GUEST SPEAKER
Peter Thiel 

ISSUES DISCUSSED
Peter Thiel spoke about the basic principles that underlie innovative products and startup firms, using examples from his own experience starting up firms such as Paypal and Palantir. 
He  emphasized the importance of creating a firm or product with characteristics of monopoly, and contrasted that idea with the distinction between monopoly and competition taught in economics. He also spoke more broadly about the future of technology and its impact on economic growth in developed countries. He answered questions about his ideas applied to clean-tech and ed-tech firms. 

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
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2026 West Coast Summit: Missions, Machines, & Mutual Trust in the AI Age
The Hoover Institution and the U.S.-India Business Council invite you to attend 2026 West Coast Summit: Missions, Machines, & Mutual Trust in the…
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Ideas Uncorked | China After Communism: Preparing for What Comes Next
Ideas Uncorked | China After Communism: Preparing For What Comes Next
The Hoover Institution in DC hosts Ideas Uncorked: China After Communism: Preparing For What Comes Next on Wednesday, October 14 from 5:00-6:30 pm ET… Hoover Institution in DC
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 3:00 PM PT
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The American Presidency: A 250 Year Perspective
The Hoover Institution brings together historians Niall Ferguson and David M. Kennedy to examine today’s presidency through the long lens of American… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
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