Mike Schmidt

Mike Schmidt, former CHIPS Program Office director who ran CHIPS implementation, and Todd Fisher, its founding CIO who managed deal-making and finance, discuss how the US rebuilt chip manufacturing. They explain which policy tools mattered and how teams, sequencing, and diplomacy made it work. Conversation covers industrial policy design, translating term sheets into awards, and building repeatable institutions.

Mike Schmidt, Director of the CHIPS Program Office, and Todd Fisher, Chief Investment Officer, share insights on the CHIPS Act's implementation. They discuss the critical need to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and the government’s role in addressing supply chain issues. The duo touches on the challenges of aligning economic and national security goals while evaluating funding applications. They also explore the importance of a diverse workforce and the future of the semiconductor industry amidst emerging technologies like AI and electric vehicles.

Guests Mike Schmidt & Rijndael discuss reactive security in Bitcoin, lightning integration into social networks, converting release notes to a podcast using text-to-speech technology, browser UI for Core Lightning, funding for Bitcoin organizations, inclusion of metadata and interoperability challenges, decentralization and power dynamics in Bitcoin, building a resilient future for Bitcoin, Bitcoin project updates, Lightning Terminal and Mutiny Wallet releases, and discussion on the cluster mempool and Mornet.

In this insightful discussion, Mike Schmidt, the inaugural Director of the CHIPS Program Office, Todd Fisher, the Chief Investment Officer, and Sara Meyers, Chief of Staff and COO, unveil the inner workings of the CHIPS Act. They delve into the rapid ramp-up strategies and the complexities of interagency negotiations. The trio shares lessons learned from their experience managing a $39 billion semiconductor incentive program, balancing national security priorities with economic goals, and the crucial negotiations with tech giants like TSMC. Their candid reflections make for a compelling listen!

Guests Mike Schmidt and Rijndael discuss security vulnerabilities at Kraken Exchange, cryptocurrency federation issues, updates on Coldcard and Nunchuck Wallet, Bitcoin Core features, FLDG modulation, Rust binary evaluation tools, Arc protocol implementations, and Noster Strategic Progress in the Bitcoin ecosystem.