Past Events

 

2023

The Human Side of AI

Members-Only Session

August 15, 2023, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Much of the work on AIs have focused on single user applications. What if we could build Social AIs, that are more focused on relationships and collaboration? Enjoy an exclusive first look at work in progress by one of our startup members.

We discussed:

  • Building AIs that humans feel they can trust
  • AIs as companions that want to get to know you
  • AIs that seek to understand your relationships
  • AIs that can join and interact as a group member
  • Emerging collaborative networks of humans and AIs

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Chairman and CEO
    Post-Industrial Institute
  • Jim Glasgow, Cofounder and CTO, Unseen Technologies

Decentralization, AI, and the Future of Firms

Join us as we explore how decentralization and AI
will affect organizational transformation

June 28, 2023, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Transformation efforts are themselves in need of a transformation. The decentralization of work inside and outside firms is accelerating, and AI platforms will revolutionize how we link organizations together, how we do strategy, and how we build new products and services. How can leaders better navigate this landscape?

We discussed:

  • Transformation challenges in Global 2000 companies
  • What will super-productivity look like?
  • AI’s impact on transformation strategy
  • Organization structures for faster transformation
  • How large firms can mobilize their people with AI
  • Building micro-organizations
  • How will AI affect organizational culture?

Featuring

  • Dr. Suresh Sunderrajan, President, Commercialization
    SRI International
  • Frode Odegard, Chairman and CEO
    Post-Industrial Institute
  • Deepam Mishra, Generative AI Innovation Leader & Strategic Advisor
    Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Dr. Jim Spohrer, Fmr. Director, Open Source AI
    IBM Research
  • Dr. Pandian Angaiyan, Chief Technology Officer
    Tech Mahindra

Generative AI and the New Work Landscape

Explore how AI is transforming the world of work in new and surprising ways 

May 16, 2023, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Revolutions are often decades in the making. We now see an explosion in the use of AI, not just to make sense of ambiguous data, but in building new systems that deeply affect the work experience. In this session we will explore the new landscape of work that is rapidly emerging, with a variety of examples and implications. Can enterprises keep up or will they be too slow to change?

We discussed:

  • From automation to creativity and R&D
  • How AIs can improve collaboration
  • AI as Managers / Managing AIs
  • Superproductivity and its Consequences
  • AI and Organizational Culture
  • Sourcing/Building AI-literate Talent
  • Linking AIs and Other Systems
  • Autonomous AIs
  • Leadership in the New Work Landscape
  • Consequences for Organizational Transformation
  • What comes after Generative AI?

Featuring

  • Dr. Sarah Luger, Principal, Technology Group
    Orange Silicon Valley
  • Stefan Petzov, VP Innovation and Technology
    Silicon Valley, Swisscom
  • Dr. Kai Goebel, VP, Director of Intelligent Systems Lab
    PARC (now part of SRI)
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO,
    Post-Industrial Institute

AI Safety and Security

Leadership Roundtable (members only)
April 26, 2023, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Leaders are rapidly becoming aware of how Generative AI can improve our creativity and productivity. There is also growing awareness of how the same technology can be used by bad actors for evil purposes. Even without any ill intent from humans, AIs can also make mistakes, and when given access to external resources, these mistakes can have severe consequences. There is also some concern that AIs may develop goals of their own that are not necessarily aligned with human well-being and the aims of their users.

We will explore these challenges on an organizational, societal, and geopolitical scale. Some have called for halting all large-scale AI research experiment for six months, and Italian regulators have blocked access to ChatGPT. While banning new technology is not a realistic or desirable path, ignoring risks is also not wise. How do we navigate this landscape, and are there ways to turn risks into opportunities?

We discussed:

  • AI-powered weapon development
  • AI in intelligence operations
  • AI for disinformation and influence
  • AI and cyber threats
  • Connecting AIs to other systems
  • AI risks in enterprise strategy
  • AI goals alignment

Featuring

  • Dr. Ulf Lindqvist, Senior Technical Director,
    SRI Computer Science Laboratory
  • Col. David Vernal, USAF (ret.), Sloan Fellow, Stanford GSB,
    fmr. National Security Council
  • Dr. Trond Arne Undheim, Research Scholar,
    Stanford Existential Risk Initiative (SERI)
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO,
    Post-Industrial Institute

Generative AI: Accelerating Innovation

March 14, 2023, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Generative AI has captured the imagination of executives, investors, and entrepreneurs alike. Consumers are amusing themselves with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which Microsoft is integrating into its products. Google has responded with Bard. The applications of Generative AI and Foundation Models overall seem endless, and the limitations are not well understood. In this session we will examine Generative AI and how it can accelerate innovation.

Featuring

  • Mike Tung, Founder and CEO, Diffbot
  • Dr. Karen Myers, Lab Director, AI Center, SRI International
  • Dr. Evangelos Simoudis, Founder and Managing Dir, Synapse Partners
  • Dr. Suresh Sunderrajan, President, Commercialization Group, SRI International
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

2022 

Beyond Hubs: Decentralized Innovation

November 16, 2022, 5pm-8pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

Innovation has long been centralized in hubs. In the U.S., Hollywood has dominated the film industry, Detroit the auto industry, and New York has led the financial services sector. Silicon Valley long enjoyed an enviable density of entrepreneurs and investors, but other strong hubs have emerged as well. These include Singapore, NYC, Tel Aviv, London, Tokyo, Bangalore, Shanghai, Austin, Stockholm, Los Angeles, and Berlin. Silicon Valley still leads. As of the fall of 2022, Global 2000 companies operate 94 corporate venturing offices and 104 R&D centers in Silicon Valley.

The innovation landscape has shifted powerfully – twice. First, with the Internet making global real-time collaboration possible, and then again with the Pandemic forcing many to work from home. With about 40% of Americans working from home and distributed work becoming mainstream, innovation is now increasingly decentralized. In this session, we will look at what happens as innovation moves beyond traditional innovation hubs.

Featuring

  • Deborah Magid, Director of Strategy, IBM Ventures
  • Matthieu Soulé, Head of Silicon Vally Innovation Lab, BNP Paribas Group
  • Stefan Petzov, VP Innovation and Technology, Silicon Valley, Swisscom
  • Laureen Knudsen, Chief Transformation Officer, Broadcom Software
  • Suresh Sunderrajan, President, Commercialization Group, SRI International
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

Industries of Tomorrow: Space, Manufacturing, and Biotechnology

We explore societal, economic, and technology trends
accelerating decentralization in a variety of industries.
How do we turn challenges into opportunities?

August 16, 2022, 4:30pm-7:30pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

In this session we will look at three industries that will be revolutionized over the next 10-15 years: Space, Manufacturing, and Biotechnology. These industries are interesting because their impact on human life and economic development will be so fundamental, and their progress is powered by the rapid development a number of “building block” technologies.  

Featuring

  • Rosemary Coates, Executive Director, Reshoring Institute
  • Frode Odegard, CEO, Post-Industrial Institute
  • Chris Cowart, Managing Director, Nomura-SRI Innovation Center
  • Dr. Amit Mulgaonkar, Director, Global Partnerships, SRI International
  • Bruce Pittman, VP of Development, Skycorp and
    Former Chief Systems Engineer NASA Space Portal

Engines of Decentralization

We explore societal, economic, and technology trends
accelerating decentralization in a variety of industries.
How do we turn challenges into opportunities?

June 29, 2022, 4:30pm-7:30pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

The decentralization of enterprises and industries has been ongoing for twenty years, and it is the cause of dramatic changes and opportunities- which have been accelerated by the pandemic. In this session, we will discuss societal, economic, and technology trends that are accelerating decentralization in a variety of industries. We will examine how they are linked and explore opportunities and challenges for industry disruption and organizational transformation.  

Featuring

  • Denyse Cardozo, fmr. CEO, Silicon Valley Forum
  • Laureen Knudsen, Chief Transformation Officer, Broadcom
  • Steve Goldberg, Partner, Finistere Ventures
  • Blaine Mathieu, CEO, Pratexo
  • Peter Marcotullio, VP of Commercial R&D, SRI International
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

Crypto: Meltdown or Inevitable?

Are we now seeing a crypto meltdown?
Or are we still on a journey toward
decentralized digital commerce?

June 16, 2022, 10:00-11:00 Pacific Time ● Zoom

After peaking at $64,400 on November 12, 2021, Bitcoin has lost more than half its value. One appealing prospect of cryptocurrency was always financial privacy, but regulators and financial industry incumbents have not been enthusiastic about this, and the promise seems to be fading away.

On the other hand, crypto has the potential to free us from central banking, and distributed ledgers with Smart Contracts continue to be an attractive vehicle for developing decentralized and more capital-efficient business models. There is still a tremendous amount of investment going into this.

We will take a hard look at developments in the crypto space over the last year and separate the hype from real progress. We will confront credibility challenges and government obstacles and discuss what solutions will actually work in practice.

Are we now seeing a crypto meltdown? Or are we still on a journey toward decentralized digital commerce?  

Featuring

  • Toby Lewis, CEO, Novum Insights
  • James Haft, Chairman, DLTx
  • Fred Thiel, CEO,  Marathon Digital Holdings
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

Innovating in a Fracturing World

April 7, 2022, 4:30pm -7:30pm
SRI International, Menlo Park

The world is not quite as flat as we had hoped for twenty years ago. Innovative companies face increasing regulations at home and protectionist policies abroad. Now Russia’s assault on Ukraine reminds us that geopolitics can destroy in days what has taken decades to build. How can investors, entrepreneurs, and executives navigate these tumulteous times?

Featuring

  • Denyse Cardozo, fmr. CEO, Silicon Valley Forum
  • Yosuke Kogure, Executive Director, Nomura Holding America
  • Dr. John Suh, VP & Founding Director, New Horizons Studio, Hyundai
  • Deborah Magid, Director of Strategy, IBM Ventures
  • Mark LaCour, Editor-in-Chief, Oil and Gas Global Network
  • Dr. Ulf Lindqvist, Sr. Technical Director, SRI Computer Science Lab.
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

Remote Leadership

March 8, 2022, 10:00-10:30 Pacific Time ● Online

In this session we will discuss what executives can do motivate and lead people when they are geographically and perhaps emotionally further removed from the business.

Even before the pandemic arrived, half of Millennials were full or part-time freelancers. This will extend to the whole workforce by 2030. The Internet has empowered a new breed of knowledge workers who can work and collaborate from anywhere. In the last two years, decentralization has further accelerated. Work from home has become mainstream for employees in large companies as well. Many young people don’t want to go back into the office, and many have also taken the opportunity to relocate to be closer to family, enjoy better weather, or reduce their living costs. Work will never again be as office-centered.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute
  • Andrew Bright, Woodside Capital Partners
  • Laureen Knudsen, Chief Transformation Officer, Broadcom

Accelerating Enterprise Transformation

February 8, 2022, 10:00-10:30 Pacific Time ● Online

Many mid-sized and larger firms are undergoing some form of transformation, but it is a challenging journey. This is in part because there may not be a clear picture of what the destination is — what should the transformed enterprise look like? There are a large number of obstacles that leaders must overcome to execute the transformation. These include risk aversion, unawareness of new trends and technologies, lack of tech-literate people (board, executives, managers), difficulty attracting and retaining young innovators, organizational silos, complex legacy products, lack of budget, regulatory constraints, apathy and cynicism, and lack of CEO support. We will discuss how to break through these barriers and accelerate enterprise transformation.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute
  • Robert Massoudi, CEO, Nu Axiom Transformation Advisory
  • Peter Löfgren, SVP of Global Startup Collaborations, ABB

May 4, 2021, 09:00-09:30 PDT ● Online

Welcome to the Post-Industrial Transition

The combination of decentralization and exponential progress in key technologies is propelling us into a post-industrial civilization and economy. The pandemic has accelerated this development, but there are also counter-forces. In this presentation, we will look at the inescapable logic transforming industries and whole economies, and discuss some of the more dramatic consequences for geopolitics, policymaking, corporate strategy, investors, and founders.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

May 4, 2021, 09:30-10:00 PDT ● Online

The Next Ten years:
Advanced Technologies in the Pipeline

The combination of decentralization and exponential progress in key technologies is propelling us into a post-industrial civilization and economy. The pandemic has accelerated this development, but there are also counter-forces. In this presentation, we will look at the inescapable logic transforming industries and whole economies, and discuss some of the more dramatic consequences for geopolitics, policymaking, corporate strategy, investors, and founders.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Dr. Manish Kothari, President, SRI International

May 4, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

Decentralization in Energy

Reliable and sufficient energy supply is essential for a modern economy. As demand for energy continues to increase, the sector is undergoing a metamorphosis. Government intervention is increasing. Producers are pursuing new local and on-site energy sources, while some grids struggle with reliable power delivery. There is also increasing interest in using distributed ledgers for trading energy, and in energy production and storage off the grid. In this session we will explore how the decentralization is impacting the energy sector, opportunities for further innovation, and obstacles to progress.

Featuring

May 11, 2021, 09:00-09:50 PDT ● Online

Decentralization in Transportation

The transportation sector has been impacted by new business models and new technologies which promise to increase availability, speed, and autonomy. From autonomous navigation of huge cargo ships to autonomous cars and trucks to drones for package delivery, a plethora of new products and services are being developed that contribute to decentralization of asset ownership, service delivery, and governance. Better coordination between transportation services is also in the works.

We will discuss:

  • Investment trends
  • New technologies powering progress
  • Hot new startups and disruptive business models
  • Real-world capabilities we can expect in the next 5-10 years
  • Changes to the large-scale structure of the transportation sector
  • Obstacles to faster progress

Featuring

  • Clay Phillips, Executive Advisor, SRI  (moderator)
  • Dr. Evangelos Simoudis, Managing Director, Synapse Partners
  • Rimas Kapeskas, Operating Partner, Cambridge Capital
  • Kumardev Chatterjee, Founder, Unmanned Life 

May 11, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

Disrupting Financial Services

The Financial Services sector is facing disruption on many fronts. Challenges include regulatory uncertainty across multiple jurisdictions, tremendous business complexity, legacy systems, new digital startups with user-friendly services, and the emergence of crypto as a mainstream phenomenon.

We will discuss:

  • Why is there so much confusion about “money”?
  • The impact of crypto solutions and DeFi
  • Where are big financial services firms vulnerable to disruption?
  • Can big companies become disruptors too?
  • What will decentralized financial services look like?

Featuring

  • Toby Lewis, CEO, Novum Insights
  • Keith Weiner, CEO, Monetary Metals
  • Fred Thiel, CEO, Marathon Digital Holdings
  • Dr. Amber Ghaddar, Founder, AllianceBlock
  • Clara Durodié, AI Strategist & Board Director, Cognitive Finance

May 18, 2021, 09:00-09:50 PDT ● Online

Post-Industrial Society: Behaviors, Mindsets, and Conflicts

The pandemic accelerated many societal changes that have been brewing for a while. Education, careers, generational differences, how we trust, are all becoming more pronounced. There are clearly conflicting mindsets and worldviews. What kinds of ideas need to prevail for us to build a flourishing post-industrial culture? Join futurist Anne Boysen in conversation with Frode Odegard, Founder of the Post-Industrial Forum, and Dr. Yaron Brook, co-founder of Ingenuism, bestselling author, co-founder of hedge fund BHZ Capital Management, and Chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Anne Boysen, CEO, After the Millennials
  • Dr. Yaron Brook, MD, BHZ Capital Management, Chairman, Ayn Rand Institute

May 18, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

The New Space Industry

Fifty years have passed since Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. Space is no longer the exclusive domain of governments. A new space industry is being born, with a broad range of applications. These include climate forecasting, asteroid mining, in-orbit construction, tourism, and high-speed internet connectivity.

We will discuss:

  • Investment trends
  • Decentralization and access to space
  • New technologies powering progress
  • The biggest areas of growth
  • Separating hype from reality
  • How the space industry will impact the world economy
  • Obstacles to faster progress

Featuring

  • Peter Marcotullio, VP, Commercial R&D, SRI International
  • Scott Williams, Program Director, Space, SRI
  • Chris Kunstadter, Global Head of Space, AXA XL

May 25, 2021, 09:00-09:50 PDT ● Online

Decentralization in Manufacturing

Decentralization of production is a crucial aspect of the post-industrial transition. With progress in material science, 3D printing, robotics, and AI, we can see how we can move manufacturing to the edge. In this session, we will learn about how manufacturing is rapidly transforming.

We will discuss:

  • The pandemic’s effect on manufacturing globally
  • Automation challenges, trends
  • Software-defined manufacturing
  • The new Microfactories
  • Neighborhood Microfactories
  • Workforce challenges in manufacturing
  • Manufacturing in 2030

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Amar Hanspal, CEO and Co-Founder, Bright Machines

May 25, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online ● View sample recording

Edge Computing: From Hype to Disruption

It is not just production that is moving to the edge; computing is too. With the increasing availability of high-speed Internet links and exponential progress in storage and computing capacity, we can move applications to the edge for faster and more complex behaviors. Edge Computing is a distributed computing paradigm with many powerful applications affecting virtually all industries.

We will discuss:

  • Industries that will be disrupted by Edge Computing
  • Next-generation Edge Computing Technology
  • Meeting Security Threats and Scalability Challenges
  • New Business Models enabled by Edge Computing
  • The relationship between Blockchain and Edge Computing

Featuring

  • Blaine Mathieu, CEO, Pratexo
  • Shawn Fitzgerald, Research Director, Worldwide Digital Transformation Strategies, IDC
  • Tim M. Crawford, CIO Strategy Advisor, AVOA
  • Sam Nagar, VP of Corporate Strategy, R&D, Siemens Factory Automation

June 2, 2021, 09:00-09:50 PDT ● Online ●  View sample recording

Organizational Renewal in the Post-Pandemic World

The pandemic accelerated decentralization in many industries, leading to further disruption. Hundreds of millions of people experienced work and schooling from home. More people bought more things online than ever before in human history, while conventional retail suffered and many firms went under. The tourism, hospitality, and airline industries were severely impacted. Other industries that were more asset-light managed the transition much better. What will this look like going forward? What will the post-pandemic enterprise look like?

We will discuss:

  • Renewal strategies (e.g. organic v/s acquired innovation)
  • Smarter, more decentralized operating models
  • Reframing the employee relationship
  • Coping with new consumer expectations
  • Responding faster to emerging threats and opportunities
  • Building a culture that thrives on change

Featuring

  • Robert Massoudi, Founder/CEO, NuAxiom
  • Jill Nephew, CEO, Inqwire
  • Dr. Yossi Feinberg, Professor, Stanford GSB
  • Peter Lofgren, SVP Global Startup Collaborations, ABB
  • James J Piacentino, Global Vice President, Digital Industry Advisory Customer Group, SAP
  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

June 2, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

Building Transformative Boards

Boards can play a crucial role in transforming companies facing industry disruption. In this session, we explore how boards can better meet this challenge.

We will discuss:

  • Transformation: Best practices for boards
  • Structure, activities, and meeting frequency
  • How hands-on should boards be now?
  • The role of the Board Chair
  • Do we need different directors?
  • What boards must ask from management
  • Short-term crisis versus long-term value creation

Featuring

  • Eythor Ivar Jonsson, VP of Research,  Post-Industrial Institute
  • Dr. Daniel Yar Hamidi, Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Borås
  • Dr. Hans van Ees, Professor, Corporate Governance and Institutions, University of Groningen
  • Clara Durodié, AI Strategist & Board Director, Cognitive Finance
  • David Ross Beatty,CEO, Beatinvest Ltd.

June 8, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

Disrupting Education

In this session, we will discuss drivers of change in education and talk about what some of the biggest changes are likely to be over the next few years and for the generation ahead. Education is being transformed as a result of technological advances and decentralization. The pandemic forced hundreds of millions of learners to shift to remote study, with mixed results. Children missed their schoolmates and colleges experienced students questioning high tuition rates when they had to study from home. At the same time, the e-learning industry thrived in the pandemic. What will happen next? Will we see entirely new business models for education? Will we still need classrooms? Is progress in cognitive science teaching us to use technology in new ways? Will your new French teacher be an AI? Don’t miss what is likely to be a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Barbara Holzapfel, VP Education, Microsoft

June 15, 2021, 09:00-09:50 PDT ● Online

Forces of Progress and Stagnation

While many technologies have been progressing exponentially, there is also a sense in which progress might be slowing down. Our culture is not uniformly welcoming of innovation of progress. In this discussion with Jason Crawford, we will look more closely at the stagnation hypothesis and explore the forces that work for and against human flourishing.

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Jason Crawford, Author, The Roots of Progress

June 22, 2021, 09:00-10:00 PDT ● Online

Venture investing in the Post-Pandemic World

In this session, we will look at the VC landscape and how it has been impacted by the pandemic. Capital deployed increased by 14% last year, even though the number of deals went down. The landscape did change, slowing down for some accelerating for others, and decentralization seems to have impacted venture capital as well. What adjustments are investors making? What are the hottest new opportunities?

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Alexandra Johnson Managing Director HEED Capital
  • Grant Allen, General Partner, SE Ventures
  • Peter Marcotullio, VP, Commercial R&D, SRI International

June 22, 2021, 10:00-11:00 PDT ● Online

Building the Post-Industrial Future

We will connect the dots and review what we learned in this Summit Series. What are the greatest challenges and opportunities? What are the biggest blind spots? What new projects and initiatives should be started next?

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

2020-2021 Talk Show

Advanced Materials: What Comes Next?

February 2, 2021 ● Online

Materials science enables us to better reshape the world to meet our needs. Since before the Bronze Age, better materials have brought gains in defense, construction, transportation, medicine, agriculture, and an innumerable range of products.

The Silicon Age has brought exponential improvements in computation, information storage, and communications capacity. However, that was modest compared to what’s coming. In this episode we will look at the impact of Advanced Materials today, and explore what we can expect in the years ahead.

We will discuss:

  • Application areas (examples)
    • transportation, aviation,
    • energy, robotics, medicine,
    •  construction, and manufacturing
  • Product development
  • AI and Advanced Materials
  • Mastering matter without mass production
  • Economic impact of Advanced Materials
  • Investment and policy implications

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Àrmann Kojic, CEO and Founder, Greenvolt (now Nanom)
  • Peter Marcotullio, VP of Commercial R&D, SRI International

Decentralization in Manufacturing

January 12, 2021 ● Online

Decentralization of production is a crucial aspect of the post-industrial transition. With progress in material science, 3D printing, robotics, and AI, we can see how we can move manufacturing to the edge. In this episode, we will learn about how manufacturing is rapidly transforming.

Join Amar Hanspal, former co-CEO Autodesk and now Co-Founder and CEO of Bright Machines, an engine of disruption in manufacturing.

We discussed:

  • Global outlook, the  pandemic
  • Nearsourcing
  • Automation challenges, trends
  • Just-in-time customization
  • Software-defined manufacturing
  • The new Microfactories
  • Neighborhood Microfactories 
  • Workforce challenges
  • Manufacturing in 2030
  • Investor implications

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Amar Hanspal, CEO and Co-Founder, Bright Machines

2021: The Emerging Post-Pandemic Landscape

December 15, 2020 ● Online

The first Covid-19 vaccines are now being readied for distribution. We can glimpse the beginning of the end of the pandemic. After an incredibly challenging year, in this episode we explored the landscape that will begin to emerge in 2021.

We discussed:

  • lessons learned from 2020
  • decentralization in life, work, and education
  • the post-pandemic enterprise
  • the best chess moves for investors now
  • post-pandemic business models
  • post-pandemic geopolitics and trade
  • changes in cultures and attitudes

Featuring 

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Dr. Julie M. Albright, Digital Sociologist, USC.
  • Fred Thiel, CEO, Marathon Digital Holdings

Setting Brands on Fire

December 1, 2020 ● Online

The pandemic has without a doubt accelerated the decentralization and digitalization that could be seen the last few years. Traditional industries are being disrupted, while new digital business models can scale without being weighed down by assets and large numbers of employees.  In this session we will discuss the impact on brands.  It is not enough to make operational improvements, the story you tell and the promises you make must also change.

We discussed:

  • How AI will reshape the brand landscape
  • The brand impact of the pandemic
  • Hot new brands, struggling old brands
  • How to  transform old brands
  • What old brands are still doing well
  • Decentralization and self-made brands
  • Just-in-time brands for new ventures
  • Contingency, ready-to-go brands
  • How to kill a brand
  • How to set a brand on FIRE

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Dr. Cristián Saracco, Founding Partner, Allegro 234
  • Sergei E. Mitrofánov, Partner and senior brand strategist at Brandflight

Organizational Transformation: Insider Insights

November 17, 2020 ● Online

Prior to the pandemic, many mature organizations were already working to modernize operations, introduce new business models, and engage their employees in innovation. In this episode we will look more closely at the practical problems leaders must overcome, and how the pandemic is affecting transformation efforts.

We discussed:

  • Transformation goal-setting
  • Strategies for transformation (incubators, CVC, M&A, etc.)
  • How to organize a transformation effort
  • Next-generation business models
  • How do we know we are succeeding?
  • Structural obstacles to change
  • Cultural and psychological obstacles to change
  • Good/bad transformational leadership
  • How can we transform FASTER?

Featuring 

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Nikolaos “Nikos” Giannakakis, CIO,  Motor Oil (Hellas)
  • Robert Massoudi, fmr. SVP of Digital Transformation, ABB
  • Utpal Mangla, General Manager; Distributed, Edge, Sovereign Cloud & Partnerships; IBM Cloud Platform, IBM

Leadership in the Lockdown: Resilience amid Chaos

November 5, 2020 ● Online

Leaders today face tremendous unpredictability, both internally and externally. The lockdowns and technology disruption has upended many traditional industries. The political climate is characterized by increasing authoritarianism and government interference in the economy. Employees are worried about their jobs. In the midst of this environment, leaders of traditional businesses must continue to transform their businesses without delay.

At the same time, digital businesses have experienced growing opportunities and rapid growth. Leaders of these businesses must manage their growth so the firm stays true to its purpose and ideals. Common to both is a very volatile environment, in which transformational leadership under extreme stress is the challenge.

We discussed:

  • The intellectual challenges of leadership
  • Vision and values during a crisis
  • Maintaining clarity during rapid change
  • Keeping and gaining credibility amid uncertainty
  • How leaders can maintain their own psychological health

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Dr. Edwin Locke, Dean’s Professor (Emeritus) of Leadership and Motivation at the R.H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland

Industries in Crisis: Opportunities from the Pandemic and Tech Disruption

October 20, 2020 ● Online

The pandemic and technology disruption have pushed dozens of well-known enterprises to the edge of bankruptcy and beyond. In this episode we explored what is happening to the traditional (and huge) industries that have been impacted the most, and how they might be reinvented, Where are the hidden treasures in the “shipwrecks”?

We discussed:

  • What traditional industries are affected the most
  • What separates winners and losers in the new environment •
  • Opportunities for turn-arounds and reinvention
  • Startup opportunities in struggling industries
  • Leadership attributes needed to succeed

Featuring 

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Ken Gatz, Founder & CEO, Proseeder Technologies
  • Fred Thiel, CEO, Marathon Digital Holdings

Estonia and the power of small countries

October 7, 2020 ● Online

In this episode explord how smaller countries can become centers of innovation, with a particular emphasis on Estonia. Our was Taavi Rõivas, member of the Estonian parliament and prime minister from 2014-2016.

Amid the pandemic and technology disruption, large countries and political blocks are struggling to adapt. Brussels takes a central planning approach to innovation. The Chinese government is growing more oppressive, and is increasing its control over Chinese businesses. The United States struggles with political division and increasing government interference. 

In contrast, Estonia has embraced free markets, digital disruption, and open trade. In just two decades, it has gone from a former Soviet Republic to ranking #10 on the Index of Economic Freedom, higher than the United States. Estonian startups like Skype, TransferWise, Jobbatical, and Pipedrive have caught the attention of investors around the world. The government’s own operations are as modern as you will find them anywhere. Voting takes place over the Internet. Foreigners can register as digital residents and use Estonia as a business platform.

How did Estonia’s amazing transformation happen, and what can other countries learn from it?  What opportunities does Estonia offer founders, corporations, and investors?

Featuring

  • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
  • Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister, Estonia (2014 to 2016), MP

Post-Industrial Homesteading: Decentralization in Action

September 22, 2020 ● Online

In this episode we will explore how decentralization is changing how and where we live and work. In the midst of the pandemic, the lockdowns, and social unrest, with work and education moving online, people are leaving the big cities. They are seeking new lives in second and third tier cities, and in rural areas. What will their lives be like and what impact will they have?

    We discussed:

    • Where people are moving and why
    • Is this mostly a US phenomenon?
    • What will their home lives look like?
    • The New World of Work
    • Education, energy, farming, and manufacturing at home
    • Infrastructure needs for remote high-tech living
    • Innovation and investment opportunities
    • How will the newcomers fit into traditional communities?
    • Forecasting the future of new settlements

    Featuring

    • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
    • Dr. Julie Albright, Digital Sociologist, USC
    • Dr. Jim Spohrer, Director of Cognitive Open Technologies, IBM

    Power at the Edge: How DLTs empower farmers and make food safer

    September 8, 2020 ● Online

    In our first episode about Distributed Ledgers, we discussed the technological challenges that must be met before they can become the backbone of a post-industrial economy. However, compelling applications with real-world impact ARE being developed.

    In this special interview with Genevieve Leveille, Founder and CEO of AgriLedger, we will dive into AgriLedger’s project with the World Bank and the Government of Haiti to use DLT to empower farmers.

    Farmers are at the edge of the food supply chain. With supply chain transparency they can negotiate better prices and produce to meet demand. With better traceability, food safety can be improved. The valuable lessons learned by AgriLedger also extend to other types of supply chains.

      We will discuss:

      • How technology addresses governance problems
      • Information scarcity in (food) supply chains
      • How DLTs create transparency and traceability
      • Improving demand forecasting and pricing  
      • Practical implementation challenges
      • Managing stakeholder relationships
      • Results achieved for farmers and buyers
      • Lessons learned for other supply chains
      • Future possibilities for DLTs

      Featuring

      • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
      • Genevieve Leveille, Founder and CEO, AgriLedger

      DeepTech Everywhere: Building Disruptive Micro-Organizations

      August 25, 2020 ● Online

      It’s not just apps anymore.

      It is widely understood that one can build very small organizations that can grow exponentially in value using the Internet to scale. WhatsApp and Instagram were acquired for billion-dollar amounts with only a few employees. Uber and Airbnb built marketplaces to connect customers with service providers and assets. This yielded a huge advantage in capital efficiency and reduced the cost of growth.

      However…what is not so widely appreciated is the extent to which very advanced technologies (“DeepTech”) are now widely available for little or no money, even to schoolchildren. This dramatically reduces the cost of building micro-organizations that utilize leading-edge technology. These are ventures that can transform industries and speed the post-industrial transition.

      We will discuss:

      • Open Source: not just software
      • The growth of DeepTech availability
      • The hottest new DeepTech
      • DeepTech around the world
      • New ventures enabled by DeepTech
      • Funding new Micro-Organizations
      • The impact of DeepTech on education
      • DeepTech and our culture
      • The Maker Movement
      • Self-actualization through technology
      • Obstacles to using DeepTech

      Featuring

      • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
      • Dr. Jim Spohrer, Director of Cognitive Open Technologies, IBM
      • Dr. Manish Kothari, President, SRI International

      Boards, Tech Disruption, and the Pandemic

      August 11, 2020 ● Online

      How can boards tackle tech disruption and the pandemic at the same time?

      To better understand how enterprises are navigating the pandemic, we have to start with the board. Corporate boards are facing unprecedented difficulties. Before Covid-19 arrived, enterprises were already working to meet the challenge of technology disruption. Many were undergoing a transformation effort. These efforts must now be accelerated, but organizations are under more stress and may have fewer resources. Boards must preserve short-term value amid tremendous uncertainty while ensuring long-term viability.

      In this session we explored how boards can better meet this challenge.

        We discussed:

        • The impact of the Social Distancing Economy
        • Transformation: Best practices for boards
        • How hands-on should boards be in the current crisis?
        • The role of the Board Chair in a time of crisis
        • Do we need different directors in a crisis?
        • What new opportunities should boards consider?
        • What boards must ask from management
        • Short-term crisis versus long-term value creation

        Featuring

        • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
        • Eythor Ivar Jonsson, VP of Research, Post-Industrial Institute
        • Fred Thiel, CEO, Marathon Digital Holdings

        The Path to Progress: Building the Future Faster

        July 28, 2020 ● Online

        Jason Crawford, author
        The Roots of Progress

        Ten thousand years ago, the first humans transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture. Today we enjoy planet-wide communication, modern medicine, and goods manufactured by machines. We are launching spaceships into orbit and have begun to modify our own DNA.

        Many take all this progress for granted, but progress is more fragile than we think, and a brilliant future for humanity is not guaranteed.​​​​ We will speak with Jason Crawford about how far humans have come, and discuss the ingredients that have fueled our progress. 

        Now the world is in turmoil from a worldwide pandemic, authoritarianism is on the rise, geopolitical tensions are increasing, and the economy is in shambles. Many policymakers are skeptical of growth and technological progress. How do we ensure that humanity continues to advance on Earth and beyond?

        Don’t miss this conversation about a subject which will inspire you to Think Bigger.

          We discussed:

          • Why so many take progress for granted
          • The “secret ingredients” that power progress
          • What Jason has learned from studying the
            surprising history of science and technology
          • The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
          • Is progress in danger of slowing down?
          • Marc Andreesen’s essay “It’s time to build”
          • The emerging field of Progress Studies
          • Teaching Progress Studies to young people
          • What policymakers, investors, and
            corporate leaders can do to ensure future progress

          Featuring

          • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
          • Jason Crawford, Author, The Roots of Progress

          Distributed Ledgers: The Next Generation

          July 14, 2020 ● Online

          What will it take for Distributed Ledgers to become the backbone of the post-industrial economy?

          Starting with Blockchain, Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) have been presented as a new paradigm of computation, enablers for business decentralization, and a mechanism for building uniquely attractive business models. And yet, the revolution is taking longer than people expected. In this session we will discuss why and explore what comes next.

          We discussed:

          • The story of distributed ledgers and their adoption so far
          • Powerful applications in operation today
          • Weaknesses of first and second generation DLTs
          • How will these problems be addressed in the next generation of DLTs?
          • Regulatory obstacles to adopting DLTs
          • What might the DLT landscape look like in 3-5 years?
          • What are the most exciting applications coming next?

              Featuring

              • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
              • Dr. C. Mohan, IBM Fellow at the IBM Almaden Research Center
              • Toby Lewis, Founder and CEO, Novum Insights
              • Jonathan Levi, CEO, HACERA

              Navigating the New World of Work

              June 30, 2020 ● Online

              The Future of Work is already here.

              Join Dr. Julie Albright, a digital sociologist at the University of Southern California, Robert Dugdale from AI startup IPSoft, and Frode Odegard, the CEO of Post-Lean Institute, as we explore the future landscape of work. The pandemic has accelerated its arrival. Working from home has become the new normal for knowledge workers, while manual service jobs have disappeared by the millions.

              Decentralization is a major aspect of the post-industrial transition, and this also includes the decoupling of people from firms. People can find work/clients in online digital marketplaces. In the emerging landscape of work we will see increasingly capable intelligent agents that work with self-organizing teams of humans who can be anywhere.

              We discussed:

              • How is the day-to-day work experience changing?
              • What is the impact on families and relationships?
              • How can leaders lead effectively when hierarchies
                are replaced by self-organizing networks?
              • Your new AI coworkers
              • Will we still need managers?
              • Is there still a need for physical togetherness
                at work and if so, how do we meet it?
              • How do we avoid “Zoom Fatigue” and stay fresh?
              • How can we keep people engaged without being too intrusive?
              • How will our local communities be affected as work changes?
              • What practical, cultural, and political hindrances will we face?

              Featuring

              • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
              • Dr. Julie Albright, Digital Sociologist, USC
              • Robert Dugdale, Senior Director of Client Services, IPsoft

              Adapting to the Social Distancing Economy

              June 16, 2020 ● Online

              How do businesses continue their transformation efforts amid a pandemic, a worldwide recession, and social unrest? Fireside chat with Frode Odegard, Founder of the Post-Industrial Forum and
              the Post-Industrial Institute.

                We discussed:

                • The pandemic’s impact on major industries
                • How industry transformation is accelerated
                • New consumer behaviors: what will stick?
                • The post-pandemic workplace
                • How education is changing
                • Decentralization versus regionalization
                • Policy intervention: the good, the bad, the ugly
                • Strategies for recovery and restoring growth
                • The impossible choices leaders face

                Featuring

                • Frode Odegard, Founder & CEO, Post-Industrial Institute (moderator)
                • Ken Gatz, Founder and CEO, ProSeeder

                2019 and 2020 Launch Events

                Silicon Valley Launch

                January 15, 2020 ● SRI International, Menlo Park

                More than a hundred people had signed up for our inaugural event in Silicon Valley. The event was hosted by SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute), a source of innovation and inspiration that goes back to the late 1940s. SRI helped create the Internet, intelligent agents (Siri), and modern windows-based user interfaces.

                Keynote:
                Accelerating corporate renewal amid industry disruption
                Frode Odegard, Chairman and CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

                Panel:

                • Steve Ciesinski, Past President, Sr. Advisor, SRI International (moderator)
                • Amar Hanspal, CEO, Bright Machines
                • Patrick Suel, President, Diamond Edge Ventures
                • Dr. Yossi Feinberg,  The Adams Distinguished Professor of Management and Professor of Economics, Stanford Graduate School of Business

                London Launch

                June 25, 2019 ● Ashurst LLP, London

                Our first launch event for the Post-Industrial Forum was held on 25 June 2019 in the City of London. It was hosted by Ashurst LLP, a Post-Industrial Forum Partner in London, in their brand-new building.

                Keynote:
                The Post-Industrial Transition:
 Rethinking Business & Society
                Frode L. Odegard,
 CEO, Post-Industrial Institute

                Panel:

                • Pete Swabey
 The Economist Intelligence Unit (moderator)
                • Toby Lewis, CEO Novum Insights
 Co-Founder, Global Corp. Venturing
                • Helen Disney, Founder and CEO, Unblocked Events
                • Alan Grogan, Executive Partner
 IBM Global Business Services
                • Dr. Suran Goonatilake OBE
 Visiting Prof., Computer Science, UCL