The Gen Lab

The Gen Lab began in 2012 as a pop-up Near Futurist Collective founded and convened by the comprehensive anticipatory scientist, entrepreneur, interdisciplinary technologist, author and Nerd-With-Attitude Walter Dario Di Mantova. We don’t do Science Fiction or Future-tainment. We do uncover and curate reliable information about what’s happening with today ‘s emerging technologies to develop reasonable, sophisticated models of what could happen in the next five years. We collaborate with higher education to create the new courses, majors and degrees needed for learners to succeed and cooperate with Research and Development Centers to help shape their efforts to generate new knowledge. We advise startups and emerging enterprises on how to grow, compete and succeed using Near Futurist practices. And we help design and build Maker Spaces, Innovation Districts and Solutions Centers where the future incubates and grows. How’s this done? Through-- Interactive Gen Sessions, where educators, researchers and entrepreneurs together generate models of potential futures—and plans for how to make those real. Octopus Thinking Events to identify the connections and intersections around emerging technologies between the “Eight Wares’: Hardware, Software, Wetware, Know-ware, Silverware, Every-ware, No-ware, and Beware. Shock and Awe Keynotes intensely focused on technological advances that seem improbable but are happening today—and what to do in response. High value and comprehensive insights on rapidly evolving technologies to use in planning and decision-making. Third Space Designs of the Purposes, People, Products and Place that come together in powerfully successful Innovation Districts and Solution Centers. The Canto System Knowledge Graphic Mapping Tool with an Integrated Randomizer and Prioritizer to generate innovative disciplinary connections (under development). The Gen Lab: Because the Future is Closer Than You Think.