a16z Podcast

Mining the Data for Cobalt

Episode Summary

With increased demand for better batteries, cobalt has become one of the most important metals on the planet. Kobold Metals co-founder and CEO Kurt House, John Thompson of Cornell, and a16z general partner Connie Chan join Hanne Winarsky in discussing why this happened and how technology is rapidly changing the age-old mining industry.

Episode Notes

In this episode from July 2019, Kurt House, CEO and co-founder of Kobold Metals, John Thompson, professor of earth and geosciences at Cornell; and Connie Chan, a16z general partner for consumer, talk with editorial partner Hanne Winarsky about the way technology is transforming how we find cobalt, and the mining industry as a whole, as well as the science behind why cobalt is so critical for batteries, the data and knowledge behind mining today vs the past, and more.