Responsible
Innovation Labs:

Building the infrastructure for a better technology industry.

Check out the main takeaways from our recent webinar "Transitioning to Climate Tech" featuring Tom Steyer and Astrid Atkinson.

Learn more

Technology is one of the most powerful forces in our world.

Properly wielded it is a true super power for humanity. It can make lives better for real people, build brighter futures for our kids, and address some of our greatest challenges, like climate change and disease. From life sciences to energy, communications, manufacturing, and beyond, ambitious founders bring essential innovation to a world that needs it.

At the same time, our technology industry hasn’t done enough to guard against its downsides, exacerbating some of society’s biggest problems, from income inequality, to the marginalization of people, to misinformation.

Responsibility belongs in the DNA of high-growth technology companies. Building it in from day one fosters sustainable progress and continuing dynamism for all of us, from founders and funders to customers and communities.

Standards can ensure innovation goes farther, faster, for the benefit of everyone.

We’re joined by some of the best in our industry.

This group of charter members has come together to help build a movement for a better technology industry.

Read our Charter

Responsible Innovation Labs’ mission is to build the infrastructure of responsibility for high-growth technology companies.

Our vision is an innovation industry where the best founders and funders treat societal responsibility as a core part of building great businesses from day one. Responsible company-building bolsters long-term value and leads to technologies that serve the needs of our world. That’s why we’re rolling up our sleeves and convening some of the best thinkers to design infrastructure and resources for founders and funders, with standards at the center. These standards will guide the leaders of companies being built and scaled for endurance, in private and public markets.

We're a non-profit coalition of leaders working to fulfill the purpose of Responsible Innovation.

We are believers in tech and in the power of the private market. We understand that the innovation economy must be transformed for the benefit of the world and that we need to help transform it from the inside out. Together, we will write new standards for ethically deploying technology and building enduring companies. 

Advisory Board:

Toyin Ajayi
Co-Founder and President, Cityblock Health
Neil Blumenthal
Co-Founder and Co-CEO,
Warby Parker
Jim Breyer
Founder and CEO,
Breyer Capital
Rachel Romer
Co-Founder and CEO, Guild Education
Ken Chenault
Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst
Ken Frazier
Chairman, Health Assurance Initiatives, General Catalyst; Executive Chairman, Merck
Jon Iwata
Executive Fellow, Yale School of Management
Maurice Jones
CEO, OneTen
Rick Klausner
Chief Scientist and Founder, Altos Labs
Youngme Moon
Donald K. David Professor of Business, Harvard Business School; Board Member, Mastercard, Sweetgreen, Unilever, Warby Parker
Sam Palmisano
Chairman, Center for Global Enterprise; former Chairman and CEO, IBM
Lila Preston
Partner and Head of Growth Equity Strategy, Generation Investment Management
Josh Reeves
Co-Founder and CEO, Gusto
Glen Tullman
CEO, Transcarent

Team:

Jon Zieger
Diede van Lamoen
Hemant Taneja
Luisa Reyes
Gabby Ollig
Shanen Boettcher
Delia Pawelke
Jama Adams

Infrastructure for
Responsible Innovation.

The best companies growing and scaling today care about their impact on the world. But there are inconsistencies in how this intent gets put into practice. That's why we need infrastructure for Responsible Innovation, with real standards and transparency. To be effective, these standards must be at the core of investment decisions, business models, brand visions, and company cultures from the outset —and then reinforced by private sector leaders, boards, and policymakers.

 We're building on the following core pillars:

Innovate Intentionally

Technology's world-changing power must be wielded with care. We have an obligation to consider the impacts our technologies will have on the world, and to build rigor into our operations and governance to minimize negative unintended consequences.

Operate with Accountability and Transparency

With innovation comes responsibility — to measure the impacts of our technologies on people and society. We must embrace the policies and processes that govern the technology we build, and be clear about the trade-offs between societal interests and growth and profits.

Advance Inclusive Prosperity

Technology reshapes how we work and who benefits from our economy. It is vital that we make a path – through entrepreneurship, education, equity and access – for everyone to benefit from a more prosperous future, and that no one is left behind by what we create.

Build Sustainably

Innovation can contribute to building a healthier planet. Responsible companies must commit to environmental sustainability from the outset. By design, our operations, products and footprints must be sustainable and in service of the wellbeing of the planet and its people.

Respect People

Human flourishing is the measure by which innovation should be judged. Every human being has value and a right to autonomy and dignity. We must build business models and products that safeguard these values, including a core respect for the time, attention, privacy, security and safety of users.

Champion Diversity

Enduring businesses cannot be built without exceptional people. Only by building organizations that are diverse and inclusive will companies be capable of seeing—and addressing—the broadest spectrum of human needs.

Promote Healthy Societies

Companies exist within the context of society and its institutions, not in a vacuum. We need to build companies and technologies that are consistent with the health of core societal institutions, including functioning governments, respectful discourse, a free press, the just application of law, and free and fair elections.

To be meaningful, these standards must be broadly credible, living and reflective of the best thought from both inside and outside of industry.

It will take all of us working together.

Innovation is driven by an ecosystem. Much of the Labs' work to develop standards will initially focus on engaging founders and investors, who have a special responsibility for the companies they build and fund. But great companies are shaped not only by visionary founders and investors, but also by executives, employees, customers, policymakers and more. We value partnerships with people who have done this work for years in non-profits, academia, industry and beyond. We will need all of them to help us develop standards and, as importantly, to hold companies accountable to them.

Join this movement:

We’re on a mission to shape the future of technology. Take part in building the infrastructure and resources to get there:

White Arrow
Companies and investors: Reach out to share your interest in membership and connecting with leaders asking similar questions.
White Arrow
Open roles: Toss your hat in the ring for the Managing Director of Diversity. You can also join our talent pool.
White Arrow
Tech veterans and experts: Raise your hand to give back and build with purpose. Share your interest in joining future working groups.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Dignissimos Quasi Laborum

Minus nam explicabo eius et corrupti et dolorum quo repellat. Omnis aut molestiae earum. Ratione eveniet animi in iusto vitae. Voluptatibus

Impedit voluptatem incidunt officiis consequatur esse nobis. Est exercitationem culpa minima placea
Luisa Reyes