Decision-Making Across Timescales: Innovation, Investing, and Sustainability

Abstract

This SFI ACtioN Event, co-hosted with Putnam Investments, will focus on themes of innovation, investing, and sustainability:

• What challenges are posed when operating across different timescales, like the ones between climate and earth systems, financial systems and economies, and innovation and business model development?
• How can a better understanding of innovation deployment enhance our designs and decisions?  For example, in what ways does scaling innovation within established systems require different attributes than disruptive invention outside of those systems?
• How can improved use of financial tools create better alignment between effective innovation and positive financial, environmental, and social outcomes?

This meeting will explore insights from complexity science as a foundation for developing more effective sustainability solutions and identifying more effective forms of investment. In particular, we will examine the importance of varied timescales for shaping relevant analysis, solutions design, and investment decision-making.  

For example, investigating the different time scales of climate science, economies, and finance can identify opportunities for more aligned policy and analysis. Understanding innovation within long duration, asset-intensive systems like power generation can illuminate potential for higher impact innovation and scaling of solutions. Exploring what complexity economics adds to our understanding of how economies work offers better ways to test ideas and make predictions. Assessing the full range of financial structures that can be used to deploy innovation across different time horizons can better match the form and function of related investments. More complete understanding of all of these concepts can dramatically improve investment decision making.

 

Agenda

*All times in U.S. Eastern. Agenda subject to change, so please check back often!*

Thursday, September 12th
Putnam Investments
100 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110

8:30AM	Breakfast
9:00AM	Greetings & Introductions
9:10AM	Session One: Timescales and Forms of Innovation The morning session will focus on forms of innovation, with particular emphasis on climate science and energy/power generation solutions.  9:10AM: Presentations and Q&A with Dan Schrag (Harvard & SFI) and Jessica Trancik (MIT & SFI) 10:15AM: Morning Break 10:30AM: Practitioner Panel and Q&A featuring Chris Killian (Eastman Chemical), Vishal Kapadia (Walmart), Ashley Johnson (Planet), and Emily Duncan (Constellation Energy), and moderated by Katherine Collins (Putnam & SFI Trustee).
12:00PM	Lunch
1:00PM	Session Two: Timescales and Forms of Finance The afternoon session will focus on forms of finance, with a particular emphasis on complexity economics and finance innovation/evolution. 1:00PM: Presentations and Q&A with J. Doyne Farmer (Oxford & SFI) and Andrew Lo (MIT & SFI). 2:05PM: Afternoon Break 2:20PM: Practitioner Panel and Q&A featuring Sam Peters (ClearBridge & SFI Trustee), Anne Maria Eikeset (Norges Bank Investment Management), Semiray Kasoolu (Y Analytics/TPG), and Yeong Chuan Aun (ADIA), and moderated by Aniket Shah (Jeffries).
3:45PM	Concluding Remarks
4:00PM	Reception