Dr. Annette Kramer on Playful Problem-Solving, Systems Thinking, and Space Innovation

Host Liz Sweigart first spotted Dr. Annette Kramer in a Zoom “salon” led by their mutual friend and editor, Art Kleiner. Kramer — a dancer-turned-long-18th-century scholar and self-described “fixer” — immediately stood out for her mix of scholarly rigor and playful curiosity. In this episode of Past the Profile, Liz and Annette trace that first virtual meeting into a far-ranging conversation on authentic leadership, designing accelerator programs that actually fit researchers’ needs, and why the emerging space economy feels like the early internet all over again. Highlights: How theatre training (making something from nothing to a deadline) maps perfectly onto entrepreneurial leadership. Annette's core operating premise — play — and how laughter unlocks resources serious meetings miss. A five-week accelerator model that moved African and UK researchers from idea to business pitch by teaching one evolving frame instead of 18 disjointed tools. Why she loves the “messy middle” of projects and prefers long-term advisory roles that keep teams honest. The power of embodied knowledge: standing up, collaborating, and “using your whole self” to solve supposedly intractable problems. Who she hopes to collaborate with next — especially curious, bright minds in London and Toronto. Connect with Annette LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettethefixer/ Substack → https://annettekramerphd.substack.com/p/stay-curious Website → https://www.annettekramer.co.uk/