About the GIO

First, a little on what the GIO is. For over four years now, IBM has been committed to a project that is part business forecasting, part philanthropy. It’s called the Global Innovation Outlook.

The GIO is rooted in the belief that if we are to surface the truly revolutionary innovations of our time, the ones that will change the world for the better, we are going to need everyone’s help. Since 2004, IBM has gathered together the brightest minds on the planet -- from the worlds of business, politics, academia, and non-profits – and challenged them to work collaboratively on tackling some of the most vexing challenges on earth. Healthcare, the environment, transportation.

We do this through a global series of open and candid conversations called “deep dives.” These deep dives are typically done on location. Already, 49 GIO deep dives have brought together more than 650 influencers from over 50 countries on five continents. In 2007, we decided to take this conversation digital and have been using this blog to help make that happen.

By way of introduction, my name is Dan Briody, and I'll be handling all of the written communications coming out of the GIO, both online and in print. Along with my GIO colleagues, I travel to every deep dive location. Through this blog, you’ll be able to virtually tag along as we make our way around the world, from Tokyo to Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro to Moscow, Singapore to Dubai. And I’ll be broadcasting the insights emerging from the GIO as we go, and encouraging others to join in the discussion.

In 2008, the GIO is tackling two subjects: the delicate modern balance between Security and Society (April through June); and how the future of Water (and the oceans), the world’s most precious resource, is changing in unprecedented ways (September through November) If you have a vested interest in these areas, or even have a small observation to add, we encourage you to join the conversation.

We hope you’ll come back often and contribute.

-- Dan Briody and the GIO Team