John Kao: Edge Makers in Innovation, Education

John Kao has spent the better part of 30 years creating compelling learning experiences for emerging innovators and entrepreneurs. His eclectic career mirrors the complexity of innovation and entrepreneurship. He was a professor at Harvard Business School, and he taught at the MIT Media Lab and Stanford’s Bowman House. He was an advisor to countries on innovation policy and is a serial entrepreneur. He also is the best-selling author of books about innovation, a Tony award-winning producer of stage and screen, Yamaha Music’s first “artist in innovation” and a Yale Medical School trained psychiatrist. Each experience has enriched his pedagogical approach. Dubbed “Mr. Creativity” and a “serial innovator” by The Economist, John Kao is a renaissance man and self-styled “innovation activist” whose creativity forms the DNA of EdgeMakers. Some other highlights about John: Global Innovation Advisor to the World Economic Forum and past Chairman of the WEF’s Global Advisory Council on Innovation. Innovation Architect for WEF’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Recently named Chief Evangelist, Hu-manity.co, a startup focused on human trust, blockchain and owning your own data. Best-selling author of books on innovation. Innovation advisor to countries, including Finland and Singapore, and top-tier business such as Nike, Intel, BASF, and more recently, Salesforce. Harvard Business School professor for 15 years, where he created executive and MBA programs on innovation. Innovation Advisor to U.S. Navy.