The Summit 2011

Registration and Refreshments  

Welcome from Tom Standage, Digital Editor, The Economist

THE WINNERS' PANEL
Our Innovation Award winners will talk about what inspired them, what made their achievements possible, and what their biggest wish is for the future in the area in which their innovation made an impact. These sessions will address how those innovating in each respective area should be thinking. What sort of questions should they be asking? We will address the most important trends, challenges, and opportunities, and talk about where to look for the most promising solutions.  

Innovation to benefit people
What is the future of medicine? What are the most important psychological, demographic, and economic trends that will affect innovators in health and well being? What impact will be made by increased patient empowerment and choice? What is the most promising area of innovation to benefit individuals? What is the most important?  

Hermes Chan, for his work developing rapid HIV diagnostic testing
Raymond Damadian for the development of the magnetic resonance scanner (MRI)
Marc Koska, for inexpensive, auto-disable syringe to reduce the spread of diseases
Gregg Zehr, for popularising the handheld ebook reader

Innovation within organisations
How is innovation within organisations changing? How will changes to science funding affect future scientists, and what impact will they have on scientific innovation within companies? What kind of organisation makes the best breeding ground for innovators?

Vic Hayes, for his work leading to the establishment of the WiFi standard
Stuart Parkin, for work developing the giant magnetoresistive effect (GMR), enhancing disk drive performance 
Rinaldo Rinolfi, for the commercialization of the common-rail manifold to create non-polluting, relatively quiet diesel passenger car engines (Fiat)
Paul Buchheit, for Gmail and Adsense

Innovation to improve society
What are the most pressing social problems and what kind of thinking is needed to address them? What are the most promising areas of social innovation? What's the future of the social entrepreneur?  

Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, for low-cost health devices for the developing world 
James Gosling, for his work on the development of the Java programming language
Sam Pitroda for pioneering India's communications revolution

Innovation to address our biggest planet-wide challenges
What sort of innovation is needed to solve the world's biggest problems? How should the required kinds of innovation be facilitated?

Stanford Ovshinsky, for his work developing high-powered NiMH batteries.
Victoria Hale for her work promoting the use of pharmaceuticals in the developing world (OneWorld Health)
Roland Haitz for his work developing light emitting diode (LED) technology
Alpheus Bingham, for his work building a web-based R&D community
Chetan Maini, for affordable, mass-produced electric vehicles

Small Group discussions with our Innovation Award Winners
Go to the discussion on the topic that is most relevant or inspiring to you. Sessions will be audience-led, so come ready to participate!

WORKSHOP I – People
How will we define and achieve health and happiness in future?
Led by Tom Standage

WORKSHOP II - Organisations
What challenges will organisations be facing in future?
Led by Tom Hulme

WORKSHOP III - Society
What is the future and scope of social entrepreneurship?
Led by Matthew Bishop

Coffee break

Closing Session
Workshop leaders feed back the outcomes from the group discussions

Chairman's summation and close of summit