Episode #4
S3E4: Exploring the Singularity through the eyes of geopolitical strategist and angel investor, Taufiq Rahim
A conversation with Taufiq Rahim is a free trip around the world, into the past and into the future. His extensive knowledge of geopolitics is shaped not only by his studies, but also his direct, first-hand experience living and working everywhere from Vancouver to Tajikistan promoting U.S. democracy and supporting revolutions. He’s seen enough to feel confident in proclaiming that 2040 will be the year that technology, sovereignty, and geopolitics converge in a global shift that’s been decades in the making. Taufiq’s life arc gives him a unique view of the world in terms of where there might be opportunity that VCs overlook. His work today centers around this idea that 2040 will be a moment of convergence/singularity, and not just in AI (and we think that will probably come sooner), but in the sense of where global powers are converging given the nature of sovereignty. From his point of view, the singularity is not happening in a vacuum with only technology and AI. He sees 2040 as a major point of convergence in tech and simultaneously sovereignty and geopolitics. His angel investments are a reflection of his world view: they are international, they distribute power and resources, they play into demographic shifts, and they increase access in global markets. Sanctuary AI , Vancouver-based, physical AI for general purpose robots, Responsive , Vancouver-based hybrid wealth advisor for banks and private banks, Kavaken , Turkey-based, AI-powered wind energy solution, BytesBoost , vertical LLM solution, Raptor Games , Pakistan’s first hyperlocal gaming and esports ecosystem. Shovels AI , platform for construction. And while Taufiq spends most of his time seeking the truth about the world and sharing it on his news site he’s also in the throes of building an AI-powered news tool. I am personally excited to beta test it! Highlights: As AI’s role in society replaces labor, countries with direct access to reliable resources to power AI becomes even more critical. Power through capital only is not enough to drive economic growth. As Taufiq calls it, “hard power” the combination of capital and sovereign access to resources is a more complete view of where power will reside geopolitically to support growth. As demographics shift globally, some countries will reach a population drop by 2040 while others will open up and “Middle Earth,” which he defines as the area between Morocco and India, more often overlooked, is expected to be a fragmented and growing market of consumer, innovation and enterprise opportunity. Even as immigration to the U.S. becomes more complex, chaotic and uncertain, we expect immigration-based innovation to continue. The combination of America’s established capital markets, culture of risk taking and access to risk capital together keep the country’s edge and preference for high-growth, venture backed founders 00:00 — Taufiq Rahim’s Background & Worldview 10:24 — The Changing Global Order 24:48 — Money, Hard Power & America’s Future 32:15 — Gulf Wealth, Silicon Valley & Global Investing 38:42 — Immigration, Global Talent & Advice for Founders
