Tom Kalil Renaissance Philanthropy believes in the power of effective agenda-setting. In this Q&A, Tom Kalil discusses what we mean by that, how agenda-setting can create positive, self-fulfilling prophesies, and the role of field strategists in agenda-setting.
Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation
Renaissance Philanthropy is a nonprofit that designs, incubates, and manages time-bound, thesis-driven philanthropic funds for science, technology, and innovation. Led by Tom Kalil and Kumar Garg, the organization has catalyzed $533M in philanthropic capital since 2024.
Kalil's Corner: Business Plan Competitions for Multi-Sector Collaborations
In the latest post from Renaissance Philanthropy's CEO, Tom Kalil looks at ways to incentivize the public and private sectors to collaborate and address some of the world's most pressing problems.
A Trillion-Dollar Industry Deserves a Better Engine — Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation
With a new wave of philanthropic capital on the horizon, the most pressing binding constraint on that capital won't be the will to give it away; it will be the operational capacity to do so well.
Charting AI’s Role in Scientific Discovery — Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation
Renaissance Philanthropy, with support from Google.org , is conducting a landscape study of AI integration in scientific research — and we want your perspective.
Coordinated Research Programs — Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation (V2)
In many cases, ambitious R&D problems are not well-suited to individual academic labs, startups, or other existing institutions.
Philanthropy 2.0: What the Evolution of For-Profit Investment Tells Us About the Future of Giving
Gaps in philanthropic funding for era-defining science and discovery demand a new approach. In this piece, we look at how learning from venture capital is a game changer for catalytic philanthropy.
Philanthropy 2.0: What the Evolution of For-Profit Investment Tells Us About the Future of Giving
Gaps in philanthropic funding for era-defining science and discovery demand a new approach. In this piece, we look at how learning from venture capital is a game changer for catalytic philanthropy.
Renaissance Philanthropy Fellow: Dario Taraborelli
Funding and Framing Impact in the Neuro Frontier
Representations 04: Philanthropy, FRO, Connectomes, ARIA
The Times are Urgent: Let’s Slow Down • Writings – Bayo Akomolafe
An Open Letter to CONCORD-DEEEP, CIVICUS, GCAP, Civic Society Organizations and Activists Working for a ‘Better’ World. This article is co-authored by Bayo Akomolafe and Marta Benavides. With deep gratitude for the stories of transformation now emerging across the planet, and for the renewed hope we share for a different kind of world, we greet you from our hearts.
Who Owns the Future? Ways to Understand Power, Technology, and the Moral Commons
Thomas Meier and Kristina Khutsishvili argue for a reorientation to revive the democratic lifeblood of shared meaning, moral cultivation, and civic agency.
Elena Rossini 🌈 (@_elena@mastodon.social)
🚨 New post alert 📝 A deep dive into #WSocial with some fascinating findings: candid statements about their motives, a Greta Thunberg connection, potential AI plans (!!!) Why write about it again? I still had so many questions after publishing my first article. I spent 3 weeks watching every interview I could find and connecting the dots. I hope you'll enjoy this piece: 🔗 : https://blog.elenarossini.com/the-untold-story-about-w-social-unconventional-beginnings-strategic-pitches-conflicting-signals/ #blog #longread #privacy #DataMining #Europe
The Four Factors for Organizations - Future Mending Radio
When I pick an organization for the podcast or the map at Futuremending.com, I’m not just picking businesses out of a hat – I have a system for evaluating orgs which I call the Four Factors for Organizations. The Four Factors are Multi-solving, Sharing, Sufficiency and Transparency.This episode is in two parts. The opening minutes are a bit of an emotional check-in to see how people are processing the unprecedented political turmoil in the United States. The second part of the podcast discusses the Four Factors for Organizations and why seeking out certain vectors of change makes more sense than trying to lay out a detailed plan for a better future. Read about the Four Factors: https://www.futuremending.com/whatMatt’s Blue Sky account: https://bsky.app/profile/mattliepaehlke.bsky.socialWired Magazine coverage of the crisis in the U.S. : https://www.wired.com/tag/elon-musk/Rebecca Solnit’s newsletter: https://meditations-in-an-emergency.ghost.io/welcome-to-meditations-in-an-emergency/ Google's AI Policy: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/05/google-owner-drops-promise-not-to-use-ai-for-weapons Future Mending Map: https://www.futuremending.com/toronto Music Credits:'Epilogue' by The Slow Motions. Used with permission of the artist.‘Fashion’ by Alex Productions. Creative Commons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV1miCgT7J4‘Miss you’ by Middle Child. Creative Commons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dayIKHEIYqY‘Opening’ by Phillip Glass. Arr. by Karl Michelson. Performed by The Union Guitar Trio. Used with permission of the artists.Union Guitar Trio on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/2E0NidLjIzBAO7t0BBPFUDUnion Guitar Trio on Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-union-guitar-trio/1592543833Sound Effects:BBC News November 9th, 1989: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjNz1lvXgzUwood hit low glass bowl 3.mp3 by ascap -- https://freesound.org/s/242388/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0Brightness by sonically_sound -- https://freesound.org/s/632762/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
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Care as methodology
On being a researcher in the strategy industry. And reflections on how care becomes a valuable scarcity in a world where speed and ego erode the sincerity of knowledge.
Road Map to a New World (SSIR)
In New Power, Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms argue that power and influence are being driven by a new participatory and peer-driven paradigm.
Foundational research — Passing the Message Stick
We can build widespread support for self-determination and justice when we lead with our strength and solutions.
