss strategies and policies–from strategic investment, workforce, and export controls–that the U.S. needs to take the pole position across advanced technologies. Congressman Krishnamoorthi discusses Illinois efforts to become a global leader on quantum technologies.

Senator Todd Young (R-IN), a national champion of U.S. technology leadership in the global competition with China, joins Navin Girishankar on the Economic Security and Technology Department’s new series: Betting on America. Girishankar and Senator Young discuss a ‘tech power playbook’ for the United States including investments in chipmaking and biotech, tech diplomacy abroad, and the importance of investing in basic research. 

Mike Brown, Partner at Shield Capital and former Director of the Defense Innovation unit, joined Navin Girishankar on this episode of Betting on America to explore the role of venture capital in growing our technological and industrial base, and ensuring our economic security.

Dr. Michelle Rozo, Vice Chair on the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the findings from the Commission’s report to Congress. Tune in for an eye-opening conversation on how the biotechnology revolution will change our economy, society, and national security - and the key strategies to counter China's emerging dominance in biotechnology.   A video recording of this podcast episode is available to watch here.

Randall Woodfin, mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, will join Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss how the city of Birmingham has emerged as a leading hub for U.S. biotechnology innovation by leveraging its strengths in biodata and public-private partnerships -- advancing U.S. competitiveness vis-à-vis China. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Mayor Tyler Moore of Kokomo, Indiana joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss how the city of Kokomo attracted Korean investment to establish components of the EV battery value chain. Tune into this episode for a fascinating conversation on how public investments, public-private partnerships, and cultural outreach have allowed this partnership to thrive.  This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Matthew Borman joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the evolution of U.S. export controls as a key economic security tool and their effectiveness at securing innovative and sensitive technologies. Matt is a non-resident Senior Technical Expert at CSIS and served as principal deputy assistant secretary for strategic trade and technology security and deputy assistant secretary for export administration at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security for more than 20 years.

President Thomas Rosenbaum of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to explore why scientific research at U.S. universities is a bedrock of American exceptionalism. Join us for a conversation on how universities can encourage the next generation of researchers, foster scientific breakthroughs, and translate them into real-world applications.

President Paul Alivisatos of the University of Chicago joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the role of universities in the U.S. science, technology, and innovation ecosystem. Tune into this episode for a conversation about how universities power America’s technology future, from basic research to technology commercialization.  This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Brad Smith, CSIS Trustee and Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, joins Navin Girishankar's Betting on America to share his thoughts on "The Golden Opportunity for American AI."  Brad discusses the responsibility of technologists, the potential for AI diffusion across the economy, the role of export controls, and the U.S. AI offer to the Global South.

Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank, joins Navin Girishankar for a wide-ranging conversation on global growth prospects as well as challenges and opportunities for developing countries. Indermit shared his insights on the causes of persistent trade imbalances, the role of international financial institutions, economic reforms amid rising populism, as well as the potential for technology to drive U.S. exports while spurring growth in the Global South.

Betting on America welcomes Carol Tomé, Chief Executive Officer of UPS. With over half a million employees operating in more than 200 countries, UPS sits at the center of a global economy transformed by pandemic shocks, trade wars, and technological revolutions. Navin Girishankar and Tomé explore how AI, robotics, and data are redefining logistics—from time-critical networks to the delivery of vital medicines—and how UPS’s expanding role in healthcare supply chains is becoming a core part of the U.S. technology offer to the Global South. Tomé shares hard-won leadership lessons on running at scale, building resilience, and turning supply chains into engines of opportunity.

LTG (ret.) H.R. McMaster, former U.S. National Security Advisor and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, joins Navin Girishankar for a wide-ranging discussion on the current state of U.S. economic security policy. They discuss the economic and technology competition with China, the U.S. offer to the Global South, and the role of 'patriot investors' in driving American innovation across advanced technologies. They also consider the challenge that political polarization poses to American economic statecraft.

Scott Nolan, Founder & CEO of General Matter and Partner at Founders Fund, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to chart America’s nuclear fuel comeback. He breaks down General Matter’s partnership with the Department of Energy to restart uranium enrichment in Paducah, KY, why securing fuel for the nation’s nuclear fleet is a strategic imperative, and how public–private collaboration is essential to tackling America’s biggest economic and national security challenges. Nolan also shares lessons from his journey as a founder and investor.

This special episode of Betting on America features a recent live CSIS event with Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in conversation with Gregory C. Allen, Senior Advisor with the Wadhwani AI Center. Director Kratsios discusses the goals of the White House's newly released AI Action Plan along with the administration's plans for AI infrastructure, export controls, workforce, export promotion, national security, and more.

A special episode of Betting on America features a recent live CSIS event with Jarrod Agen, Executive Director of the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council, and Joseph Majkut, Director of the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program. Tune in for a conversation on how the United States can build the energy backbone to meet its industrial and technology demands—with speed and predictability.

Blake Scholl, Founder & CEO of Boom Supersonic, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to explore how innovations in advanced manufacturing and software as well as government policies are creating opportunities for the United States to once again push the frontier of commercial aviation. They also discuss the race with China to build supersonic jets, the impact of tariffs and deregulation on U.S. tech and manufacturing competitiveness, and whether supersonic travel can truly scale—commercially and globally.

David Beasley, former South Carolina governor and former executive director of the World Food Programme, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to share lessons on U.S. global leadership for a new era of economic security. They discuss his experience leading the WFP and negotiating in conflict zones, along with his views on the role of the U.S. private sector in the Global South, addressing domestic inequality, and competing with China on values. 

Join us for a special episode of Betting on America from a recent live CSIS event featuring Dr. Mark Calabria, Chief Statistician of the United States, alongside leading experts from government, industry, and the research community. The discussion examines what it will take to build a modern statistical system—one that is accurate, credible, and capable of supporting America’s economic security in a more competitive and fast-moving world. Watch the full event here.

David Ulevitch, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the American Dynamism Fund and the growing trend of national interest investing. They discuss how these venture investors are looking for returns in sectors that will drive U.S. competitiveness and national security. Ulevitch shares his views on the U.S.-China technology competition and the feasibility of a sovereign wealth fund.  

Henry McVey, Partner, Head of Global Macro & Asset Allocation, and Chief Investment Officer of KKR’s Balance Sheet, KKR, and CSIS Board Member, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to explore the role of resilience driving policy and markets, what he calls “the security of everything.” They also discuss the evolving role of the state, the impact of AI on productivity, and stablecoins.   See more research from Henry McVey and KKR here: All macro content: https://www.kkr.com/insights#categoryTagId=insights-categories:macro-insights Thoughts from the Road Europe: https://www.kkr.com/insights/2025-europe-thoughts-from-the-road Midyear Outlook: https://www.kkr.com/insights/mid-year-update-2025

With over 1 billion subscribers across more than 200 countries, LinkedIn provides a unique, real-time perspective on jobs, skills, and AI adoption. Navin Girishankar and Karin Kimbrough explore how the AI revolution is impacting small businesses and the global market for talent. Karin shares insights from LinkedIn’s research on how AI is impacting companies and workers. She also discusses how private-sector data can complement federal economic statistics to provide a rich picture of the global talent market and the future of work.

Paul Ryan, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America for a wide-ranging conversation on the big forces shaping politics and policy—competing populisms, U.S. trade policy and its discontents, out-of-control fiscal deficits, the future of the U.S. dollar, and the tech race with China. Speaker Ryan shares his thoughts not only on the challenges but also on potential solutions to set the United States on a forward path to shared prosperity.

Jan Sramek, CEO of California Forever, joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss how his company is reimagining the American city, how the U.S. can rediscover its ability to build, and why it is vital for U.S. economic security. In this conversation, they explore what it takes to build a city from scratch, and how government, business, and labor can work together to build the factories of the future.

Join us for a special episode of Betting on America from a recent live CSIS event featuring Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator Todd Young (R-NC), discussing what it will take to secure U.S. technology leadership in the long-term competition with China. The discussion highlights bipartisan priorities for strengthening critical supply chains, accelerating innovation, and building resilient ecosystems in an era of strategic rivalry. The event also marked the launch of the Tech Edge Report—a flagship publication from CSIS’s Economic Security and Technology Department. The report introduces a new framework for assessing U.S. and Chinese technology ecosystems and kicks-off a multi-year research effort to inform and shape policy on the drivers of long-term advantage in the U.S.-China technology competition.

Join us for a special episode of Betting on America, recorded live at the 42nd Annual National Association for Business Economics Policy Conference. Navin joins the panel, “Industrial Policy and Economic Security: Confronting the China Challenge,” alongside Oliver Melton, Director of Rhodium Group’s China practice; Laura Taylor-Kale, Senior Fellow for Geoeconomics and Defense at the Council on Foreign Relations; Randall G. Schriver, Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; and Tani Fukui, Senior Director of Global Economics and Market Strategy at MetLife Investment Management, to discuss what it will take to secure U.S. leadership in the long-term competition with China. This event is made possible through support from the National Association for Business Economics.

Under Secretary Darío Gil joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the Genesis Mission—a Department of Energy–led initiative to build an AI-driven platform for accelerating scientific discovery. Under Secretary Gil outlines the Mission's integration of AI, supercomputing and quantum technologies for scientific exploration, alongside institutional innovations such as public-private partnerships and interagency coordination. He also addresses research security, allied collaboration, and the long-term vision to revitalize the U.S. science and technology enterprise.

Senator David McCormick (R-PA) joins Navin Girishankar on Betting on America to discuss the urgency of economic renewal in the face of myriad challenges to national power. In this wide‑ranging conversation, Senator McCormick discusses the AI revolution, U.S. trade policy, defense tech innovation, and workforce issues. He reflects on Pennsylvania’s experience and its potential to offer lessons for the country as a whole.

Co-founder and CEO of Form Energy, Mateo Jaramillo, joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the challenge of building long-duration energy storage from the ground up. He explores iron-air batteries as a scalable and bankable innovation, the precision manufacturing process required to bring this technology to market, and why West Virginia was the right place to build. He also reflects on the evolving role of government, the investor base backing the effort, and the lessons learned at the frontier of U.S. reindustrialization.

Join us for an episode of Betting on America, recorded at the CSIS Futures Summit. Navin Girishankar moderates the panel "U.S. Commercial Diplomacy Through the Lens of the Private Sector," joined by Cynthia Conner, Senior Manager for International Policy at Chevron; Nicole Issac, Vice President of Global Public Policy at Cisco; and Katherine F. Pickus, Chief Sustainability Officer at ADM. They discuss where U.S. commercial interests and countries’ development goals come together, the constraints U.S. companies face in emerging markets, what effective commercial diplomacy looks like, and why getting this right matters. 

Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) joins Navin Girishankar to discuss the importance of reviving economic alliances amid rising global threats. He explains the roots of today’s economic security challenges, as well as the dual goal of achieving balanced economic integration with countries like Japan, Korea, and India while rebuilding the U.S. domestic industrial base. He highlights his legislative efforts to strengthen critical minerals supply chain resilience through economic security pacts in the Global South. He also explores opportunities for AI in healthcare and emphasizes the need for all Americans to contribute to the nation’s economic security goals.