Time, Fuel, & Money
Time, Fuel, and Money is a conversation for founders, investors, operators, and high-performers who want to understand the deeper forces that shape how we live, build, lead, and make decisions. Hosted by Deborah Moorad, Karim ReFaey, and Vassili Kotlov, the show blends neuroscience, psychology, business, energy, and human behavior—turning complex ideas into practical, emotionally intelligent frameworks.
Each week, we explore what really drives progress: alignment, awareness, relationships, incentives, momentum, and the hidden energy behind ambition. Through stories from biotech, venture capital, government, aviation, engineering, and everyday life, we break down how time, fuel, and money work together—and how they quietly shape careers, companies, and character.
This is not a hustle show. It’s a clarity show.
A place to think deeper, grow wiser, and operate with more intention—without losing your humanity.
New episodes weekly. Join us and rethink the rules.
Time, Fuel, & Money
Grants, Incentives & the Game of Real Progress
Why some teams ship, and others stall — even with the same capital
Episode 22 of Time, Fuel, & Money pulls apart the quiet dysfunction inside non-dilutive funding, state incentives, and slow-moving VC processes. Deb, Karim, and Vassili break down how grant systems get gamed, why accountability fades over time, and how incentives drift away from actual product progress. With data on NIH neurosurgery funding and insights from real founder experiences, they outline what meaningful progress really looks like — and why most teams report “18 months to trial” forever.
This episode gives founders and funders a sharper lens for evaluating traction, effort, and integrity.
Topics:
- Incentives, accountability & the grant game
- Non-dilutive vs. dilutive capital
- Progress reporting that actually matters
- Geographic arbitrage & signal value
- AI/ML for transparent review systems
- Investor discipline vs. FOMO chasing
- Efficiency, pace & execution reality