Program for the Future Conference

A summit and workshop on collective intelligence.

Douglas Engelbart dreamed of technology and tools that increased our Collective Intelligence and he gave us a stunning example of how it works. Now it's up to us to take up the challenge. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Engelbart's astounding demo, the Program for the Future is bringing together some of the best minds in science, media, business and education to explore the question: what's next?

On December 8 and 9, hear from some of today's most provocative speakers, then brainstorm ways to enhance our capability for problem solving, decision making, knowledge organization, and planning in every field of human endeavor. For more information, see www.programforthefuture.org.

Program for the Future Challenge

The Program for the Future Design Challenge is inspired by the vision of Douglas C. Engelbart, who fifty years ago saw that the big problems mankind faced were growing faster than our ability to solve them. In response, Dr. Engelbart began his life-long quest to improve our collective intelligence. It is in that spirit that the Tech Museum of Innovation and the MIT Museum are sponsoring a design challenge to inspire innovators around the world to build the next generation of tools to augment our ability to think and work collectively.

The Program for the Future is an annual design challenge to find new ideas – even simple ideas – that help people work better and smarter together in some important area. The challenge is to develop a practical method, tool or technology that connects people so that they collectively act more intelligently. The challenge embraces all areas of human endeavor – not just technical domains like computing or engineering but also the arts, business, economics, education, government, health, law, philanthropy, science and other spheres. Winning entries will be displayed in the participating museums.

The Program for the Future Design Challenge is organized by the Tech Museum of Innovation in collaboration with the MIT Museum, under the supervision of a distinguished Board of Advisors.

Why Participate

By participating in the design challenge, you will:   

• Interact and collaborate with some of the best minds in this field
• Test your ideas, and receive expert comments and guidance.
• Receive an online space with construction tools for your team.
• Meet other participants from around the world.

If you are a winner, you will also:

• Receive cash, internships and travel awards from sponsoring organizations.
• See your  demo displayed at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San José, California; the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and possibly other science and technology museums.
• See your project added to the Handbook of Collective Intelligence at MIT's Center for Collective Intelligence,
• Be connected with venture capital and angel investment firms interested in your innovation.
• Get global public exposure for your demo as the winner of an international competition.

How To Participate

Read the competition rules, then go here and either create a new project or ask to join an existing one.

See The Entries

Browse the existing demo projects and ask to join any that strike your fancy.