PHONT’s Post

A big thank you to Novare Leadership for a fantastic evening yesterday at Grand Hôtel Stockholm, focused on how Learning Drives Change and Transformation. It was inspiring to hear from leaders like Alexander Fred-Ojala from EQT ventures, Anders Ynnerman from WASP – Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program and Karin Johansson Deputy CEO at Svenskt Näringsliv. A few takeaways that stood out to me: 📊 The link between math skills and economic growth is clear, as highlighted by the international PISA study. Sweden currently falls behind with only 8% of students reaching high proficiency in math, compared to the OECD average of 19% and Singapore at 51%. This underscores how vital education is for future growth. 🔬 WASP is Sweden’s largest research program, focused on AI and autonomous systems. I was particularly intrigued by the advances in visual intelligence and the Wisdome project, a collaboration with the Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, aiming to make cutting-edge research more accessible and engaging. 💡 With AI, we also see the potential for cognitive offloading, which allows us to free up mental capacity for more creative processes by shifting cognitive load from the cerebellum to the frontal lobe. But as we embrace these innovations, it’s essential to remember the importance of a human-centric approach—ensuring technology enhances, rather than diminishes, our natural abilities. It was a thought-provoking event, and I left with many new ideas on how we can keep learning at the center of driving meaningful change. #Learning #Change #Transformation #Leadership

5 #talks in the 5 days! Never knew a sabbatical is so eventful. Things started with a presentation to European university leaders at Kongresshaus Zurich last Wednesday, moved on to a workshop with teachers of all types of schools in the Cologne area, a keynote for ca. 200 entrepreneurs on value & values of AI, Friday's research exchange with colleagues from TH Köln on world models, and a Q&A session on AI with a larger church congregation yesterday. For all diversity involved, there was one running theme in the ensuing conversations: The most sought-after commodity today is #hope. Whether we talk about data protection in university administration, the challenges of education on all levels, disruption by and adoption of AI in business, the future of representation learning, or the questions of everyday life: Is there a #better_narrative than the standard doomsday scenarios broadcasted relentlessly by the media? I think we need to #upgrade our #philosophy: If we cannot see any option for a hope-filled tomorrow, and the gradient in any direction points steeply downward, that is likely not a matter of the facts and science of any particular technology or sociology - but a problem of the mindset. What we adopted as our worldview is the problem. Frankly: AI is a #huge_thing (it touches almost every aspect of life and business), but not a #big_deal (meaning, the transformation is lived out one natural step after the other). There are ways to manage this well, if we do not give up our #freedom and #agency ourselves by becoming passive (whether this is due to feeling intimidated by assumed machine skills or overcome by the availability of convenience). I hope to elaborate a bit more on some of these themes in the future. (Btw., the winners of the Digital Economy Award have also been announced, and you voted me on #2 of The #Pascal - thanks a ton, that is amazing!) cc Thomas Brück FCBG Gummersbach Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand Berinfor Hochschulberatung Viktor Pritzkau Marco Balocco Martin Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bonnet Christian Wolf Prof.Dr. Natalia L. Müller-Ott Daniel Gaida Markus Cramer Peter K. Matthias Dick Benjamin Schroeder

🌟New Partnership Announcement!   At the beginning of December, we started a new collaboration with Technische Universität Darmstadt, a university recognized for its strong commitment to technology transfer and innovation.   💡 What this partnership is about:  • Using ScoutinScience’s AI-powered platform to identify academic research with high commercial potential. • Supporting TU Darmstadt in bridging the gap between academia and industry, creating more opportunities for successful technology transfer. Together, we aim to make academic research more accessible and impactful, turning ideas into practical solutions that benefit society.   ✨ Special thanks to Susanne Gürich and Harald Holzer from HIGHEST – Innovations- und Gründungszentrum | Technische Universität Darmstadt for their support in bringing this partnership to life.   We’re excited to see the impact of this collaboration and its contribution to advancing technology transfer! 🚀   #TechnologyTransfer #Innovation #AI #Collaboration #Research

The #AIXSummit 2024 has wrapped up, and what an incredible two days it was! 🤖   Held on the 3rd and 4th of October, Switzerland's largest AI event brought together over 2000 attendees, including researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. Hosted by the ETH AI Center in collaboration with ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the University of Zurich, this summit created an inspiring platform for innovation and collaboration.   As a proud participant, ConcentrAid was thrilled to be part of such a dynamic exchange of ideas. The event showcased cutting-edge AI research and real-world applications, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. We believe that connections made at events like these are vital for driving advancements in the field.   A special highlight was witnessing entrepreneurs and researchers connect, sparking future opportunities for interdisciplinary partnerships. At ConcentrAid, we are committed to fostering collaboration and learning among our community, and events like the #AIXSummit remind us that progress happens when bright minds come together to share and innovate. 🌍   Photo from the Shaping Tomorrow’s Innovators: AI Education and Skills session, moderated by Cloé Maria Salzgeber, with guests Fiona Könz, Martin Hirzel, Andreas Urbanski, Andri Silberschmidt-Buhofer, and Dirk Wilhelm. #AI #Innovation #Collaboration #Entrepreneurship #Research #AIConference #ETHZurich #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #AcademicCommunity #PlusXSummit #AIInnovation #AIConference #AIWeek #Innovation #EdTech #Research #Academia #DigitalCoworking

Hi folks, I wanted to highlight 2 great offerings coming up in Sept - 1 global online, 1 local in person (Dublin). Particularly for those feeling despondent/ upset/ anxious about our current broken systems and their cruel impacts, these events may spark #inspiration for a positive alternative, & may (hopefully) nourish the heart & soul. 🌱 Global first… MITx Courses & Presencing Institute will be hosting their *u-lab 1x* MOOC, starting in Sept. https://lnkd.in/giQpatdY The program runs through the foundations of Theory U, a process for #transformative change that blends systems thinking, consciousness and wisdom traditions, and civic action. The course is designed to support practical application of various tools/ methods throughout, as well as driving connection & community both across the course cohort & in smaller “hubs”.  I did the course last year (with a hub) & found it so enriching that I’ll be back again this year. Check it out! If you have questions, reach out to the U Lab team (or feel free to drop me a message & I’ll do my best to respond). Local next… 20-22 Sept will see the eco-festival *Earth Rising* hosted at IMMA - Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin. https://lnkd.in/gB6gCcSN This’ll be my first time attending & I’m really curious & hopeful about the potential of this event - also hoping I'll see some of you there! For anyone who has been, I’d love to hear your reflections. #positivefuture #transformation #systemsthinking #ecosystem #regeneration #imagination

Tuesday's inspiration from last week’s Green Transition Forum 😉 (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture in front of the event poster.) “What has Green Transition to do with AI and Leadership?” Well, quite a lot! It is an ecosystem. Digitalization enhances, and speeds up green transition in many industries already. Just think about it. Here are just a few of all juicy insights: 👉Research as a leverage towards receiving a fund. - Petar Tsankov There is a whole bunch of European funds to support projects in the areas of digitalization, innovation, and green technologies, just look up EIC, EIT, etc. 😉 But before we get to funds comes…Education! First mentioned by Svilen Rangelov in his own story of yearslong work until funding and success, all fueled by the right ✅Environment, ✅Education and ✅Ambition. Later on, extensively discussed at the Education & Innovation panel. I am thrilled by the people and projects presented on stage. 😮 Deputy minister of education Natalia Miteva's statements engaged the audience and sparked enthusiasm. ✨ “Green and Digital skills are crucial for the education system.” 👉Horizontal implementation of those skills and 👉Enabling teachers to use and teach AI are the challenges, which the school system now needs to conquer. And, there are already working examples in this direction: 👏SoftUni’s high school in Sofia, 👏An elementary school in Burgas. Still, we definately can learn a thing from Denmark’s approach, presented by Dario Zoric. Even more important when including AI in school systems: ✅AI is biased. ✅Biases come from humans. ✅From human data. ➡️Data diversity is crucial for battling AI biases. And, to finish up, a great statement from Jason King about educating kids on digitalization: ❤️“It’s not just a responsibility, it’s fun!”❤️ Hopefully, the inspiration sparks reached you ✨😉 Thank you for the organization of the event Monika Stanisheva & DIR.BG. #greentransitionforum #digitalization #education #ai #innovation

I am so grateful to Prof. Maria Fernanda Rollo from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, as during my short-term #scientific #mission visit to #Portugal, funded by SHiFT COST Action via COST Association - European Cooperation in Science and Technology, she invited me to attend the #Global #Digital #Summit with a #Purpose 2024 in #Cascais at the #Congress #Center of #Estoril in Cascais. The summit brought together #industry #experts, #researchers, and #academics facilitating the discussion of #digital #technology #solutions aimed at creating a #sustainable and #inclusive #future. Over the last couple decades, a new trend has emerged that provides us with new opportunities – sometimes challenges – #digitalization. The Digital With Purpose Global Summit aimed at putting #innovation and #digital #solutions at the core of the #sustainability #agenda, and #sustainability at the core of the #digital #agenda. There is enough evidence that #digital is the key to address the most pressing sustainability #challenges and to #empower #worldwide #leaders in building a more #sustainable #future. Among other things, I was delighted to join an #international #panel with speakers from e.g., Canada, the USA, Japan, and Belgium, discussing how we can get a handle on #Gen #AI. The dramatic rise of Gen AI and its potential to upend #education, #life, and #livelihood #systems warrants a close examination of the current state of affairs and #emerging #trends. #Students can be assisted in #learning, but also in #cheating in #universities by AI, but they also need to understand how it works, how to use it, and even how to program it. What #practical and #ethical #criteria need to be set to #maximize the #potential and #minimize the #negative aspects of Gen AI? This initial discussion sponsored by the DWP Movement brought together #AI #experts, Ed Tech #entrepreneurs, #academics, #students, and other #stakeholders to create mutual #understanding and start work towards the necessary #standards. Recognized as a Microsoft #Innovative #Expert #Educator, I am currently leading 3 international #high-#impact projects that promote #research-informed #teaching and #learning and aspire to support #colleagues in integrating #multilingualism, #EDI, #ESD, and Gen #AI to #transform #student #learning in terms of my #RILEAS Research Group. These projects align perfectly with London Metropolitan University’s focus on Digital First #strategy designed to support all of its staff in becoming digitally competent. Aspiring to transform lives through the power of education, London Met aims to support those students who face #digital #poverty. This is also my personal mission as an #EDI Specialist. #AI #climate #change #social #inclusion #student #continuation #graduate #outcomes #employability #degree #awarding #gap #international #excellence #world #leading #research #inclusive #flexible #engaging #accessible #learning #mentorship #learning #development #professional #enhancement #thankyou

For all #changemakers out there looking for an #accessible overview of concepts and systems of thoughts, and for #handsOn guidance on #how to be empowered and supported working on #change and #transition: I truly recommend #ulab https://lnkd.in/ejBbhrh6. Presencing Institute MITx Courses I am only in module 1, but I am already quite blown away by the #accessibility and #value of material shared being 'grounded' in more than 15 years of action research observing, testing, collecting and summarising real life experiences of change makers and many schools of thoughts (systems thinking, indigenous wisdom, organsational learning, performing arts..). Very #valuable to make that accessible #freely for change makers all over the planet (>200.000 already followed it) and #empower them on this (sometimes exhausting) experience of 'swimming upstream'. Thanks Otto Scharmer and team. Thanks Mark Bollen for guiding me towards it. Some quotes to illustrate how bits of #wisdom I had already gained through different books/thoughts/people are neatly woven together: > "We collectively create results that (almost) nobody want." #divide (ecological, social, inners). "Nobody get's up in the morning wanting to #harm people, nature or itself, yet collectively we do". > "Systems thinking is essentially an #inquiry into the #root #issues that make us do that. So that we can #understand them and #address them in a way that is #transformative". > It is about accessing a place from which #innovation and #creativity can #emerge, from an entrepreneurial point of view. This is "from a place wanting to help others and the world reach their highest possible future(s)". > It is about (deep) #listening/paying #attention (open mind, observe), expressing #intention(s) (open heart/from the heart) and demonstrating #agency (open will, courage to undertake, together with others). > It shows how to bridge the #knowing-#doing #gap. > A system is made up of people, connected in a (invisible) social field. "You cannot change the system until you #transform the #mindsets of the people enacting that system". That's why so many emphasise the importance of tools to help people feel/#sense within themselves a change/ a resonance.. When you've experienced it, you know what I mean.. Many of those #individual #transformations are needed for #systems #change to occur.

✨2024 has been a busy year. We co-organised an ambitious conference, concluded three experiments, published papers, and started our learning programme. A huge thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey! ✨Highlights ✨ 📚We’ve developed a new DT learning hub! We’ve been creating tools & learning materials ready for the launch of our pilot in early 2025. Watch this space. 🔍We’ve conducted a portfolio experiment with the Good Investors, a Transformative Investment Experiment with Baillie Gifford & a Transformative Bundle experiment with Catalan government. We’ll be publishing our case studies soon. Read about bundles here: https://lnkd.in/e88MKUbG 🚀In September 2024, public and private investors met in Barcelona for an Engagement Week led by the DT Lab, Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC), & Eu-SPRI, which built new partnerships & a community of practice dedicated to systemic change. There are many articles, insights & videos from that week and we’ll continue to publish into 2025 on the valuable conversations & research from the event.  https://lnkd.in/eM-MM8dN 📝We’ve published two new papers from the Lab – and there are many more to come. Deep transitions and the evolution of the digital meta-regime: https://lnkd.in/eT5R8xRn Regimes and meta-regimes: Maps for 5 systems and 3 surges: https://lnkd.in/emWtMMmT 🔍We conducted two successful research projects with TransCap Initiative and Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Read more about TransCap project:  https://lnkd.in/eUgKzqAN 🗺️We produced the Transformative Investment systems map (Diana Velasco, Edward Steinmueller) in collaboration with Tatiana Fernandez from the Generalitat de Catalunya, facilitated alongside ReImagined Futures. The map explores the reality of the investment system.  https://lnkd.in/dHqC3cKg 💥We now have 9 partners and look to add more as we dive into 2025. These were just some of the highlights – we were at talks, events, running workshops and experiments, teaching, and conducting research. 2025 promises to be inspiring! We have many new research projects, experiments and new partners to keep us busy. Stay tuned to get the latest news and insights straight from the DT Lab. ✨ Johan Schot, Victoria Shaw, Roberta Benedetti del Rio, Bipashyee Ghosh, philip johnstone, Wendy Schultz, Utrecht University Centre for Global Challenges (UGlobe), University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU)

🌟 A Year of Following Stories 🌟 As the year comes to a close, we're reflecting on 2024—a year filled with milestones, memories, and meaningful collaborations. Here’s a glimpse into what made this year extraordinary: 🎬 Storytelling That Soared From Building a studio in Alice Springs as part of the "Follow Your Story" First Nations program CFAT Digital Studio to launching the immersive WWII Oil Storage Tunnels experience in Darwin to showcasing The Darwin Digger comic book and AADFA Man’s adventures at Singapore Comicon, we’ve continued to blend history and technology. This include a 3D showcase Singapore Comic Con - SGCC this year with video thank you below! 📕 Follow Your Story We delivered a 12 week program in Alice Springs to empower First Nations students to "Follow their Story" and build the CFAT Digital Studio as pilot program which saw 90 percent attendance and 5 /12 students get jobs. Outstanding results. Thanks to Desert Knowledge Precinct and Desert Knowledge Australia for their help to deliver! 🌏 Expanding Our Horizons We strengthened our global presence in Singapore and Europe, collaborating with incredible partners like Evolve Innovation Studios and PictoryTale. We proudly showcased Australian innovation and culture on the world stage through cutting-edge AR and AI experiences and will return to the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland in 2025 to continue our international outreach. 💡 Innovation at Our Core 2024 was a year of breakthroughs, where we pushed boundaries in digital storytelling. Our unique blend of technology and heritage saw us featured in the NT News twice and nominated for five NT Export Awards. 🎭 A Celebration of Heritage and individual stories From commemorating WWII heroes to exploring the daring spirit of Operation Jaywick, we’ve shared stories of resilience, teamwork, and liberation with audiences young and old. It’s a privilege to honor history through our creative endeavors. We also championed the individual stories of others through our collaboration with Leanne Clune and Live Your Legacy Now hosting a workshop on the Gillie Islands in September 2025. ✨ Looking Ahead As we gear up for 2025, we’re excited to expand our reach, create more unforgettable experiences, and continue championing the stories that matter most. Thank you to our team, partners, and supporters for being part of this journey. In amongst everything we managed to publish two new books and a new comic book! 🎉 We finish the year always with our eyes on the blue skies. Look forward to sharing more stories and success in 2025! Michael Png Camilla Philip Iain Forrest Robert MARCHANT Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) #TrueBlueProduction #2024YearInReview #Storytelling #Innovation #HeritageMeetsTechnology #ThankYou #OnwardTo2025 🌟