1. Tell us how you came to be the CEO at FutureGrasp.
I founded FutureGrasp in September 2017, following my position as the first National Intelligence Officer for Technology (NIO-TECH) within the National Intelligence Council (NIC) at the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). I saw a need for an independent, global advisory group focused on the intersection of emerging technology and policy implications in economics, national security, and geopolitical spheres; FutureGrasp was created to fill that void. FutureGrasp refers to our work to “grasp” – where grasp means both “to grab hold of” and “to comprehend” – the future of technologies, both near- and far-term, for our diverse clients.
2. What are some of the industrial sectors that FutureGrasp caters to?
FutureGrasp works across a wide range of emerging and disruptive technologies, with a special focus on digital technologies such as AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity, biotechnology, and quantum computing, as well as the evolving digital nature of diplomacy. We offer technical and policy insights on not only what is the next big thing, but also what it might mean to national security, economics, and geopolitics. This helps our clients put into context their technologies, investments, and government policies. We work with corporations (Fortune 500), governments (US and foreign), IGOs (United Nations), investors (venture capital and angels), and startups.
3. What are some of the common challenges customers approach FutureGrasp with?
Industry clients want to learn what technology markets to enter and how to scale their organizations rapidly, while government and IGO clients seek help in understanding how technologies might affect their policy decision-making. Our expert team of successful entrepreneurs and former senior US Government officials addresses both sides of this tech/policy coin.
4. What are some of the unique lessons you have learnt from your customers being the CEO at FutureGrasp?
A strong network of trusted senior individuals is an invaluable asset for getting customers in front of the right investor or decision-maker. For example, our FutureGrasp Winter School 2022 – is designed around the desire by customers to have 1-on-1 interactions with top researchers, investors, and senior policymakers. We invite the experts who read this interview to join us at this exciting and valuable event.
5. What are some of the distinctive features of the FutureGrasp that differentiates you from your competitors?
A strength of FutureGrasp compared to large management consultancies is our artisanal and agile ability to dig below mainstream media and re-purposed, anecdotal evidence to deliver unique and timely insight. This is enabled in part by being location agnostic. Experts and collaborators are based in all major US innovation, business, and policy hubs, such as Silicon Valley; Washington, D.C.; New York City; Denver; as well as in select locations in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Globally distributed with diverse backgrounds, our team engages corporate leaders, senior policymakers, international organizations, international financial institutions, NGOs, and civil society organizations on-site seamlessly and thus maintains the rare international perspective needed in border-agnostic digital technologies.
6. How do you keep pace with the rapidly growing AI Solutions product for businesses?
The firehose of data, reports, conferences (pre-pandemic), and webinars (during the pandemic) on AI is never-ending. Carefully curated sources of information such as AITechTrend are incredibly valuable for cutting through this morass to obtain the valuable news feeds a CEO needs. FutureGrasp also is constantly writing articles and running webinars to engage with AI experts and gain their deep insights.
7. What is that one quote that has stayed with you throughout your professional life?
“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” -Arthur C. Clarke
| Bio for Dr. Thomas A. Campbell | Thomas A. Campbell, Ph.D.— recognized senior analyst and researcher in emerging and disruptive technologies — is the Founder and CEO of FutureGrasp, a global advisory group that works with organizations to identify policy and business opportunities and implications from emerging and disruptive technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI). From 2015 to 2017, Tom was the first National Intelligence Officer for Technology with the National Intelligence Council in the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Tom’s insights have informed senior policymakers, enabled millions of dollars of industry and academic funding, broken ground in several new research areas, and kept diverse groups abreast of the rapid pace and implications of technology change. His career encompasses national and international experience in government, academia, industry, startups, and national laboratories. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Council on Competitiveness (a leading think tank in Washington, D.C.), and a Special Advisor to BootstrapLabs (a top venture capital firm focused on Applied AI in San Francisco, CA). Tom is a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship, granted to global researchers for post-doctoral research in Germany. Living in Freiburg, Germany for 16 months, he executed all his research in the German language. Tom holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a B.E. ( Magna Cum Laude with Honors) in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. When not building FutureGrasp enjoys hiking and cross-country skiing in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. |
| FutureGrasp Bio | FutureGrasp enables its clients to lead in times of rapid technology change. FutureGrasp team members have worked directly at and with clients in the highest levels in the US Government (White House, National Security Council, Pentagon, Embassies around the world), NATO, INTERPOL, the European Commission, the United Nations, Fortune 500, Silicon Valley venture capital, and startups. Clients rely on us to look beyond the chatter and hype surrounding new technology and to pragmatically assess the worth and implications of a given path of technological development. Ours is a proven and demonstrated approach that has resulted in accurate forecasting in numerous sectors (AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, AR/VR, nanotechnology, cybersecurity, 3D-/4D-printing, energy, and sensitive and dual-use nuclear materials), and expert briefs on their implications. We are especially well-positioned to offer a range of bespoke services for corporate and government clients, including written thought products, expert briefs, startup scaling insights, government and investor connections, and organization and facilitation of roundtables and workshops. |