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, May 13, 2026
civics
Can Civic Education Be Liberal?
The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts "Can Civic Education be Liberal?" with Melinda Zook, Joseph Knippenberg, Benjamin Storey, and Dan… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The Peril And Promise Of Local Journalism In American Democracy
You are cordially invited to join the Hoover Institution Center for Revitalizing American Institutions on Thursday, May 14, from 4:00 to 4:50 PM PT… Hauck Auditorium, David and Joan Traitel Building, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
taiwan
Taiwanese Support for Self-Defense
The Hoover Institution Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region invites you to Taiwanese Support for Self-Defense on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 from 1:30-3:00 pm… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
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