#82 – Tom Kalil on Institutions for Innovation (with Matt Clancy)
Dec 14, 2024
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In this discussion, Tom Kalil, CEO of Renaissance Philanthropy and former White House advisor, alongside economist Matt Clancy, dive into the importance of innovation prizes and the art of ‘influence without authority’. They challenge the ambition level of ultra-wealthy philanthropy and ponder whether policy entrepreneurship can be formally taught. Kalil shares insights from his experience working with Gordon Moore, while Clancy highlights the pivotal role of young professionals in revitalizing U.S. state capacity and bridging research with actionable policy.
Tom Kalil emphasizes the importance of articulating ambitious goals alongside enabling technologies to attract talent and resources for innovation.
The implementation of incentive prizes, as demonstrated by DARPA's self-driving car challenges, illustrates how structured mechanisms can mobilize innovation effectively.
Renaissance Philanthropy seeks to align high-impact philanthropy with scientific research to address funding gaps in global public goods and pressing challenges.
Deep dives
Influence Through Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Science and technology policy can create positive self-fulfilling prophecies by first identifying significant goals that resonate with both policymakers and the public. The second component involves leveraging timely advancements in technology that make previously unattainable goals achievable. Tom Kalil illustrates this with an example from his discussions with a philanthropist regarding ALS, highlighting the convergence of genetic understanding, innovations like CRISPR, and advancements in drug delivery technology as a promising pathway for research. By articulating ambitious goals alongside the enabling technologies, it becomes possible to attract talent and resources toward achieving meaningful outcomes.
The Evolution of Innovation Prizes
Kalil reflects on his experience launching challenge.gov and the use of incentive prizes as a tool for driving innovation. Inspired by historical examples of prizes that spurred advancements, he helped introduce the concept of inducement prizes at a government level, which were formalized into a federal mechanism. Examples of successful prize competitions, such as DARPA's self-driving car challenges, demonstrate how these mechanisms have led to notable outcomes, including the formation of companies like Waymo. The implementation of these prizes illustrates how structured incentives can engage and mobilize innovation in both the public and private sectors.
Conditional Commitments in Governance
Kalil advocates for increasing the use of conditional commitments rather than relying predominantly on financial support tied to failure, a model exemplified by Operation Warp Speed's approach to vaccine procurement. This innovative structure incentivizes success by offering financial backing contingent on the achievement of specific goals or milestones. He contrasts this with traditional mechanisms, highlighting their limitations in fostering innovation while advocating for a more dynamic approach across both public and private sectors. Implementing these conditional commitments can reshape the landscape of funding and accountability, driving forward significant advancements in technology and science.
The Importance of Agency and Meta-Science
Kalil underscores the significance of agency in scientific advancement and how policy entrepreneurs can leverage their influence without formal authority. He highlights the necessity for experienced individuals who can strategize collaboratively to create transformative policies that fill gaps in research funding and project alignment. He proposes that the meta-science movement should prioritize understanding what researchers cannot pursue due to funding limitations, providing insights into possible structural reforms. This focus can illuminate pathways for funding and support that align better with researchers' ambitious goals and vision.
Building Effective Bridges in Philanthropy
At Renaissance Philanthropy, Kalil emphasizes the need for effective collaboration between high-impact philanthropy and scientific research to drive innovation. The organization seeks to identify areas where philanthropy can fill gaps left by public funding, particularly in global public goods and pressing scientific challenges. The emphasis is on aligning philanthropists with researchers who are ready to innovate in areas that do not adequately receive government funding. By designing partnerships that facilitate impactful investments, Renaissance Philanthropy aims to catalyze a new era of scientific discovery and societal improvement.
He also served in the White House for two presidents (under Obama and Clinton); where he helped establish incentive prizes in government through challenge.gov; in addition to dozens of science and tech program. More recently Tom served as the Chief Innovation Officer at Schmidt Futures, where he helped launch Convergent Research.
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