Inspiring conversation from @jordanschneider.bsky.social and @kumargarg.bsky.social (w/Remco Zwetsloot) discussing the sad lack of talent/resources being applied to important work… and all the opportunity that creates! Also: wish ChinaTalk shared more on Bluesky.
Doing Big Things in Policy: It's All White Space
Podcast Episode · ChinaTalk · May 22 · 56m
podcasts.apple.com
Our team is coming out to Japan this November in case folks have recommendations on people they should meet. More on the work we are doing there: www.renaissancephilanthropy.org/news-and-ins...
Renaissance Philanthropy selected as Prospective Awardee by Japan Cabinet Office (CAO) to Launch ASCENT Program — Renaissance Philanthropy – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and ...
Renaissance Philanthropy has been selected, as prospective awardee, to support ambitious R&D programs in Japan. If awarded, Renaissance Philanthropy will work to train visionary science leaders, d...
renaissancephilanthropy.org
This initiative recently announced by @kumargarg.bsky.social aims to fund solutions to help people and agencies navigate the new pressures that will come into effect on public benefit systems: www.publicbenefitinnovationfund.org/summer-2025-...
Fund Announcement
publicbenefitinnovationfund.org
UPDATE: Given passage of the new tax law (and implications for SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits), under Cassandra Madison's leadership, we wanted to move quickly to get this call-for-proposals out the door. Send us your ideas: www.publicbenefitinnovationfund.org/summer-2025-...
Fund Announcement
publicbenefitinnovationfund.org
Our President, @kumargarg.bsky.social, joined Alex Kotran on the new aiEDU podcast to explore how AI can be implemented as a public and social good.
UPDATE: Excited to have Alex Deghan join our team to scope a philanthropic fund addressing fire in the Amazon. And he is eager for ideas. renaissancephilanthropy.org/news-and-ins...
Dr. Alex Dehgan Joins Renaissance Philanthropy to Address Fire in the Amazon – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation
renaissancephilanthropy.org
UPDATE: Renaissance Philanthropy is a year old. I am hugely proud of the team and all of what we have accomplished. renaissancephilanthropy.org/wp-content/u...
Always fun to reflect on one’s career journey - only makes sense in retrospect.
Renaissance Philanthropy@renphil21.bsky.social · last yr.Ever wonder what connects White House science policy, inspiring the next generation, and high-impact philanthropy? Our President @kumargarg.bsky.social has spent a career at the intersection—and shares what he’s learned on the Pathways to Progress podcast.
We continue to build out our library of playbooks - tell us what you think and what you recommend adding.
Renaissance Philanthropy@renphil21.bsky.social · last yr.Want to turn bold goals into action? The Commitments Playbook by Renaissance Philanthropy gives you and your team the blueprint: → How to leverage anchor commitments → How to enable calls to action → How to create accountability amongst partners 🔗 renaissancephilanthropy.org/playbooks/co...
UPDATE: So excited about our new partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation to build more public AI benchmarks in career navigation.
Renaissance Philanthropy@renphil21.bsky.social · last yr.With support from the Schultz Family Foundation, we’re designing CareerNet—a new initiative to build benchmarks and build better AI tools for career discovery and navigation. Young people deserve tech that actually helps them find their path. Let’s help make it happen.
1/ As mathematics grows more complex, it's critical to verify what we prove, and iterate quickly to push the boundaries of our knowledge. AI-powered methods may be the key to do just that.
UPDATE: So excited to announce our newest program. Using a 15-week cohort model, goal is help more scientists design the type of ambitious research programs that were critical to advancements such as the Internet or mRNA vaccines. We plan to do multiple cohorts this year (info below).
Renaissance Philanthropy@renphil21.bsky.social · last yr.Today we launched the Big if True Science (BiTS) Accelerator—an accelerator to train scientists & researchers in designing and executing bold, field-changing coordinated research programs. Powered by our partnership with @aria-research.bsky.social, BiTS will launch its first cohort in Spring 2025.
One is our goals at Renaissance is to open-source our problem-solving approach. Releasing these playbooks is part of that. Worth reading this one and checking out the full collection.
Renaissance Philanthropy@renphil21.bsky.social · last yr.Some of the biggest scientific challenges require more than just grants or VC funding. Our new Coordinated Research Programs Playbook explores how actively managed, cross-disciplinary R&D efforts can drive real-world breakthroughs! renaissancephilanthropy.org/playbooks/co...
At Renaissance Philanthropy, we are so excited to partner with and announce the launch of the Public Interest Innovation Fund. With $20M in initial funding, the goal is to responsibly leverage advancements in AI towards strengthening the social safety net. More: www.publicbenefitinnovationfund.org
Public Benefit Innovation Fund – PBIF
The Public Benefit Innovation Fund is a philanthropic venture fund and R&D lab. We provide seed funding and technical support for researchers, nonprofits, academic labs, startups, and technologists wo...
publicbenefitinnovationfund.org
Worth checking out. Short pre-proposals due tomorrow (Friday)!
Terence Tao@teorth.bsky.social · 2y agoRenaissance Philanthropy and XTX Markets have launched a $9.2 million "AI for Math fund" to support the development of new AI tools as long-term building blocks to advance mathematics. (I have agreed to serve on the advisory board for this fund.) renaissancephilanthropy.org/news-and-ins...
Such a cool idea, and necessary to catalyze data sharing. www.freelancer.com/contest/NIH-...
NIH Data Sharing Index (S-index) Challenge
Check out this contest and enter now!
freelancer.com
Ryan T Scott@ryantscott.bsky.social · 2y agoFunding to develop a “Data Sharing Index” (S-Index) via the NIH. Initial funding for six phase 1 winners, then Phase 2 finalists prizes are $500k (first), $300k (second), 100k (third) 🎉 🔗https://www.freelancer.com/contest/NIH-Data-Sharing-Index-Sindex-Challenge-2470942/prize-details
Worth a read. I was excited to support this workshop by @ruxandrabio.bsky.social and Willy alongside @ifp.bsky.social, and eager to help more of these reform ideas get traction in 2025.
Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 2y agoHow to spur medical innovation with faster, better, and cheaper clinical trials. www.slowboring.com/p/the-case-f...
Giving early funding to Lucia remains one of my highest ROI grants. If you are looking for your next thing, hard to beat this team and mission.
Agree. Building these real-world benchmarks (eg career navigation, or a benefits eligibility question) is also a good way to incentivize the frontier labs to improve on those tasks.
Ethan Mollick@emollick.bsky.social · 2y agoI really wish there was more interest in benchmarking AI models on real tasks. The fact that there are not 30 different benchmarks from different organizations in medicine, in law, in advice quality, etc. is a big shame. People are using systems for these things anyway & we don’t know implications.
Great listen from two of my fave people. And you can learn more about why Tom and I started Renaissance Philanthropy.
Matt Clancy@mattsclancy.bsky.social · 2y agoFin Moorehouse invited me to be a guest interviewer on the Hear This Idea podcast, so I got to ask the great Tom Kalil a bunch of things I’ve always wanted to! t.co/VrhpQgWWgz
If you want people to obtain more health care services you can’t just mess around with financing, you need to address the barriers to supply. www.slowboring.com/p/end-the-me...
This was fun. Good overview of our work and new program on AI, learning science, and education.
Michael Palmer@madintangibles.bsky.social · 2y agoThe latest Trending in Ed features @kumargarg.bsky.social the President of Renaissance Philanthropy talking #AI, #EdTech, and the role #philanthropy can play in the #futureofeducation Check out highlights here: youtube.com/shorts/z8Ccv... Visit us at trendingined.com for more.
Innovation job market papers round up! Over the last week, I found 50+ papers from PhDs going on the job market and I’ll post a few abstracts to this thread every day until they’re all up.
Great to have Terry as an advisor for the Fund.
Terence Tao@teorth.bsky.social · 2y agoRenaissance Philanthropy and XTX Markets have launched a $9.2 million "AI for Math fund" to support the development of new AI tools as long-term building blocks to advance mathematics. (I have agreed to serve on the advisory board for this fund.) renaissancephilanthropy.org/news-and-ins...
UPDATE: I’m excited to announce a new partnership between Renaissance Philanthropy and XTX Markets to accelerate the use of AI in math research. Learn more here: renaissancephilanthropy.org/news-and-ins...
Renaissance Philanthropy and XTX Markets Launch New $9 million AI for Math Fund – A brighter future for all through science, technology, and innovation
renaissancephilanthropy.org
Came up all the time among parents of HS-age children. Was surprised it never entered the political debate.
Catherine Rampell@crampell.bsky.social · 2y agoNew data shows enrollment among 18-year-old freshmen dropped this year. Some higher ed experts say last year’s botched FAFSA rollout is at least partly to blame. www.insidehighered.com/news/admissi...
We’re doing this again! If you’re a PhD student going on the job market and want your innovation-related paper to be included in the list, email a title, abstract, and link to matt@newthingsunderthesun.com by the end of November mattsclancy.substack.com/p/innovation...
Innovation Job Market Papers 2023
Dozens of paper abstracts
mattsclancy.substack.com
