Mitch Weiss

The public and private sectors seem to be operating in different worlds – how can they possibly collaborate on innovation when their business goals are so different? Harvard Business School Professor Mitchell Weiss, author of “We the Possibility,” offers guidance and frameworks for establishing this vital partnership. In this talk, Weiss explains why enhancing innovation depends on restoring trust between the two sectors, empowering government leaders to take risks and educating businesses and citizens on their roles in experimenting with bold ideas.

AI tools can transform the way an organization innovates and operates, leading to increased profit – but only if their workforce knows how to use them. Harvard Business School professor Mitchell Weiss, a noted expert on fostering creativity and invention across various sectors, draws from his research to deliver use cases and practical applications of generative AI. In a keynote or highly interactive workshop format, Weiss provides leaders with hands-on strategies to enhance creativity, boost problem-solving capabilities and drive growth. Through his guidance, organizations learn to use AI for both efficiency and as a catalyst for generating new ideas and experimenting boldly. Weiss underscores the importance of ethical usage while diminishing fear around these technologies, empowering teams to adopt AI responsibly. Audiences leave with new techniques for fully leveraging generative AI to achieve significant advancements in knowledge, curiosity and market competitiveness.

A local official commenting on e-scooter regulation told a reporter, “Three months ago, the city thought the next big thing would be dock-less bicycles.” It can seem impossible to keep up with technology in an age when regulatory uncertainty about car sharing gave way to similar questions about bike sharing, e-scooter sharing and then, delivery drones and flying taxis. How should governments and companies utilize the latest technologies to enter “new” markets and regulate them? In this talk, Harvard Business School Professor Mitchell Weiss provides a framework for experimenting with technologies in so-called regulatory “gray zones.” He also shares actionable tips for architecting technologies that leverage “platform approaches,” and for fixing those platforms when they malfunction.

Who are the customers spending billions a year who we don’t want to connect with or can’t? They work in the world’s largest markets, yet some startups shy away from them, investors steer clear of them and companies with relevant products and services don’t even think of them. They’re governments – at all levels around the world. Somebody is selling to them – why not you? Harvard Business School Professor Mitchell Weiss identifies some of the challenges for selling to governments, such as “They don’t trust you and they don’t trust themselves,” and shares advice for surmounting such obstacles. He also gives guidance on choosing the right government customers, understanding their buying processes and defining the right value proposition.