# “Innovation is a Process to Improve the Human Condition” with Travis Sheridan

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2020-01-13
- Length: 53m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Travis Sheridan, Chief Community Officer at Wexford Science & Technology and former President of Venture Café Global Institute, discusses his global work building innovation communities in cities like St. Louis, Tokyo, and Sydney. He argues that innovation must improve the human condition, criticizing the 'celebration of failure' as a privilege of venture-backed founders and advocating for inclusive ecosystems that address societal issues like literacy and housing. Sheridan shares lessons from various markets, noting how cultural norms in places like Rotterdam and Melbourne shape their startup scenes, and advises entrepreneurs to build supportive communities rather than isolating themselves.

## Chapters

- [0:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=50) Introduction and Venue: Scottish Arms
- [8:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=526) Travis Sheridan's Background and Early Entrepreneurship
- [10:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=630) Venture Café: Mission and Global Expansion
- [21:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=1296) Innovation, Failure, and Privilege in Startups
- [25:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=1506) Solving Societal Problems vs. First-World Convenience
- [30:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=1843) Cultural Lessons from Melbourne, Sydney, and Cape Verde
- [35:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=2144) Adapting Venture Café to Local Cultures (Rotterdam, Bilbao)
- [40:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=2423) Startup Scenes in Winston-Salem, Miami, and Australia
- [47:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-01-13-innovation-is-a-process-to-improve-the-human-condition-with-travis-sheridan#t=2831) St. Louis Recommendations and Conclusion

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Venture Café Global Institute (company)
- Wexford Science & Technology (company)
- Cortex District (other)
- Fairchild Semiconductor (company)
- MIT (company)
- Audible (other)
- Postmates (company)
- Uber (company)
- Answers.com (company)
- Guggenheim Museum (other)
- Bird and Barrel (other)
- Vici (other)
- Juniper (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [CES 2019 Special: Stas Gayshan, CIC-Boston](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston) (EE Times Current)
- [Live From HIBT Summit: Payal Kadakia, Tristan Walker, and Perry Chen on Innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-22-live-from-hibt-summit-payal-kadakia-tristan-walker-and-perry-chen-on-innovation) (How I Built This)
- [#052 - Student (hardware) entrepreneurship in Switzerland and worldwide, with Gregory Inauen of ETH Entrepreneur Club, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-04-11-052-student-hardware-entrepreneurship-in-switzerland-and-worldwide-with-gregory) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [S2E46 How To Build A Workplace People Love |  Rich Sheridan](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-10-29-s2e46-how-to-build-a-workplace-people-love-rich-sheridan) (Being an Engineer)
- [126: What Makes a Consumer Product Invention Great](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-05-25-126-what-makes-a-consumer-product-invention-great) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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