Identifying Systemic Bottlenecks to Science
Today, alongside the launch of Radial, we are opening an essay competition that I’ve been ruminating on for some time. Namely, inviting active scientists from any sector to share concrete research challenges that can inform our future work at Astera. We’re interested in your hypotheses about what broad structural or systemic issues contribute to the bottlenecks you […]
Dileep George joins Astera to lead its neuro-inspired AGI effort
Dileep George is joining Astera as Head of AI, leading our AGI research division. Working alongside our Chief Scientist Doris Tsao, he and the team will explore novel, brain-inspired computational architectures to accelerate the development of safe, efficient and aligned AGI. Astera will continue to support this effort with over $1 billion in committed resources […]
Sharpening Astera’s focus
Important science and technology development often falls through the cracks of public funding and private markets, i.e. work that may be high impact but risky, requires long timelines, or involves unpopular ideas. These areas are ripe for philanthropy. And as AI ushers civilization toward an event horizon, we need more people working on the hardest […]
Neuroscientist Doris Tsao joins Astera to lead its new neuroscience program
The Astera Institute is excited to launch a major new neuroscience research effort led by Dr. Doris Tsao, who will be joining as Chief Scientist for Astera Neuro. We seek to understand one of the deepest mysteries of science: how the brain produces conscious experience, cognition, and intelligent behavior. Astera will support this effort with […]
Introducing our next Residents
We’re excited to introduce three new entrepreneurs to our residency cohort
Introducing Astera’s First Residency Cohort (and Applications for the Second Cohort!)
Applications are now open for our Fall cohort, due May 7
Request for Information
Data Requirements for Microbial Machine Learning Models
Announcing Astera’s Residency Program
Applications are now closed for Astera’s first residency cohort. Please check back for future calls. Astera’s first Residency cohort Today, Astera is opening a call for its first major science residency program, a one-year, fully funded program centered on the creation of public goods. Over the course of the next 12 months, we expect to […]
From systems operators to systems architects
Going up a level from data generation to think about the data systems we design and embed
Understanding intelligence: Simplex views on complex systems
A conversation with Adam Shai and Paul Riechers, co-founders of Simplex
A night sky full of living worlds
A conversation with Astera Resident Edwin Kite on applied planetary science, applied astrobiology, and what it would take to terraform Mars
How we get to an abundant future
A perspective from Eli Dourado, Astera’s Head of Strategic Investments
Scientific Publishing: Enough is Enough
Why we’re no longer funding journal publications
Reflecting on — and for — our Future
A conversation with Astera Resident Dakota Gruener on uncovering answers and driving action on how we can address our rapidly warming climate
Breaking the Ice
A conversation with Astera Resident Thomas Teisberg on breaking the silos limiting action on sea level rise
Science transcends form: publishing beyond papers
Comparing existing tools for openly sharing scientific documents that don’t fit the mold of scholarly papers
Breaking the mold
Building scientific and microbial communities with Rachel Dutton