On this special episode, Eric Ries, author of the 2011 bestseller "The Lean Startup," discusses his new book, "Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great."

Ries explains why he's redefining profit as the maximization of human flourishing, reveals his role advising Anthropic's founders on their corporate structure, and makes the case that the era of shareholder primacy is already over. He also discusses the fall of Whole Foods, the Musk v. OpenAI trial, and why he believes mission-controlled companies dramatically outperform.

GeekWire's Todd Bishop recorded this conversation with Ries after interviewing him on stage at Seattle Flow Startup Day on May 15. 

On this special episode, Eric Ries, author of the 2011 bestseller "The Lean Startup," discusses his new book, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Incorruptible-Good-Companies-Great-Stay/dp/B0FWZZBPZB">Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great.</a>"
Ries explains why he's redefining profit as the maximization of human flourishing, reveals his role advising Anthropic's founders on their corporate structure, and makes the case that the era of shareholder primacy is already over. He also discusses the fall of Whole Foods, the Musk v. OpenAI trial, and why he believes mission-controlled companies dramatically outperform.
GeekWire's Todd Bishop recorded this conversation with Ries after <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/lean-startup-author-reveals-his-one-regret-about-his-bestselling-book-and-how-his-new-one-fixes-it/">interviewing him on stage</a> at Seattle Flow Startup Day on May 15.&nbsp;

GeekWire brings you the week's latest technology news, trends and insights, covering the world of technology from our home base in Seattle. Our regular news podcast features commentary and analysis from our editors and reporters, plus interviews with special guests.

GeekWire reporters John Cook, Todd Bishop and guests talk about the latest tech news and trends.

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'Lean Startup' author Eric Ries calls for a shift to 'mission primacy' in new book 'Incorruptible'

In February, Seattle angel investor Charles Fitzgerald warned the region not to become the next Cleveland, prompting Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb to join the podcast and make the case for his city's comeback. This week we close the loop: Fitzgerald and GeekWire co-founder John Cook call in from an abandoned Westinghouse factory in Cleveland, where days of meeting entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine left them struck by a city hustling and aligned around jobs in ways Seattle no longer is.

Back home, we dig into Seattle's unanimous one-year moratorium on new large data centers, which Fitzgerald calls political theater, and he explains why he's sitting out the SpaceX IPO.

In February, Seattle angel investor Charles Fitzgerald warned the region <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/a-warning-to-seattle-dont-become-the-next-cleveland/">not to become the next Cleveland</a>, prompting Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb to <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/clevelands-mayor-seattles-future-a-conversation-about-what-happens-when-a-citys-economy-shifts/">join the podcast</a> and make the case for his city's comeback. This week we close the loop: Fitzgerald and GeekWire co-founder John Cook call in from an abandoned Westinghouse factory in Cleveland, where days of meeting entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine left them <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/what-we-learned-in-cleveland-about-seattles-future-advice-from-a-rust-belt-city-on-the-rise/">struck by a city hustling and aligned around jobs</a> in ways Seattle no longer is.
Back home, we dig into Seattle's unanimous one-year moratorium on new large data centers, which Fitzgerald calls political theater, and he explains why he's sitting out the SpaceX IPO.

Following through in Cleveland: A GeekWire trip report, plus data center ‘theater’ and the SpaceX IPO

Microsoft's Build conference was a firehose: in-house AI models, agent-first devices, new coding tools, and a Copilot "super app" that got teased but never shown. Todd Bishop and Mary Jo Foley sort through what's real and what's not quite fully baked, from Project Solara and the Scout agentic assistant to Microsoft's push for AI self-sufficiency and the mounting pressure on GitHub.

Related Stories: 
Inside Microsoft’s Project Solara: A new platform for devices that run AI agents instead of apps
Microsoft unveils seven homegrown AI models in new bid for ‘long term self-sufficiency’
Mary Jo Foley: No Copilot ‘Super App’ at Microsoft Build, but plenty of agentic fodder
Microsoft’s OpenClaw team takes on the personal assistant challenge

Edited by Curt Milton.

Microsoft's Build conference was a firehose: in-house AI models, agent-first devices, new coding tools, and a Copilot "super app" that got teased but never shown. Todd Bishop and Mary Jo Foley sort through what's real and what's not quite fully baked, from Project Solara and the Scout agentic assistant to Microsoft's push for AI self-sufficiency and the mounting pressure on GitHub.
Related Stories:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/inside-microsofts-project-solara-a-new-platform-for-devices-that-run-ai-agents-instead-of-apps/">Inside Microsoft&rsquo;s Project Solara: A new platform for devices that run AI agents instead of apps</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-unveils-seven-homegrown-ai-models-in-bid-for-long-term-self-sufficiency/">Microsoft unveils seven homegrown AI models in new bid for &lsquo;long term self-sufficiency&rsquo;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/mary-jo-foley-no-copilot-super-app-at-microsoft-build-but-plenty-of-agentic-fodder/">Mary Jo Foley: No Copilot &lsquo;Super App&rsquo; at Microsoft Build, but plenty of agentic fodder</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsofts-openclaw-team-takes-on-the-personal-assistant-challenge/">Microsoft&rsquo;s OpenClaw team takes on the personal assistant challenge</a></li>
</ul>
Edited by Curt Milton.

Microsoft Build decoded: Solara, Scout, AI models, GitHub’s woes and more with Mary Jo Foley

This week on the show: Mark Zuckerberg's superyacht arrives in Seattle the same day Meta discloses nearly 1,400 local layoffs, robot pizza startup Picnic flames out and sells to a mystery buyer, and corporate America confronts the rising cost of AI, including the leaderboard-gaming practice known as "tokenmaxxing." And we return to the theme of billionaire yachts for our trivia challenge.

With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. 

This week on the show: Mark Zuckerberg's superyacht&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/photos-mark-zuckerbergs-superyacht-arrives-in-seattle-the-same-day-meta-discloses-1400-local-job-cuts/">arrives in Seattle</a> the same day Meta discloses <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/meta-cuts-nearly-1400-jobs-in-washington-state-20-of-local-workforce-in-sweeping-ai-revamp/">nearly 1,400 local layoffs</a>, robot pizza startup Picnic <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/robot-pizza-startup-runs-out-of-dough-picnic-shuts-down-sells-assets-to-mystery-buyer/">flames out and sells to a mystery buyer</a>, and corporate America confronts the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-tokens-productivity-d35c6bd8">rising cost of AI</a>, including the leaderboard-gaming practice <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/b1a62a7f-6df5-4c90-94ce-64ce9c9961b6">known as "tokenmaxxing."</a> And we return to the theme of billionaire yachts for our trivia challenge.
With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook.&nbsp;

'Lean Startup' author Eric Ries calls for a shift to 'mission primacy' in new book 'Incorruptible'

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