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Feb 6, 2023 · 10m · a16z

Modernizing America's Safety Net Through Public Interest Technology

Jimmy Chen · 9m spoken
0:00 / 0:00
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In a presentation at the a16z American Dynamism Summit, Propel Founder and CEO Jimmy Chen explains how public interest technology and private-sector innovation can modernize America's social safety net to better serve low-income families.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. How this is scored →

The host as informed peer 0.0 Guest teaching 5.3 Guest disagreement 0.3 The host pushing back 0.0
05100:0010:000:00–3:45 · The host as informed peer 0/10 Opening Montage Sequence Because this segment is a uninterrupted monologue presentation, host expertise and pushback are scored zero. Jimmy Chen educates the audience on the mechanics of SNAP and the absurdity of low-income families relying on 1-800 numbers for balance checks. He notes mild friction when state administrators initially laughed off his proposal, but remains polite.3:45–6:05 · The host as informed peer 0/10 Defining Public Interest Technology Host scores remain zero during this solo presentation segment. Chen defines Public Interest Technology and explains how Propel acts as an agent to fetch EBT data on behalf of users, sharing statistics on sticky poverty.6:05–9:55 · The host as informed peer 0/10 The Providers App Scale and Revenue Model Chen continues his presentation without host participation, keeping host scores at zero. He educates listeners on Propel's business model, including grocery coupons, broadband subsidies, job placements, and the Providers banking card.0:00–3:45 · Guest teaching 5/10 Opening Montage Sequence Because this segment is a uninterrupted monologue presentation, host expertise and pushback are scored zero. Jimmy Chen educates the audience on the mechanics of SNAP and the absurdity of low-income families relying on 1-800 numbers for balance checks. He notes mild friction when state administrators initially laughed off his proposal, but remains polite.3:45–6:05 · Guest teaching 5/10 Defining Public Interest Technology Host scores remain zero during this solo presentation segment. Chen defines Public Interest Technology and explains how Propel acts as an agent to fetch EBT data on behalf of users, sharing statistics on sticky poverty.6:05–9:55 · Guest teaching 6/10 The Providers App Scale and Revenue Model Chen continues his presentation without host participation, keeping host scores at zero. He educates listeners on Propel's business model, including grocery coupons, broadband subsidies, job placements, and the Providers banking card.0:00–3:45 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Opening Montage Sequence Because this segment is a uninterrupted monologue presentation, host expertise and pushback are scored zero. Jimmy Chen educates the audience on the mechanics of SNAP and the absurdity of low-income families relying on 1-800 numbers for balance checks. He notes mild friction when state administrators initially laughed off his proposal, but remains polite.3:45–6:05 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Defining Public Interest Technology Host scores remain zero during this solo presentation segment. Chen defines Public Interest Technology and explains how Propel acts as an agent to fetch EBT data on behalf of users, sharing statistics on sticky poverty.6:05–9:55 · Guest disagreement 0/10 The Providers App Scale and Revenue Model Chen continues his presentation without host participation, keeping host scores at zero. He educates listeners on Propel's business model, including grocery coupons, broadband subsidies, job placements, and the Providers banking card.0:00–3:45 · The host pushing back 0/10 Opening Montage Sequence Because this segment is a uninterrupted monologue presentation, host expertise and pushback are scored zero. Jimmy Chen educates the audience on the mechanics of SNAP and the absurdity of low-income families relying on 1-800 numbers for balance checks. He notes mild friction when state administrators initially laughed off his proposal, but remains polite.3:45–6:05 · The host pushing back 0/10 Defining Public Interest Technology Host scores remain zero during this solo presentation segment. Chen defines Public Interest Technology and explains how Propel acts as an agent to fetch EBT data on behalf of users, sharing statistics on sticky poverty.6:05–9:55 · The host pushing back 0/10 The Providers App Scale and Revenue Model Chen continues his presentation without host participation, keeping host scores at zero. He educates listeners on Propel's business model, including grocery coupons, broadband subsidies, job placements, and the Providers banking card.

speaking balance: gold is the host, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%0:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%3:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%3:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%6:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%6:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%9:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%9:00 · the host 0% · guest 100%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 2:15 Rejection by State Administrators

Jimmy describes being laughed out of the room by state administrators and explicitly states his strong personal disagreement with their administrative-first priorities.

 Hardest push from the host ▶ 0:00 No Host Pushback (Monologue)

The host does not offer any pushback as the transcript consists entirely of a solo keynote presentation.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 1:50 Exposing $100B Safety Net Tech Failure

Jimmy educates the audience on how a $100 billion federal safety net program forces low-income users to rely on 1-800 balance checking numbers.

 The host holds their own ▶ 0:00 No Host Expertise Displayed

The host does not speak during this recorded talk, resulting in no host pushback or expertise interventions.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicThe host as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementThe host pushing backWhy
Opening Montage Sequence 0510 Because this segment is a uninterrupted monologue presentation, host expertise and pushback are scored zero. Jimmy Chen educates the audience on the mechanics of SNAP and the absurdity of low-income families relying on 1-800 numbers for balance checks. He notes mild friction when state administrators initially laughed off his proposal, but remains polite.
Defining Public Interest Technology 0500 Host scores remain zero during this solo presentation segment. Chen defines Public Interest Technology and explains how Propel acts as an agent to fetch EBT data on behalf of users, sharing statistics on sticky poverty.
The Providers App Scale and Revenue Model 0600 Chen continues his presentation without host participation, keeping host scores at zero. He educates listeners on Propel's business model, including grocery coupons, broadband subsidies, job placements, and the Providers banking card.

Statements from this episode (10)

Insight
Chen: Mass-market tech serves higher incomes due to founder demographics
“Spent a lot of time thinking about how founders solve the problems that they personally understand, and that a lot of the mass market apps and websites used by millions of people throughout this country are built to solve the needs of middle to higher income f…”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 0:46
Assertion Supported
Chen: SNAP will distribute $100B in EBT benefits in 2022
“The SNAP program is going to distribute about a hundred billion dollars, In food stamp benefits to low income families in 2022, and those benefits are distributed on the EBT card.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 1:42
Insight
Chen: EBT balance checks are low-income Americans' top government touchpoint
“The experience of checking your EBT balance is probably the most common interaction that low-income households have with the entire government, and so making that a dignified and modern experience is worth a lot.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 3:22
Insight
Chen defines public interest tech as helping government without public contracts
“Public interest technology I define as a non-government entity that helps government to solve problems in the public interest, but without signing contracts or making money through the public sector.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 3:54
Assertion Supported
Jimmy Chen: 90 million Americans earn under $40,000 per year
“That there are ninety million Americans who make under 40,000 dollars per year.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 5:31
Assertion Contradicted
Jimmy Chen: 70% of food stamp recipients return within 2 years
“That if you graduate from the food stamp program, 70% of people will go back on the program in the next two years.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 5:36
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Chen: Propel reaches one-fourth of all U.S. SNAP recipients
“There are about twenty million households in the United States who get SNAP benefits, so we're currently used each month by about a quarter of all Americans who get SNAP.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 6:17
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Chen: Propel helped 500,000 SNAP recipients find jobs
“So over the last few years, we've helped about 500,000 people who are using SNAP benefits to get jobs, and we publish all sorts of jobs, whether it's on-demand, seasonal, part-time, or full-time, and we are paid by employers as a marketing channel to help them…”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 7:37
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Chen: Propel is the only bank treating government benefits as primary income
“We're the only bank in the country that treats, ah, payments from the state or federal government, things like the unemployment program or the disability program or a tax credit as a first-class citizen as a primary way that people might put money into their a…”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 8:43
Assertion Supported
Chen: Propel is working with the CFPB on EBT card data rights
“And we're currently working with the CFPB to give EBT cards the same data rights that are given to Americans who use checking accounts and other types of financial products, and we'd love, ah, support on that.”
Jimmy Chen Feb 6, 2023 ▶ 10:22
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