Foresight Institute

Overview

Foresight Institute has been advancing frontier science and technology since 1986, supporting pioneering scientists and innovators working on technologies too ambitious or interdisciplinary for legacy institutions. Based at 50 California Street in San Francisco, the institute operates at the intersection of DeSci and traditional research.

The institute has a track record that includes hosting the first nanotech conference (1989), coining the term "open-source software" (1998), running early prediction markets (1994), and pioneering AGI dialogue (1997). Researchers supported by Foresight have won Nobel Prizes, including David Baker (2024, Chemistry) and J. Fraser Stoddart (2016, Chemistry).

Programs & Focus Areas

Foresight operates across six domains: Secure AI, Neurotechnology, Longevity Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Space, and Existential Hope. Key programs include:

• Vision Weekend — Flagship conferences gathering scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers
• Grants — Supporting AI applications in science and safety
• Prizes — Annual Feynman Prize (nanotechnology) and Hardy Prize (usable security)
• Fellowship Program — Supporting early-career innovators
• AI Nodes — Physical hubs launching in San Francisco and Berlin in early 2026
• Knowledge Dissemination — 40+ online seminars annually, podcasts, and reports

External Links

• Foresight Institute — Official Website