Singularity Group

Singularity was founded as a non-profit and initially offered an annual 10-week summer program called the Graduate Studies Program (GSP), it was aimed at individuals wanting to understand how they could use technology to tackle global challenges.{{Cite web |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |date=2012-04-29 |title=Singularity University: meet the people who are building our future |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/apr/29/singularity-university-technology-future-thinkers |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=The Guardian}} Its original Corporate founding partners and sponsors included Google,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/business/13sing.html?pagewanted=all|title=Merely Human? That's So Yesterday|last=Vance|first=Ashlee|author-link=Ashlee Vance|date=June 12, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 25, 2017|archive-date=October 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020143916/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/business/13sing.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}} Nokia,{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/media/peter-diamandis-says-singularity-university-raises-awareness-of-exponential-technologies-video/|title=Peter Diamandis sounds the alarm on embracing exponential technologies (video)|date=August 28, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://research.nokia.com/news/11357|title=Nokia Supports Singularity University as Fifth Corporate Founder|date=November 10, 2010|publisher=Nokia Research Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127224419/http://research.nokia.com/news/11357|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 January 2013}} Autodesk,{{Cite web |date=2013-12-03 |title=Singularity University plots hi-tech future for humans |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-25000753 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=BBC News |archive-date=2022-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221225194701/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-25000753 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://investors.autodesk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=117861&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1390515|title=Autodesk Increases Support for Singularity University to Corporate Founder Level|date=February 12, 2010|publisher=Autodesk|location=MOFFETT FIELD, Calif.|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117081258/http://investors.autodesk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=117861&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1390515|archive-date=January 17, 2013}} [http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100212005387/en/Autodesk-Increases-Support-Singularity-University-Corporate-Founder Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510203447/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100212005387/en/Autodesk-Increases-Support-Singularity-University-Corporate-Founder |date=2015-05-10 }} IDEO,{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} LinkedIn,{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} the X Prize Foundation, ePlanet Ventures,{{Cite web |last=Kenrick |first=Chris |date=2012-08-17 |title=Where science fiction meets reality |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2012/08/17/where-science-fiction-meets-reality |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Palo Alto Weekly}} the Kauffman Foundation and Genentech.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/biotech/2012/02/singularity-university-genentech.html|title=Genentech, Singularity University ink deal|last=Leuty|first=Ron|date=February 6, 2012|publisher=San Francisco Business Journal|access-date=November 18, 2012|archive-date=February 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209064058/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/biotech/2012/02/singularity-university-genentech.html|url-status=live}} Google subsequently ended its grant of $1.5 million annually.

Singularity University began the process for conversion to a for-profit benefit corporation.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/08/singularity-university-upgrade/ |title=Robot Professors Come With Singularity University's Massive Upgrade |magazine=Wired Magazine |date=August 22, 2012 |author=Ryan Tate |access-date=November 23, 2014 |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222220748/https://www.wired.com/2012/08/singularity-university-upgrade/ |url-status=live }} In 2013, the new for-profit corporation incorporated as "Singularity Education Group" and acquired "Singularity University" as its trade name.{{cite web |url=http://www.educationdive.com/news/singularity-university-planning-to-go-for-profit/42075/ |title=Singularity University planning to go for-profit |publisher=Education Dive |date=July 20, 2012 |author=Brian Warmoth |access-date=November 23, 2014 |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129075856/http://www.educationdive.com/news/singularity-university-planning-to-go-for-profit/42075/ |url-status=live }} In 2018, faculty leaders noted that the company was focused only on profit; "it's lost its soul...It’s become a moneymaking corporation."{{Cite news|date=2018-02-15|title=Silicon Valley's Singularity University Is Close to Flunking Out|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/silicon-valley-s-singularity-university-has-some-serious-reality-problems|access-date=2021-10-07|archive-date=2019-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130000132/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/silicon-valley-s-singularity-university-has-some-serious-reality-problems|url-status=live}} The next year, it acquired Futurism News,{{Cite web |last=Willens |first=Max |date=2019-03-15 |title=Gravity blanket seller Futurism acquired by Singularity University |url=https://digiday.com/media/gravity-blanket-seller-futurism-acquired-singularity-university/ |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Digiday |archive-date=2019-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411203550/https://digiday.com/media/gravity-blanket-seller-futurism-acquired-singularity-university/ |url-status=live }} moved the headquarters from the NASA Research Park at NASA Ames to Santa Clara, California,{{Cite web|url=https://su.org/contact/|title=Contact Us|website=Singularity University|language=en|access-date=2019-10-15|archive-date=2019-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503084341/https://su.org/contact/|url-status=live}} and added new Country Partner franchises in Brazil and Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://su.org/press-room/press-releases/hsm-and-singularity-university-partner-to-launch-singularityu-brazil/|title=HSM and Singularity University Partner to Launch SingularityU Brazil|website=Singularity University|language=en|access-date=2019-10-15|archive-date=2019-10-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015043220/https://su.org/press-room/press-releases/hsm-and-singularity-university-partner-to-launch-singularityu-brazil/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/singularity-university-launch-points-to-big-boost-for-startups-in-asia-pacific-and-australia-2019-4|title=Singularity University launch is a big boost for deep technology startups in Asia-Pacific|last=Ross|first=David|date=2019-04-23|website=Business Insider Australia|language=en|access-date=2019-10-15|archive-date=2019-10-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015043218/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/singularity-university-launch-points-to-big-boost-for-startups-in-asia-pacific-and-australia-2019-4|url-status=dead}} Futurism News was later sold in 2021 to Recurrent Ventures.{{Cite web|title=Recurrent Ventures Company Profile: Valuation & Investors {{!}} PitchBook|url=https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/470777-32#investments|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119192753/https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/470777-32#investments|archive-date=January 19, 2022|website=PitchBook}}{{Cite web |last=Cartwright |first=Maxwell Tani, Lachlan |date=2021-07-26 |title=Futurism Bought by VC-Backed Firm Seeking to Become Next Big Media Power Player |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/futurism-bought-by-vc-backed-firm-recurrent-ventures-which-seeks-to-become-media-power-player |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=The Daily Beast}} The following year, Pioneer Adaptive Learning Platform was acquired by Talespin.{{cite web|url=https://www.su.org/blog/talespin-announces-investment-from-westriver-group-acquires-pioneer-adaptive-learning-platform-from-singularity-group |title=Talespin Announces Investment and from WestRiver Group, Acquires 'Pioneer Adaptive Learning Platform' from Singularity Group|website=su.org|publisher=Singularity Group|access-date=January 4, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.socaltech.com/talespin_gets_new_investment/s-0082966.html |title=Talespin Gets New Investment|website=socaltech.com|publisher=SocalTech|access-date=January 4, 2023}}

The Executive Program is a series of five-day training programs that focus on how topics relating to technology and its impacts on business.{{cite news|title=Elite University Aims to Solve the World's Problems|url=http://abc7news.com/archive/9110171/|access-date=May 18, 2015|publisher=abc7news.com|date=May 20, 2013|archive-date=May 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518074047/http://abc7news.com/archive/9110171/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Executive Innovation Program {{!}} Singularity |url=https://www.su.org/executive-program |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=www.su.org}}

In 2016, SingularityU The Netherlands organized a Global Impact Competition for Dutch entrepreneurs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.singularityuthenetherlands.org/gic|title=Singularity University GIC|website=www.singularityuthenetherlands.org|access-date=2016-11-24|archive-date=2016-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124221436/https://www.singularityuthenetherlands.org/gic|url-status=live}} Danny Wagemans, a 21-year-old nanophysics student, won the first prize to participate in the 10-week Global Solutions Program. He demonstrated how clean water and energy can be derived from urine by combining a microbial fuel cell and a graphene filter in a water bottle.{{Cite web|url=https://singularityuthenetherlands.org/news/4|title=Global Impact Competition Winner - SingularityU The Netherlands|website=singularityuthenetherlands.org|access-date=2016-11-24|archive-date=2016-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124221436/https://singularityuthenetherlands.org/news/4|url-status=live}}

Singularity Hub is a science and tech media website published by Singularity University.{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://singularityhub.com/about/|website=Singularity HUB|publisher=Singularity University|access-date=2015-05-19|archive-date=2015-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629181831/http://singularityhub.com/about/|url-status=live}} Singularity Hub was founded in 2008 with the mission of "providing news coverage of sci/tech breakthroughs that are rapidly changing human abilities, health, and society".{{cite news|last1=Kleiner|first1=Keith|title=Singularity Hub Acquired! Now Part Of Singularity University|url=http://singularityhub.com/2012/11/14/singularity-hub-acquired-now-part-of-singularity-university/|agency=Singularity HUB|publisher=Singularity University|date=November 14, 2012|access-date=May 19, 2015|archive-date=May 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520190959/http://singularityhub.com/2012/11/14/singularity-hub-acquired-now-part-of-singularity-university/|url-status=live}} It was acquired by Singularity University in 2012, to make content produced by Singularity University more accessible.

In March 2018, Singularity Hub released 695 articles via Creative Commons license CC BY-ND 4.0.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}{{Cite news|url=https://singularityhub.com/about|title=About - Singularity Hub|work=Singularity Hub|access-date=2018-03-21|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119102327/https://singularityhub.com/about/|url-status=live}}

SU Labs is a seed accelerator by Singularity University, targeting startups that aim to "change the lives of a billion people."{{cite news|title=La Singularity University, ovni 3.0 de la Silicon Valley|url=http://mobile.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2015/03/13/la-singularity-university-nouvel-ovni-de-la-silicon-valley_4593042_3234.html?xtref=https://www.google.com/|access-date=May 18, 2015|issue=The World Economy|newspaper=Le Monde|date=March 13, 2015|archive-date=December 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151213062100/http://mobile.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2015/03/13/la-singularity-university-nouvel-ovni-de-la-silicon-valley_4593042_3234.html?xtref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F|url-status=live}}

In 2011, a Singularity University group launched Matternet, a startup that aims to harness drone technology to ship goods in developing countries that lack highway infrastructure. Other startups from SU are the peer-to-peer car-sharing service Getaround, and BioMine, which uses mining technologies to extract value from electronic waste.{{cite news|title=Where science fiction meets reality|url=http://www.mv-voice.com/story.php?story_id=8037|newspaper=Mountain View Voice|date=August 24, 2012|access-date=November 18, 2012|archive-date=October 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025093554/http://mv-voice.com/story.php?story_id=8037|url-status=live}}

An investigative report from Bloomberg Businessweek found many issues with the organization, including an alleged sexual harassment of a student by a teacher, theft and aiding of theft by an executive, and allegations of gender and disability discrimination.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/silicon-valley-s-singularity-university-has-some-serious-reality-problems|title=Silicon Valley's Singularity University Has Some Serious Reality Problems|last=McBride|first=Sarah|date=2018-02-15|website=Bloomberg Businessweek|access-date=2019-01-29|archive-date=2019-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130000132/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/silicon-valley-s-singularity-university-has-some-serious-reality-problems|url-status=live}} Several early members of Singularity University were convicted of crimes, including Bruce Klein, who was convicted in 2012 of running a credit fraud operation in Alabama, and Naveen Jain, who was convicted of insider trading in 2003.

In February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, MIT Technology Review reported that a group owned by Singularity, called Abundance 360, had held a "mostly maskless" event in Santa Monica in violation of the local stay-at-home order that became a superspreading event.{{Cite web |last=Guo |first=Eileen |date=2021-02-13 |title=He started a covid-19 vaccine company. Then he hosted a superspreader event. |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/02/13/1018374/peter-diamandis-covid-superspreader-a360-conference/ |access-date=2021-08-13 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en |archive-date=2024-08-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805205100/https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/02/13/1018374/peter-diamandis-covid-superspreader-a360-conference/ |url-status=live }} The event, led by Singularity co-founder Peter Diamandis, charged up to $30,000 for tickets. In a followup article, MIT Technology Review revealed that after COVID-19 started spreading among attendees, Diamandis tried to sell them "fraudulent" treatments including inhaled amniotic fluid and ketamine lozenges, which a professor of law and medicine at Stanford University characterized as "quackery".{{Cite web |last=Guo |first=Eileen |date=2021-03-11 |title=First he held a superspreader event. Then he recommended fake cures. |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020725/diamandis-fraudulent-covid-treatment-peptides-amniotic-fluid/ |access-date=2021-08-13 |website=MIT Technology Review |language=en |archive-date=2024-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714014602/https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/11/1020725/diamandis-fraudulent-covid-treatment-peptides-amniotic-fluid/ |url-status=live }} The superspreading event was covered widely by publications including the New York Times,{{Cite news|last=Fortin|first=Jacey|date=2021-02-16|title=Technology Executive Apologizes After Dozens of Event Attendees Contract Covid-19|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/us/peter-diamandis-covid-ca.html|access-date=2021-08-13|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=2022-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118024633/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/us/peter-diamandis-covid-ca.html|url-status=live}} the Washington Post,{{Cite news|title=A coronavirus vaccine entrepreneur held an indoor conference. Now dozens of attendees have the virus.|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/16/peter-diamandis-summit-coronavirus-outbreak/|access-date=2021-08-13|issn=0190-8286}} and the Los Angeles Times.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-17|title=Why a California scientist hosted superspreader event amid a deadly COVID-19 surge|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-17/california-scientist-superspreader-event|access-date=2021-08-13|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-05-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530081206/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-17/california-scientist-superspreader-event|url-status=live}}

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