Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I run partnerships and advocacy for the Dais at TMU. My broad goal is work with governments, companies and foundation helping society build a healthier relationship with technology and strengthening democracy and human rights. I advise startups, non-profits, investors and foundations on AI policy and how to improve education, employment and social service systems, particularly in their use of tech. My work has spanned international criminal law and intellectual property law, global health, software development entrepreneurship and education. I speak regularly on society's relationship to tech, AI policy, the future of work and learning. Most recently I worked with North America's governments, workforce development organizations, colleges and universities to leverage LinkedIn Talent Solutions to close skills gaps and increase sustainable employment. I am passionate about supporting disadvantaged groups such as newcomers and refugees, indigenous populations, the formerly incarcerated and people with disabilities. I founded Lighthouse Labs, Canada's leading immersive software development bootcamp which operates in 6 cities. I co-founded Hacking Health and have advised a number of tech startups and non-profits. I managed the non-profit behind the Health Impact Fund, a new means of incentivizing access to medicines, and I taught global health at McMaster University, I have clerked for the Supreme Court of Israel and articled at an intellectual property litigation boutique. I was the Executive Director of McGill’s International Criminal Law Clinic and Chair of the Global Education Platform's Technology Committee. I have worked for Global Affairs Canada, McGill’s Centre for IP Policy and UofT’s Munk Center. I also interned at Human Rights Watch and on defense teams at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
As Director of Partnerships at The Dais, Canada’s premier public policy think tank—I orchestrate collaboration at the nexus of technology, education, and democratic governance. We position Canada at the forefront of global policy innovation through local ecosystem analysis and development. Our partnerships span government, industry, and civil society. My leadership extends from external relations to team development building the internal and public relationships necessary to enhance our collective capacity to serve Canada's evolving policy needs. The intersection of our work with emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence—positions The Dais uniquely to contribute to developing Canada’s investment and regulatory strategies. We regularly convene the most senior government officials, private sector leaders, and civil society representatives to address unprecedented challenges presented by rapidly advancing technologies and dynamic geopolitical and economic circumstances. I invite fellow policy innovators, government leaders, private sector executives, and civil society advocates to connect! Join us in elevating the ideas, leaders and structures that will define the next era of technological advancement and social and economic progress based on a shared commitment to building an inclusive, democratic, and prosperous future.
The Dais is a public policy and leadership think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, working at the intersection of technology, education and democracy to build shared prosperity and citizenship for Canada. I support the Dais' work on artificial intelligence compute capacity, AI adoption and skills, as well as on inclusive tech policy and online harms, and higher education and workforce development policy.
In leaving LinkedIn, I did a lot of thinking about what next. The thing that most excited me was public speaking. I’ve carefully catalogued when I’m most excited over the course of a day (see the psychological practice of “noting”) and it’s always been on stage or facilitating a conversation. Whether on skills-based-hiring, work-integrated-learning, public private partnerships or tech and democracy, as long as I was knowledgable and passionate about it, the topic mattered less than the thrill of engaging an audience! Whether facilitating a conversation on the impact of AI on non profits, or describing online learning best practices, I consistently love the energy of being on stage. Combine this passion for public speaking with my new focus on fixing society’s relationship with tech and I was honoured when Pierre Bisaillon welcomed me as a speaker in his bureau ProjectSpeaker alongside role models like E. Glen Weyl, Audrey Tang and Maria Ressa. I love dialogue and facilitation as much as keynoting, so whether you need a panelist, facilitator or speaker reach out to ProjectSpeaker: https://www.projectspeaker.com/jake-hirsch-allen/
I am a Senior Fellow of the Public AI Network https://publicai.network/, focused on Canada. Public AI is AI as public infrastructure: AI provisioned like electricity, parks, highways, libraries, or the Internet itself. Public AI is publicly accessible: ensuring AI delivers benefits to all. Public AI is publicly accountable: ensuring AI reflects society’s values. Public AI creates permanent public goods: ensuring AI is a reliable foundation. Public AI is being designed and built right now - all around the world. I advise Metagov's Interoperable Deliberative Tools Cohort whose purpose is: To support new and existing tools for deliberation and governance, and to promote more interoperability between such tools. Metagov is a laboratory for self-governance on the internet. The mission of Metagov is to cultivate tools, practices, and communities that enable self-governance in the digital age.
As an Advisor & Network Partner at Avalanche VC, I use my deep understanding of the venture capital industry and strong network of relationships to provide strategic advice and support on investment activities. I am passionate about helping early-stage companies achieve their goals, with a focus on impact investing, data ownership and decentralization, and AI. I advise on these Avalanches, among others: - DISTRIBUTED OWNERSHIP AND EQUITY-LIKE INCENTIVES - SOFTWARE/AI-POWERED, CLOUD-BASED, AND ON-CHAIN - DEEP ANALYTICS AND DATA - NEW FORMS OF GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE - CHOICE AND COMPETITION FOR PUBLIC GOODS - PEDAGOGY-DRIVEN LEARNING PLATFORMS - LIFELONG LEARNING AND UPSKILLING - ACCESS TO EQUITY AND OWNERSHIP - VERTICAL LABOR MARKETPLACES - UNBUNDLING OF UNIVERSITIES - HUMANIZING THE ENTERPRISE - REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK - QUANT IN VENTURE CAPITAL - EFFICACIOUS EDUTAINMENT - ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION - CITIZENSHIP 2.0