AI & Longevity with Dr Ronjon Nag (MIT alum, Founder of R42)
Dear MIT Alums, we have a unique opportunity to hear on the topic of AI and Longevity from Dr Ronjon Nag, a fellow distinguished MIT alum. Ronjon is a good friend and his bio is below. Please register when possible.
Dr. Ronjon Nag is a renowned inventor, entrepreneur, and educator with a background in electrical engineering. Here's a brief overview of his biography¹ ²:
Early Life and Education
- Earned a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Birmingham, UK
- Completed his Ph.D. in Engineering at Cambridge University
- Holds a Master's degree from MIT
Career Highlights
- Pioneer of Smartphones and App Stores: Dr. Nag's companies have been sold to Apple, BlackBerry, and Motorola
- Founder and President of R42 Institute: A U.S. and UK-based group focused on inventing, investing, and informing about AI and biotech
- Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute Fellow: Teaches AI, genes, ethics, longevity science, and venture capital at Stanford University
- Adjunct Professor in Genetics: Stanford School of Medicine
Notable Achievements
- First Laptop with Speech Recognition: Built-in speech recognition with Apricot (1984)
- First Selling Cursive Handwriting Recognition System: Lexicus (1991)
- First Speech Recognition Phones: Lexicus/Motorola (1996)
- First Mobile App Stores: Cellmania (2000)
- First Neural Network AI System in the Cloud: Ersatz Labs (2014)
- First Throwable 360 Ball Camera: Bounce Imaging (2015)
Awards and Recognition
- IET Mountbatten Medal: Awarded for contributions to smartphones
- Verizon Powerful Answers Prize: $1 million award for Bounce Imaging
- IEEE-SCV Outstanding Engineer Award: Recognized for outstanding engineering achievements
- Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2024
Dr. Nag's work spans multiple fields, including AI, biotech, and venture capital. He continues to be an influential figure in the tech industry, teaching and mentoring entrepreneurs and inventors.³