Singularity Group Explained

Singularity Group should not be confused with Singularity Institute.

Singularity Education Group
Logo Alt:Spiraling yellow and blue dots next to the words "Singularity University"
Industry:Education
Founder:Peter Diamandis and Ray Kurzweil
Hq Location:Santa Clara, California
Brands:Singularity University, SingularityU, SU Ventures, Futurism News (formerly), Uncommon Partners Labs
Num Employees:<250

Singularity Education Group (using the public names Singularity Group, Singularity University or SingularityU) is an American company that offers executive educational programs, a business incubator, and business consultancy services.[1] [2] Although the company uses the word "university" in its branding, it is not an accredited university and has no academic programs or accreditation.

The company has faced allegations of sexual assault, embezzlement, and discrimination since its founding.[3]

History

Singularity was founded as a non-profit and initially offered an annual 10-week summer program called the Graduate Studies Program (GSP), it was aimed at individuals wanting to understand how they could use technology to tackle global challenges.[4] Its original Corporate founding partners and sponsors included Google,[5] Nokia,[6] [7] Autodesk,[8] [9] IDEO, LinkedIn, the X Prize Foundation, ePlanet Ventures,[10] the Kauffman Foundation and Genentech.[11] Google subsequently ended its grant of $1.5 million annually.

Singularity University began the process for conversion to a for-profit benefit corporation.[12] In 2013, the new for-profit corporation incorporated as "Singularity Education Group" and acquired "Singularity University" as its trade name.[13] In 2018, faculty leaders noted that the company was focused only on profit; "it's lost its soul...It’s become a moneymaking corporation."[14] The next year, it acquired Futurism News,[15] moved the headquarters from the NASA Research Park at NASA Ames to Santa Clara, California,[16] and added new Country Partner franchises in Brazil and Australia.[17] [18] Futurism News was later sold in 2021 to Recurrent Ventures.[19] [20] The following year, Pioneer Adaptive Learning Platform was acquired by Talespin.[21] [22]

Executive Program

The Executive Program is a series of five-day training programs that focus on how topics relating to technology and its impacts on business.[23] [24]

Global Impact Competition

In 2016, SingularityU The Netherlands organized a Global Impact Competition for Dutch entrepreneurs.[25] Danny Wagemans, a 21-year-old nanophysics student, won the first prize to participate in the 10-week Global Solutions Program. He demonstrated how clean water and energy can be derived from urine by combining a microbial fuel cell and a graphene filter in a water bottle.[26]

Singularity Hub

Singularity Hub is a science and tech media website published by Singularity University.[27] Singularity Hub was founded in 2008[27] with the mission of "providing news coverage of sci/tech breakthroughs that are rapidly changing human abilities, health, and society".[28] It was acquired by Singularity University in 2012, to make content produced by Singularity University more accessible.[28]

In March 2018, Singularity Hub released 695 articles via Creative Commons license CC BY-ND 4.0.[29]

SU Labs

SU Labs is a seed accelerator by Singularity University, targeting startups that aim to "change the lives of a billion people."[30]

In 2011, a Singularity University group launched Matternet, a startup that aims to harness drone technology to ship goods in developing countries that lack highway infrastructure. Other startups from SU are the peer-to-peer car-sharing service Getaround, and BioMine, which uses mining technologies to extract value from electronic waste.[31]

Controversies

An investigative report from Bloomberg Businessweek found many issues with the organization, including an alleged sexual harassment of a student by a teacher, theft and aiding of theft by an executive, and allegations of gender and disability discrimination.[32] Several early members of Singularity University were convicted of crimes, including Bruce Klein, who was convicted in 2012 of running a credit fraud operation in Alabama, and Naveen Jain, who was convicted of insider trading in 2003.[32]

In February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, MIT Technology Review reported that a group owned by Singularity, called Abundance 360, had held a "mostly maskless" event in Santa Monica in violation of the local stay-at-home order that became a superspreading event.[33] The event, led by Singularity co-founder Peter Diamandis, charged up to $30,000 for tickets. In a followup article, MIT Technology Review revealed that after COVID-19 started spreading among attendees, Diamandis tried to sell them "fraudulent" treatments including inhaled amniotic fluid and ketamine lozenges, which a professor of law and medicine at Stanford University characterized as "quackery".[34] The superspreading event was covered widely by publications including the New York Times,[35] the Washington Post,[36] and the Los Angeles Times.[37]

Notes and References

  1. News: Kulkarni. Nitish. Singularity University Launches Accelerator To Seize Academia's Innovation Monopoly. 8 March 2016. TechCrunch. 30 September 2015. 7 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160307145945/http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/30/singularity-university-launches-accelerator/. live.
  2. John Hagel III and John Seely Brown . When the professor works at Google . Fortune.com . 2013-09-26 . 2014-04-28 . 2014-07-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140707055755/http://fortune.com/2013/09/16/when-the-professor-works-at-google/ . live .
  3. News: 2019-11-12. Silicon Valley's Singularity University Is Cutting Staff, CEO Exits. en. Bloomberg.com. Sarah. McBride. 2024-07-24.
  4. Web site: Cadwalladr . Carole . 2012-04-29 . Singularity University: meet the people who are building our future . 2022-12-05 . The Guardian.
  5. News: Merely Human? That's So Yesterday. Vance. Ashlee. Ashlee Vance. June 12, 2010. The New York Times. February 25, 2017. October 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161020143916/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/business/13sing.html?pagewanted=all. live.
  6. Web site: Peter Diamandis sounds the alarm on embracing exponential technologies (video). August 28, 2011.
  7. Web site: Nokia Supports Singularity University as Fifth Corporate Founder. November 10, 2010. Nokia Research Center. https://web.archive.org/web/20130127224419/http://research.nokia.com/news/11357. dead. 27 January 2013.
  8. Web site: 2013-12-03 . Singularity University plots hi-tech future for humans . 2022-12-05 . BBC News.
  9. Web site: Autodesk Increases Support for Singularity University to Corporate Founder Level. February 12, 2010. Autodesk. MOFFETT FIELD, Calif.. https://archive.today/20130117081258/http://investors.autodesk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=117861&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1390515. January 17, 2013. Alt URL
  10. Web site: Kenrick . Chris . 2012-08-17 . Where science fiction meets reality . 2022-12-05 . Palo Alto Weekly.
  11. Web site: Genentech, Singularity University ink deal. Leuty. Ron. February 6, 2012. San Francisco Business Journal. November 18, 2012. February 9, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120209064058/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/biotech/2012/02/singularity-university-genentech.html. live.
  12. Robot Professors Come With Singularity University's Massive Upgrade . Wired Magazine . August 22, 2012 . Ryan Tate . November 23, 2014 . December 22, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161222220748/https://www.wired.com/2012/08/singularity-university-upgrade/ . live .
  13. Web site: Singularity University planning to go for-profit . Education Dive . July 20, 2012 . Brian Warmoth . November 23, 2014 . November 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129075856/http://www.educationdive.com/news/singularity-university-planning-to-go-for-profit/42075/ . live .
  14. News: 2018-02-15. Silicon Valley's Singularity University Is Close to Flunking Out. en. Bloomberg.com. 2021-10-07.
  15. Web site: Willens . Max . 2019-03-15 . Gravity blanket seller Futurism acquired by Singularity University . 2022-12-05 . Digiday.
  16. Web site: Contact Us. Singularity University. en. 2019-10-15. 2019-05-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20190503084341/https://su.org/contact/. live.
  17. Web site: HSM and Singularity University Partner to Launch SingularityU Brazil. Singularity University. en. 2019-10-15. 2019-10-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20191015043220/https://su.org/press-room/press-releases/hsm-and-singularity-university-partner-to-launch-singularityu-brazil/. live.
  18. Web site: Singularity University launch is a big boost for deep technology startups in Asia-Pacific. Ross. David. 2019-04-23. Business Insider Australia. en. 2019-10-15. 2019-10-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20191015043218/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/singularity-university-launch-points-to-big-boost-for-startups-in-asia-pacific-and-australia-2019-4. dead.
  19. Web site: Recurrent Ventures Company Profile: Valuation & Investors PitchBook. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119192753/https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/470777-32#investments. January 19, 2022. PitchBook.
  20. Web site: Cartwright . Maxwell Tani, Lachlan . 2021-07-26 . Futurism Bought by VC-Backed Firm Seeking to Become Next Big Media Power Player . 2022-12-05 . The Daily Beast.
  21. Web site: Talespin Announces Investment and from WestRiver Group, Acquires 'Pioneer Adaptive Learning Platform' from Singularity Group. su.org. Singularity Group. January 4, 2023.
  22. Web site: Talespin Gets New Investment. socaltech.com. SocalTech. January 4, 2023.
  23. News: Elite University Aims to Solve the World's Problems. May 18, 2015. abc7news.com. May 20, 2013. May 18, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518074047/http://abc7news.com/archive/9110171/. live.
  24. Web site: Executive Innovation Program Singularity . 2022-12-05 . www.su.org.
  25. Web site: Singularity University GIC. www.singularityuthenetherlands.org. 2016-11-24. 2016-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20161124221436/https://www.singularityuthenetherlands.org/gic. live.
  26. Web site: Global Impact Competition Winner - SingularityU The Netherlands. singularityuthenetherlands.org. 2016-11-24. 2016-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20161124221436/https://singularityuthenetherlands.org/news/4. live.
  27. Web site: About Us. Singularity HUB. Singularity University. 2015-05-19. 2015-06-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20150629181831/http://singularityhub.com/about/. live.
  28. News: Kleiner. Keith. Singularity Hub Acquired! Now Part Of Singularity University. Singularity HUB. Singularity University. November 14, 2012. May 19, 2015. May 20, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150520190959/http://singularityhub.com/2012/11/14/singularity-hub-acquired-now-part-of-singularity-university/. live.
  29. News: About - Singularity Hub. Singularity Hub. 2018-03-21. en-US. 2017-11-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20171119102327/https://singularityhub.com/about/. live.
  30. News: La Singularity University, ovni 3.0 de la Silicon Valley. May 18, 2015. The World Economy. Le Monde. March 13, 2015. December 13, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151213062100/http://mobile.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2015/03/13/la-singularity-university-nouvel-ovni-de-la-silicon-valley_4593042_3234.html?xtref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F. live.
  31. News: Where science fiction meets reality. Mountain View Voice. August 24, 2012. November 18, 2012. October 25, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121025093554/http://mv-voice.com/story.php?story_id=8037. live.
  32. Web site: Silicon Valley's Singularity University Has Some Serious Reality Problems. McBride. Sarah. 2018-02-15. Bloomberg Businessweek. 2019-01-29. 2019-01-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20190130000132/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/silicon-valley-s-singularity-university-has-some-serious-reality-problems. live.
  33. Web site: Guo . Eileen . 2021-02-13 . He started a covid-19 vaccine company. Then he hosted a superspreader event. . 2021-08-13 . . en.
  34. Web site: Guo . Eileen . 2021-03-11 . First he held a superspreader event. Then he recommended fake cures. . 2021-08-13 . . en.
  35. News: Fortin. Jacey. 2021-02-16. Technology Executive Apologizes After Dozens of Event Attendees Contract Covid-19. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-08-13. 0362-4331.
  36. News: A coronavirus vaccine entrepreneur held an indoor conference. Now dozens of attendees have the virus.. en-US. Washington Post. 2021-08-13. 0190-8286.
  37. Web site: 2021-02-17. Why a California scientist hosted superspreader event amid a deadly COVID-19 surge. 2021-08-13. Los Angeles Times. en-US.

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