Univrs.io's mission statement and Roadmap align with Mariana Mazzucato's concepts of mission-oriented innovation and rethinking the public sector's role in shaping markets and innovation.
Here are key points to consider based on her work:
- Public Value Creation: According to Mazzucato, the public sector plays a vital role in creating and shaping markets, not just fixing them. A public cloud infrastructure driven by the US Government, as our vision suggests, can create significant public value by ensuring data sovereignty, promoting accessibility, and fostering innovation. It aligns with the idea of government taking a proactive role in directing technological change and fostering innovation for public good.
- Mission-Oriented Innovation: Mazzucato argues for bold, problem-oriented missions that require multi-disciplinary solutions and involve multiple stakeholders. A public cloud infrastructure can certainly be seen as a mission-oriented project that has the potential to solve multiple societal challenges, including data privacy issues, monopolistic tendencies in the tech sector, and unequal access to digital resources.
- Co-creation and Co-shaping Markets: The roadmap's steps on developing a clear value proposition, building a strong team, engaging stakeholders, and building alliances are in line with Mazzucato's ideas about the co-creation of value and markets. The government, private sector, academia, and civil society can work together to build this public cloud infrastructure, each bringing their unique strengths and perspectives.
In the context of reigniting the innovation era of the Apollo missions, the US Government's role in creating and maintaining a public infrastructure cloud can be seen as a strategic investment in the nation's digital infrastructure. It would stimulate technological innovation, much like the NASA Apollo missions did, by providing a platform and resources for small businesses, researchers, and innovators. Moreover, it would ensure data sovereignty and security, protecting the interests of American citizens and businesses and potentially leading to spin-off technologies and applications that benefit the wider community.
Additionally, it's worth noting that a public cloud infrastructure can foster a more democratic and inclusive digital economy. By breaking down barriers to access, it can enable more people and organizations to participate in the digital economy and benefit from its opportunities.
By taking on this public cloud mission, the US Government could once again be at the forefront of a technological revolution, driving innovation, equity, and economic growth.