Alex Klokus Explained

Alex Klokus
Occupation:Entrepreneur, investor, media executive, executive producer
Known For:Founding Futurism, Gravity Blanket, Tomorrow Farms, SALT fund
Notable Works:, I Am Human
Alma Mater:New York University

Alex Klokus is an American entrepreneur, co-founder of the technology news website Futurism, a co-founder of Gravity Blanket, and an executive producer. In 2017, Klokus was inducted into the Forbes 30 Under 30 in its media category alongside his Futurism co-founder Jordan Lejuwaan. Klokus is currently a founder and managing partner of the SALT fund. Klokus is a moderator at the SALT iConnections conference and World Government Summit.

Education

Alex Klokus received his undergraduate degree from New York University's Stern School of Business,[1] where he was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma in its 2012-2013 induction year.[2]

Corporate ventures

Futurism

Alex Klokus and Jordan Lejuwaan founded the technology news website Futurism through a Knight Foundation grant[3] in 2017,[4] with Forbes subsequently reporting later that year that the site received more than three million visitors a month with its media content generating over 140 million monthly views.[5] [6] Futurism entered into partnerships with the Prime Minister's office in Dubai to offer an Arabic language version of Futurism, and with the White House for "South by South Lawn" and other events. The company established a "native advertising arm" with partnerships with Nokia and other companies. Prior to the company's formal launch, it was a technology meet-up discussion group in New York City.[7]

Klokus and Futurism co-founder Jordan Lejuwaan were inducted into the media category of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2017.[8] [9]

Futurism was acquired by Singularity University in 2019[10] before subsequently selling it to Recurrent Ventures in July[11] 2021.[12] [13]

Gravity Blanket

See main article: Gravity Blanket. The Gravity Blanket is a crowdfunded weighted blanket product originally developed by Futurism which received generally favorable reviews from customers and the media, being considered one of the best inventions of 2018 by Time magazine.[14] When Futurism was sold to Singularity University, Futurism's product the Gravity Blanket was spun off into its own company,[15] Gravity Brand Holdings LLC,[16] which was then led by Klokus and Mike Grillo[17] before its 2021 acquisition by Win Brands Group.

Futurism Studios

Klokus launched Futurism's film and TV arm. In 2018, Futurism Studios signed a deal with WME and subsequently produced documentary films such as and the Facebook Watch narrative drama[18] series Glimpse.[19] In 2020 it helped to produce the Australian science fiction film 2067.[20]

SALT

Alex Klokus is a founder and managing partner of the SALT fund.[21] Through this fund, he invested in and co-founded Tomorrow Farms.[22] [23]

Other ventures

Alongside AJ Scaramucci, Klokus co-founded "The Pineapple Palace" co-working space and a startup called Pandos.[24] Klokus co-founded the cryptocurrency investment fund Kyber Capital.[25]

Film production and conference moderation

Alex Klokus has served as executive producer on multiple films, one of which won a Best Feature award and debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival. He has hosted multiple SkyBridge Alternatives Conference panels and also served as a moderator for the 2019 World Government Summit.[26]

Film production

In 2018, Klokus executive produced the 2018 documentary film alongside Zach LeBeau, Arie Levy-Cohen, and Joseph Lubin. The film, which was written and directed by British American actor Alex Winter, covers the evolution of blockchain technology and its divisive nature while considering whether it is an economic bubble.[27] [28]

The following year he served as executive producer for the documentary I Am Human, which debuted at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival to wide acclaim,[29] alongside American director Geoff Clark.[30] I Am Human follows the medical cases of three patients undergoing complex experimental brain treatments with the goal of regaining lost abilities, including body movement and vision.[31] [32] [33] Praised as "an optimistic, wholesome antidote to fearmongering", the film contemplates the existential question "What makes us human?"[34] The film won Best Director at the Oslo Film Festival[35] and Best Feature at the Other Worlds Film Festival in Austin, Texas.[36]

Conference moderation

In 2021, Klokus moderated a SkyBridge Alternatives Conference discussion with American theoretical physicist Michio Kaku about the future of humanity.[37] The following year, Klokus moderated two discussions: a discussion with Rick Doblin of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies about the promise psychedelic substances might have for mental health treatments,[38] and an interview with Harvard theoretical physicist Avi Loeb discussing the Galileo Project and whether humanity is alone in the universe.[39] In 2023, he hosted Stanford Professor Dr. Garry Nolan[40] [41] and, the following year, retired Lieutenant colonel Karl Nell, a former member of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, about their experiences and beliefs relating to unidentified flying objects.[42] [43]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thomas . Remya . 2017-01-09 . NYU Entrepreneurs Steal the Show on Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017 . 2024-08-13 . NYU Entrepreneurship . en.
  2. Web site: 2013 . Members Inducted 2012-2013 . May 17, 2024 . New York University Stern School of Business.
  3. Web site: Knight Prototype Fund invests in 20 new projects focused on data-driven storytelling and community problem-solving . 2024-05-17 . Knight Foundation . en-US.
  4. Web site: About Us . 2024-05-17 . Futurism.
  5. Web site: Vivarelli . Nick . 2018-03-27 . Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Brooklyn's Futurism Forge Content Partnership . 2024-05-17 . Variety . en-US.
  6. Web site: Wiseman . Andreas . 2018-03-27 . Image Nation Forms Content Tie Up With New York Science & Tech Site Futurism . 2024-05-17 . Deadline . en-US.
  7. Book: MacFarlane, James Michael . Transhumanism as a New Social Movement: The Techno-Centred Imagination . 2020-05-19 . Springer Nature . 978-3-030-40090-3 . 65–66 . en.
  8. Web site: 2017 . Futurism . 2024-05-17 . Forbes . en.
  9. Web site: 2017-01-09 . NYU Entrepreneurs Steal the Show on Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017 . 2024-05-17 . NYU Entrepreneurship . en.
  10. Web site: Willens . Max . 2019-03-15 . Gravity blanket seller Futurism acquired by Singularity University . 2024-05-17 . . en-US.
  11. Web site: Kamer . Foster . 2021-10-25 . Long Live Futurism.com: This Website Is Free Again, Thanks to You . 2024-05-17 . Futurism.
  12. News: Cartwright . Lachlan . Tani . Maxwell . 2021-07-26 . Futurism Bought by VC-Backed Firm Seeking to Become Next Big Media Power Player . 2024-05-17 . The Daily Beast . en.
  13. Web site: Perlberg . Steven . Recurrent Ventures has just raised $75 million. Here's how the little-known but highly acquisitive company is planning to become the next digital-media empire. . 2024-05-17 . Business Insider . en-US.
  14. Ducharme . Jamie . 2018 . Blankets That Ease Anxiety: The 50 Best Inventions of 2018 . 2024-05-18 . Time . en-us.
  15. Web site: Coffee . Patrick . April 27, 2021 . Gravity Blanket's CEO shares how he used his advertising experience to launch a business that doubled its revenue in three years . 2024-05-18 . Business Insider . en-US.
  16. News: Patel . Sahil . 'Gravity' Blanket Maker Sold to Holding Company for Direct-Commerce Brands . limited . 2024-05-18 . . en-US.
  17. Web site: 2019-03-14 . Gravity Products CEO Mike Grillo: DTC is not a business model . 2024-05-18 . Digiday . en-US.
  18. Web site: Clark . Geoff . 2018-09-13 . Glimpse: The first original, narrative drama from Futurism Studios is here . 2024-08-13 . Futurism.
  19. News: Hipes . Patrick . October 4, 2018 . Futurism Studios Ramps Up Production And Distribution Plan, Signs With WME . August 13, 2024 . Deadline.
  20. News: Wiseman . Andreas . May 9, 2019 . Futurism Studios Joins First Narrative Feature In Shape Of Oz Sci-Fi ‘2067’ Starring Ryan Kwanten & Kodi Smit-McPhee — Cannes . August 13, 2024 . Deadline.
  21. Web site: Alex Klokus . 2024-05-17 . SALT . en.
  22. News: Hall . Christine . 2022-05-06 . Tomorrow Farms wants to revamp the pantry . 2024-07-15 . . en-US.
  23. Web site: Tomorrow Farms - Company Profile . 2024-08-13 . Boring Business Nerd . en.
  24. News: Mascarenhas . Natasha . 2020-10-15 . Startup founders set up hacker homes to recreate Silicon Valley synergy . 2024-08-13 . TechCrunch . en-US.
  25. Web site: 2021-08-18 . SALT — Alex Klokus . 2024-08-13 . SALT . en-US.
  26. Web site: March 1, 2020 . Dubai World Government Summit 2019 schedule for Monday February 11 . 2024-08-13 . The National . en.
  27. Web site: Wiseman . Andreas . 2018-08-02 . 'Trust Machine: The Story Of Blockchain' — First Teaser For Alex Winter Doc Narrated By Rosario Dawson . 2024-05-17 . Deadline . en-US.
  28. News: Kenigsberg . Ben . 2018-10-25 . Review: In Boosting Blockchain, 'Trust Machine' Chains Itself In . limited . 2024-05-17 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  29. Web site: Niesel . Jeff . Documentary Film 'I Am Human' to Have Its Cleveland Premiere on Jan. 30 at the Hanna Theatre . 2024-05-18 . Cleveland Scene . en.
  30. Web site: I AM HUMAN 2019 Tribeca Festival . 2024-05-18 . Tribeca.
  31. Web site: Stewart . Dillon . January 27, 2020 . I Am Human Documentary Features FES Center, CWRU . 2024-05-18 . Cleveland Magazine . en.
  32. Web site: 2019-06-03 . 'I AM HUMAN': Are Brain Implants the Next Evolutionary Leap? . 2024-05-18 . Dell . en-US.
  33. Web site: Hayes . Dade . 2019-03-11 . Tribeca Film Festival Unveils Shorts Lineup; Feature Slate Includes John DeLorean, Muhammad Ali, Chelsea Manning – Update . 2024-05-19 . Deadline . en-US.
  34. Pardes . Arielle . Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Give Us All Superpowers . 2024-05-18 . Wired . en-US . 1059-1028.
  35. Web site: I Am Human . 2024-05-18 . Oslo Film Festival . en-US.
  36. Web site: Past Festival - Award Winners . 2024-05-18 . Other Worlds Film Festival . en-US.
  37. Web site: 2021-09-30 . SALT — The Future in 2050 with Dr. Michio Kaku & Alex Klokus #SALTNY . 2024-08-13 . SALT . en-US.
  38. Web site: September 29, 2022 . SALT NY: Psychedelic Renaissance: Breakthrough Mental Health Treatments . 2024-08-13 . Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.
  39. Web site: Professor Abraham (Avi) Loeb . 2024-08-13 . Harvard Center for Astrophysics.
  40. News: Chung . Frank . May 20, 2023 . Stanford professor says aliens are '100 per cent' on earth, US is 'reverse-engineering downed UFOs' . June 1, 2024 . News.com.au.
  41. Web site: Stanford Professor Says Aliens Are '100%' Living Among Us 98.1 The Breeze . 2024-05-17 . The Morning Breeze w/ Carolyn McArdle & Cort Johnson . en.
  42. Web site: Whiteside . Steph . Coulthart . Ross . 2024-05-30 . Aliens are interacting with humans: Ret. Army Col. . 2024-06-02 . . en-US.
  43. News: May 31, 2024 . Excoronel de EE UU: "La inteligencia extraterrestre existe e interactúa con la humanidad" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240531122959/https://www.elnacional.com/mundo/excoronel-de-ee-uu-la-inteligencia-extraterrestre-existe-e-interactua-con-la-humanidad/ . May 31, 2024 . June 1, 2024 . . ES.

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