Software crosses borders effortlessly. The globalization of money, however, is considerably more challenging. This is especially true for multinational businesses, which grapple with managing multiple accounts in diverse currencies, navigating costly foreign exchange rates, and unpredictable money transfers. As businesses increasingly embrace a global default, top fintech entrepreneurs are rising to the challenge, addressing cross-border infrastructure issues and offering comprehensive solutions. In this episode, a16z partners Angela Strange, Joe Schmidt, and Gabriel Vasquez discuss the challenges of cross-border payment infrastructures and what fintech entrepreneurs are doing to create a more integrated, financially inclusive world. Topics Covered: 00:00 - Software crosses borders easily; money does not.  03:02 - Why has global payments been a challenge for so long?  05:44 - How global payments and money currently moves 07:25 - The metrics used to measure a country's financial health 12:13 - The impact of regulation on financial services 16:23 - Can the same regulations be applied to any country?  21:29 - Why each country has its own fintech system 24:54 - Opportunities in global payments infrastructure 34:47 - Advice for founders navigating global fintech systems 36:58 - What does a truly global system enable?  Read the Fintech Fuels Global Payments package: https://a16z.com/global-payments Watch ​​’Foreign Exchange 101: What Happens When You Send Money Abroad?’: https://youtu.be/eoXdyO9oGJc?feature=shared Find Angela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/astrange Find Joe Schmidt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joeschmidtiv FInd Gabriel Vasquez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GEVS94 Stay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

As VR technology inches forward, completely new experiences loom on the horizon. In today’s episode, we expose listeners to the very real-world use cases already present on these devices, from fitness to education. First up is Gym Class VR, one of the top-rated apps on the Quest. Cofounder, Paul Katsen, shows us how to dribble and dunk in the metaverse, but more importantly, discusses the social impact of VR, the technological prerequisites to get there, and the role of AI as we progress. Following on is a founder on a mission to revolutionize education. Anurupa Ganguly from Prisms VR, explores how virtual reality has the potential to close the gap – one where 70% of US 8th graders are not proficient in foundational math. Head over to our YouTube channel to see two a16z Podcast firsts: a full interview in VR, and host Steph slam dunking on an NBA court.  Topics Covered:  00:00 - The current state of VR 03:38 - How do you build the #1 VR app? 05:56 - How will VR become an everyday activity? 07:37 - The social and the technical arc of VR 11:47 - Untapped opportunities in VR 13:24 - Integrating AI into VR 17:09 - Prisms VR 20:10 - Why it’s critical to fix America’s math problem 21:12 - Why put VR in classrooms now? 23:23 - The successes of VR in the classroom 26:03 - Stats from the impact report 27:44 - Other curriculums could benefit from VR  31:04 - Opportunities for AI in VR Resources: Find Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pavtalkLearn more about Gym Class: https://www.gymclassvr.comFind Gym Class in Meta Quest: https://www.meta.com/experiences/3661420607275144/Find Anurupa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurupa-ganguly-92790379Learn more about Prisms VR: https://www.prismsvr.comStay Updated:  Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.