INNOVATE2016: The dark confessions of a lifelong Republican entrepreneur

Sean Ammirati has many identities: serially successful start-up entrepreneur, Carnegie Mellon University professor, venture capitalist at Birchmere Ventures, best-selling writer and lifelong Republican.  He certainly proud of the first four of these identities. But the fifth thing – his status as a lifelong Republican – is now causing him severe embarrassment.

The Grand Old Party of Lincoln and Reagan, he says, who were both subject to assassination attempts, has degenerated into the party of Donald Trump, the candidate who seems to encourage the assassination of others. Ammirati is deeply ashamed of what is happening in his party and fearful of a Trump Presidency. And while he’s not particularly enamored with Hillary Clinton, he nonetheless encourages everyone to vote so that American doesn’t do a Brexit and elect the unthinkable.

The stakes are really high, Ammirati says. For America to prosper in the increasingly competitive 21st century, it desperately needs an enlightened immigration policy and it needs a government that will regulate a level playing field and stimulate innovation and growth. Got vote! Ammirati thus tells American voters. We all need to show up in this election.

As always, many thanks to the folks at CALinnovates for their support in the production of this interview.