Media Coverage
28 May 2010
‘These Problems Can Be Solved’
The word “polymath” was invented for a man like Nathan Myhrvold, who earned a Ph.D. in theoretical physics by age 23, studied with Stephen Hawking, made millions as Microsoft’s chief technology officer, and has lectured on topics as diverse as barbecuing and paleontology. Today he’s best known as a founder of Intellectual Ventures, a scientific think tank working on solutions to the world’s thorniest problems—including global warming. NEWSWEEK’s Fareed Zakaria spoke with him about alternative energy and geoengineering.
20 December 2009
Solving Global Warming with Nathan Myhrvold - Transcript
We have a fascinating show for you today, a conversation with an extraordinary man about an important topic. I'm speaking with Nathan Myhrvold about his revolutionary idea to solve global warming.
28 January 2009
Inventing the future
Nathan Myhrvold *83 has one of the premier résumés of the digital age. He didn’t merely work in software; he founded Microsoft Research and spent 13 years as an all-purpose sage and eccentric genius at the side of Bill Gates.
16 September 2008
Transcript: Myhrvold of Intellectual Ventures
WSJ's Amol Sharma sat down with Nathan Myhrvold, founder and CEO of Intellectual Ventures, at his Bellevue, Wash., headquarters. They discussed going to court to enforce patents, targeting the company's own investors for patent infringement and the return curve on nuclear reactor technology.
26 August 2008
With Intellectual Ventures, Nathan Myhrvold Out to Create “Invention Capital” Industry—and Stop Hurricanes, Malaria, and Global Warming in the Process (Part 2)
Yesterday, we ran the first half of a sit-down interview with Nathan Myhrvold, cofounder and CEO of Intellectual Ventures, the Bellevue, WA-based invention laboratory and investment firm. Myhrvold, the former CTO of Microsoft (and an Xconomist), placed his current company’s goals in the context of venture capital and private equity, arguing that there is a real need to create what he calls an “invention capital” industry.
25 August 2008
With Intellectual Ventures, Nathan Myhrvold Out to Create “Invention Capital” Industry—and Reinvent Invention in the Process (Part 1)
This time last week, Nathan Myhrvold was sitting down with Bill Gates. Gates had just returned from the Olympics, where he had watched some high-profile ping-pong matches—a very hot ticket in China. The two former Microsoft colleagues were catching up, and their discussion turned to racquet sports, and the various technical differences between them.
12 May 2008
Annals of Innovation: In the Air
Nathan Myhrvold met Jack Horner on the set of the “Jurassic Park” sequel in 1996. Horner is an eminent paleontologist, and was a consultant on the movie. Myhrvold was there because he really likes dinosaurs. Between takes, the two men got to talking, and Horner asked Myhrvold if he was interested in funding dinosaur expeditions.
12 July 2007
Nathan Myhrvold on patent mongers and business
Myhrvold defends himself from those who call him "the most feared man in Silicon Valley."
26 June 2006
Who’s afraid of Nathan Myhrvold?
"Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley," he says. "Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad, how could this be true? You're not even the most feared person in this house.' "
22 June 2006
The Godfather of Invention
In this week's podcast, BusinessWeek's executive editor, John Byrne, and senior writer, Michael Orey, discuss how snapping up thousands of patents can make Intellectual Ventures a leader in innovation -- or litigation.