We gathered 200+ researchers, entrepreneurs and investors at the frontiers of biotech, nanotech, neurotech, energy, space, AI, and security in Puerto Rico for our flagship event Vision Weekend! The conference featured discussions on topics like AI regulation and 30+ talks on longevity, fusion energy, and more:
Etosha Cave (Twelve), on her company’s work turning CO2 into jet fuel
Elizabeth Stark (Lightning Labs), on the current state of crypto
Frances Haugen, on how to create new incentives for social media companies
Muji Ahmedi (ARIA), on the organization’s work funding high-risk, high-reward projects
Jonathan Anomaly, on selecting embryos for longevity, intelligence and with lower risks for diseases like Alzheimer’s
Mark Lutter (The Charter Cities Institute), on creating new cities with new laws to accelerate progress and innovation
The talks will be uploaded to our Youtube channel in the upcoming weeks.
Historically, these events have resulted in research collaborations, funding to new projects and entrepreneurs finding co-founders to start new companies. This one was no exception – we know of at least four people who have gotten funding for their projects already! We also had a lot of fun, with rooftops drinks overlooking the ocean, satellite dinners and parties, and a lovely beach picnic. Thank you to all the of visionary thinkers and doers who joined and made it such a memorable weekend!
Grants Deadlines: March 31st
We give out grants in AI safety, longevity biotechnology and molecular nanotechnology on a quarterly basis. The next application deadline is March 31st.
AI Safety
In response to shortening AGI timelines, we provide $1.5-2M in annual funding to support four under-explored approaches to advance AI safety and reduce existential risks:
Automating research and forecasting
Computer security for AI systems
Neurotechnology which could be integrated with, or compete against, AGI
Our fast grants in longevity biotechnology and molecular nanotechnology are smaller grants of around $10,000 with short review times, designed to quickly test promising ideas. Areas we fund include, but are not limited to:
Longevity biotechnology
Healthcare 3.0: Advancing biomarker analyses and scalable personal longevity approaches
Reversible biostasis: New approaches to reversible biological preservation
Replacement: Developing approaches for organ, brain, and whole body replacement
Extracellular matrix: Maintaining or improving extracellular matrix health for healthy aging
Exosomes: Exosomes for tissue repair, drug delivery, and other longevity interventions
Automation: Accelerating scientific discovery, research, and lab work through automation
Molecular nanotechnology
Design & Simulation: Developing modeling software for molecular systems
Construction & Assembly: Paths for integrating various DNA, protein, STM/AFM or other approaches toward molecular functional nano machines or molecular 3D printers
Actuation & Control: Approaches for generating motion and controlling nano machines
Toward near-term profitability: Analysis of promising near-term applications in climate, energy, health, materials, etc. that can pave a financially viable way for accelerating long-term progress
Automation: Accelerating scientific discovery, research, and lab work through automation
How can we use AI to accelerate research in biology and longevity? We are inviting leading thinkers in AI and longevity research for a two-day workshop on how AI can help:
Find and develop drugs for treating aging and age-related diseases
Discover new and better biomarkers
Analyze complex datasets in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics
Automate research, experiment proposals and data analysis
Create biosimulations to support discovery and innovation
How do we build technology that serves the public good? We are hosting a track at the Funding the Commons conference, where our CEO Allison Duettman will give a talk on AI alignment, cryptography, and decentralized systems. Use promo code FORESIGHTFRIENDS40 for 40% off.
We give out two big prizes each year – the Norm Hardy Prize in data security and the Feynman Prizes in nanotechnology.
Norm Hardy Prize
Named after computer scientist Norm Hardy, this prize of $10,000 awards work which makes secure systems easier to use. We all know security is important, but how do we make the secure way, the easy way? Submit a description of your work and how it contributes to making security simpler for users by July 31st latest.
The Feynman Prizes award exceptional contributions to nanotechnology. They come in three categories: Theory ($5,000), Experiment ($5,000) and Student ($1,000). We also have the Grand Prize of $250,000 for the first team who manages to design, construct, and demonstrate both a functional nano-scale robotic arm and a functional nano-scale computing device with specified features. Nominate by July 31st latest.
AI Safety Grantee: Report on Brain-Computer Interfaces
We have given an AI Safety grant to Tom Burns, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Burns will explore the potential of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to enhance AI Safety, focusing on scenarios with AGI and/or ASI in the next five years. He will assess whether it’s technically and economically feasible to use BCIs for real-time human oversight, faster intervention, and improved AI alignment. The goal is to produce a comprehensive review and roadmap, identifying promising pathways for further research and development.
Updates from our Fellowship Community
Foresight Fellow Akash Kulgod
Neurotechnology Fellow Akash Kulgod's first author paper has been published in BMC Vet. It reviews EEG applications – measuring the electrical activity of the brain – for dog cognition modeling. His startup Dognosis, which uses dogs’ sense of smell and brain-computer interfaces to detect diseases early (“Every disease has a scent. We’re on a mission to detect it.”), has also restarted cancer-sniffing experiments in their new lab in Bangalore.
Fellow alumnus Simeon Campus, CEO of Safer AI, has been invited to join the OECD.AI AI Expert Network community.
Existential Hope Podcast: Steven Pinker
Our latest guest on the Existential Hope podcast is Steven Pinker! He is a long-standing advocate for using reason and science to improve the human condition. In this episode, he gives an update on how progress indicators like life expectancy, literacy and democracy have developed in the years since he wrote Enlightenment Now and The Better Angels of our Nature. He shares his hopes for further progress in areas like abundant clean energy, ending wars and eliminating extreme poverty, and advice for people who want to contribute to making it happen.
Seminars
Watch the latest presentations from our seminar groups. Apply here to join the discussions live next time.
Community Updates
Edge City | Austin, Texas | 2-7 March, 2025
Edge City Austin is a six-day unconference exploring how frontier technologies can empower human flourishing. Participants will engage in deep discussions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative problem-solving sessions with leading thinkers in AI, biotechnology, and community design. Join for an hour, an evening or the full week. Discount code: ALLISON10. Read more.
Open Position
NewBrain is hiring a Computational Biologist. They are assembling a team to do brain tissue replacement and are looking for a bioinformatician adept with omics analyses (single cell sequencing data). Contact CEO Dima Syrotkin if you are interested: Dima.Syrotkin@gmail.com
Thanks for reading Foresight Institute’s newsletter! This post is public, so feel free to share it.
Share this post
Feb 2025: Vision Weekend Puerto Rico, Grants Deadlines & AI x Bio Workshop
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Vision Weekend Puerto Rico
We gathered 200+ researchers, entrepreneurs and investors at the frontiers of biotech, nanotech, neurotech, energy, space, AI, and security in Puerto Rico for our flagship event Vision Weekend! The conference featured discussions on topics like AI regulation and 30+ talks on longevity, fusion energy, and more:
David Brandman (UC Davis), on how brain-computer interface can help ALS patients communicate
Etosha Cave (Twelve), on her company’s work turning CO2 into jet fuel
Elizabeth Stark (Lightning Labs), on the current state of crypto
Frances Haugen, on how to create new incentives for social media companies
Muji Ahmedi (ARIA), on the organization’s work funding high-risk, high-reward projects
Jonathan Anomaly, on selecting embryos for longevity, intelligence and with lower risks for diseases like Alzheimer’s
Mark Lutter (The Charter Cities Institute), on creating new cities with new laws to accelerate progress and innovation
The talks will be uploaded to our Youtube channel in the upcoming weeks.
Historically, these events have resulted in research collaborations, funding to new projects and entrepreneurs finding co-founders to start new companies. This one was no exception – we know of at least four people who have gotten funding for their projects already! We also had a lot of fun, with rooftops drinks overlooking the ocean, satellite dinners and parties, and a lovely beach picnic. Thank you to all the of visionary thinkers and doers who joined and made it such a memorable weekend!
Grants Deadlines: March 31st
We give out grants in AI safety, longevity biotechnology and molecular nanotechnology on a quarterly basis. The next application deadline is March 31st.
AI Safety
In response to shortening AGI timelines, we provide $1.5-2M in annual funding to support four under-explored approaches to advance AI safety and reduce existential risks:
Automating research and forecasting
Computer security for AI systems
Neurotechnology which could be integrated with, or compete against, AGI
Game theory work
Learn more and apply here.
Longevity Biotechnology & Molecular Nanotechnology
Our fast grants in longevity biotechnology and molecular nanotechnology are smaller grants of around $10,000 with short review times, designed to quickly test promising ideas. Areas we fund include, but are not limited to:
Longevity biotechnology
Healthcare 3.0: Advancing biomarker analyses and scalable personal longevity approaches
Reversible biostasis: New approaches to reversible biological preservation
Replacement: Developing approaches for organ, brain, and whole body replacement
Extracellular matrix: Maintaining or improving extracellular matrix health for healthy aging
Exosomes: Exosomes for tissue repair, drug delivery, and other longevity interventions
Automation: Accelerating scientific discovery, research, and lab work through automation
Molecular nanotechnology
Design & Simulation: Developing modeling software for molecular systems
Construction & Assembly: Paths for integrating various DNA, protein, STM/AFM or other approaches toward molecular functional nano machines or molecular 3D printers
Actuation & Control: Approaches for generating motion and controlling nano machines
Toward near-term profitability: Analysis of promising near-term applications in climate, energy, health, materials, etc. that can pave a financially viable way for accelerating long-term progress
Automation: Accelerating scientific discovery, research, and lab work through automation
Learn more and apply here.
Past Events
We hosted two in-person Salons in February – one on Def/Acc in London, and one on privacy and digital freedom with Naomi Brockwell in San Francisco.
Find all upcoming in-person and virtual events in Luma.
Upcoming Events
AI x Bio Workshop | May 9-10 | Berkeley
How can we use AI to accelerate research in biology and longevity? We are inviting leading thinkers in AI and longevity research for a two-day workshop on how AI can help:
Find and develop drugs for treating aging and age-related diseases
Discover new and better biomarkers
Analyze complex datasets in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics
Automate research, experiment proposals and data analysis
Create biosimulations to support discovery and innovation
We are organizing the workshop together with Vitalism and Longevity Biotech Fellowship, as a part of Vitalist Bay – an 8-week longevity event.
Learn more & Apply
Funding the Commons | March 15-16 | San Francisco
How do we build technology that serves the public good? We are hosting a track at the Funding the Commons conference, where our CEO Allison Duettman will give a talk on AI alignment, cryptography, and decentralized systems. Use promo code FORESIGHTFRIENDS40 for 40% off.
The conference is organized by Funding the Commons, in partnership with Edge City, Internet Archive and us.
Get Tickets
Progress Conference | October 16-19 | Berkeley
Save the date for the Progress Conference, which connects people and ideas in the progress movement. It takes place October 16-19th, and is organized by Roots of Progress Institute in partnership with Abundance Institute, The Foundation for American Innovation, Human Progress, Institute for Humane Studies, Institute for Progress, Works in Progress and us.
Learn More
Prizes in Computer Security & Nanotechnology
We give out two big prizes each year – the Norm Hardy Prize in data security and the Feynman Prizes in nanotechnology.
Norm Hardy Prize
Named after computer scientist Norm Hardy, this prize of $10,000 awards work which makes secure systems easier to use. We all know security is important, but how do we make the secure way, the easy way? Submit a description of your work and how it contributes to making security simpler for users by July 31st latest.
Read More
Feynman Prizes
The Feynman Prizes award exceptional contributions to nanotechnology. They come in three categories: Theory ($5,000), Experiment ($5,000) and Student ($1,000). We also have the Grand Prize of $250,000 for the first team who manages to design, construct, and demonstrate both a functional nano-scale robotic arm and a functional nano-scale computing device with specified features. Nominate by July 31st latest.
Read More
AI Safety Grantee: Report on Brain-Computer Interfaces
We have given an AI Safety grant to Tom Burns, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. Burns will explore the potential of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to enhance AI Safety, focusing on scenarios with AGI and/or ASI in the next five years. He will assess whether it’s technically and economically feasible to use BCIs for real-time human oversight, faster intervention, and improved AI alignment. The goal is to produce a comprehensive review and roadmap, identifying promising pathways for further research and development.
Updates from our Fellowship Community
Neurotechnology Fellow Akash Kulgod's first author paper has been published in BMC Vet. It reviews EEG applications – measuring the electrical activity of the brain – for dog cognition modeling. His startup Dognosis, which uses dogs’ sense of smell and brain-computer interfaces to detect diseases early (“Every disease has a scent. We’re on a mission to detect it.”), has also restarted cancer-sniffing experiments in their new lab in Bangalore.
Fellow alumnus Simeon Campus, CEO of Safer AI, has been invited to join the OECD.AI AI Expert Network community.
Existential Hope Podcast: Steven Pinker
Our latest guest on the Existential Hope podcast is Steven Pinker! He is a long-standing advocate for using reason and science to improve the human condition. In this episode, he gives an update on how progress indicators like life expectancy, literacy and democracy have developed in the years since he wrote Enlightenment Now and The Better Angels of our Nature. He shares his hopes for further progress in areas like abundant clean energy, ending wars and eliminating extreme poverty, and advice for people who want to contribute to making it happen.
Seminars
Watch the latest presentations from our seminar groups. Apply here to join the discussions live next time.
Community Updates
Edge City | Austin, Texas | 2-7 March, 2025
Edge City Austin is a six-day unconference exploring how frontier technologies can empower human flourishing. Participants will engage in deep discussions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative problem-solving sessions with leading thinkers in AI, biotechnology, and community design. Join for an hour, an evening or the full week. Discount code: ALLISON10. Read more.
Open Position
NewBrain is hiring a Computational Biologist. They are assembling a team to do brain tissue replacement and are looking for a bioinformatician adept with omics analyses (single cell sequencing data). Contact CEO Dima Syrotkin if you are interested: Dima.Syrotkin@gmail.com
Thanks for reading Foresight Institute’s newsletter! This post is public, so feel free to share it.
Share