Investing Quote by Lee Smolin
““Do you want a revolution in science? Do what businesspeople do when they want a technological revolution: Just change the rules a bit. Let in a few revolutionaries. Make the hierarchy a bit flatter, to give the young people more scope and freedom. Create some opportunities for high-risk/high-payoff people, so as to balance the huge investment you made in low-risk, incremental science. The technology companies and investment banks use this strategy. Why not try it in academia? The payoff could be discovering how the universe works.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Talk at International Conference on Science Policy, 2019
Encourages academia to adopt business-like strategies—flatten hierarchies, empower risk‑taking innovators—to accelerate breakthroughs.
In simple terms: Make science more like tech startups: flatter, risk‑friendly, innovative.
Key Takeaway
Adopt flatter structures and support high‑risk research.
Themes
innovation
risk
hierarchy
science policy
entrepreneurship
Mood
optimistic
challenging
Type
strategic
visionary
When to use this quote
- grant committees
- university departments
- research labs
- startup incubators
Key Concepts
disruptive innovation
institutional change
funding models
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions balance risk and accountability?
- What safeguards protect against reckless research?
A Different Perspective
Academic cultures often resist rapid change and may lack incentives for high‑risk work.
