Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” and a “Serial Innovator” by The Economist, John is a thought leader, practitioner and activist, who has played a leading role in the fields of innovation and business creativity for over 30 years. He blends the perspectives of former Harvard Business School professor, best-selling author, serial entrepreneur, musician, master facilitator, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and Tony-nominated producer of film and stage. Recently, Yamaha Music Corporation named him their first “innovation artist.” He is a trusted advisor to leaders of companies, startups and nations who are on the hot seat to deliver meaningful innovation strategies and action agendas.
John’s work also reflects an ongoing engagement with advanced, disruptive technologies. His advisory and venture development activity has embraced fields as diverse as innovation learning, blockchain credentialing for education, AI and big data models for microbiome research and ocean surveillance, data ownership and privacy, immersive gaming, collaboration technology and more.
In the summer of 1969, John apprenticed to rock legend Frank Zappa. In his spare time, he plays jazz piano.
Adrift At Sea: When Will Shipping Get Smart?
In a world in which we are drowning in oceans of data, the ocean itself is a data dead zone. Ships carry 90% of global trade, but when they move out to open sea we basically lose them. Now tech and connectivity is transforming the 71% of the planet not covered by land. What does this mean for trade, defense, fishing, piracy, the environment and even human trafficking? Will tech and geospatial intelligence bring transparency to what happens at sea?
Two-Minute talks at Techonomy 2014 on All Kinds of Topics
Bringing together great ideas and pressing concerns to fuel TE14 and power its conversations. A troop of Techonomists ignite our discussions.
China
Cyberwar: It’s a MAD MAD World
As society relies ever more on the Internet, cyberwar and its unpredictable consequences has become our 21st century bogeyman. And the country most responsible for letting this particular genie out of its bottle, as with another frightening weapon back in the 1940’s, appears to be the United States. Can there really be winners in a cyberwar?
Can the U.S. Stay Competitive?
Slow trains; second class cell service; inferior infrastructure; third-tallest buildings; fourth-rate education; 34th in infant mortality. What are we still best at? As innovation flourishes around the world, can the U.S. stay strong? How? This session seeks some answers. Read the full transcript below. Kirkpatrick: Could the next panel come up? I want to introduce […]
Conferences
Techonomy 19
The theme for Techonomy 2019 in Half Moon Bay, California was “Reset and Restore: Governing Tech, Retrieving Ethics, and Acting on Climate.” We are in a unique period when corporate responsibility and big-picture thinking is absolutely essential.
Conferences
Techonomy 18
Techonomy 2018 was a probing, wide-ranging conversation about the tech-inflected issues that affect business and our world. This year’s theme was Harnessing Tech for Responsible Growth, and as always we addressed many of the issues facing leaders today.
Conferences
Techonomy 17
“The idea that fake news on Facebook…influenced the election in any way, I think is a pretty crazy idea,” said Mark Zuckerberg onstage at Techonomy 2016. He has subsequently recanted.
Conferences
Techonomy 16
MANkind’s evolving relationship with tools and MACHINES is nothing new. But the speed at which we, and everything around us, are becoming more closely connected and NETWORKed is.
