Why David and Goliath are the Same!

When engaging in career planning, many of us end up unintentionally focusing exclusively on optimistic scenarios: “I want to do X, so I’ll do A, B, and C to make it happen.” Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy optimism. But to ensure your plans are robust, you also need to identify and mitigate the potential risks that could threaten your vision for the future — and nothing has shown the importance of planning for risk more clearly than the current pandemic.

25,000 people from 197 countries attended the just-concluded UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. Heads of state, Nobel laureates, and celebrities made solemn pronouncements. Corporate leaders touted green commitments. All urged the world to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Most stories about cultured meat or vegetable-based meat substitutes emphasize the profound environmental and health benefits. Those benefits are vital and true, but I want to focus on whether lab-made meat can compete as a business.