Innovation Salons: Building Tech That Works for Everyone
FCI's Leadership Network works to advance healthier communities through multiple channels: convening that brings diverse stakeholders together, intimate gatherings that deepen cross-sector collaboration, and strategic initiatives that translate insights into action.
Every day, technology gets built that changes lives, but too often marginalized communities are not included in technological creations and ultimately bear the brunt of unintended consequences. This "build first, fix later" approach has created serious problems, from biased algorithms in criminal justice to inaccessible digital services.
To address this challenge, the Innovation Salons are doing something different. We operate based on the fundamental understanding that: when the actual decision-makers are in the room —those who control budgets, set policy, approve funding, and direct organizational strategy— they develop the relationships, shared frameworks, and mutual accountability that make meaningful change possible. Together we are building a sustained network where honest conversations deepen over time and innovations emerge.
This year alone, the Salons have convened an influential cohort of more than 50 leaders from across sectors:
Government: Leaders like Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, who control the translation of insights into legislation and policy that shape entire systems
Philanthropy: Foundations including the California Healthcare Foundation and Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation who direct capital and resources toward innovative efforts
Technology: Innovators such as Kelley Lacob (Xella Health), Sophia Yen (Pandia Health), and Jared Goodner and Prashant Samant (Akido Labs) who make the product and design decisions that determine how tools shape daily life
Venture Capital: Investors including Oak, Emerson Collective, and Future Communities Capital who determine which technologies receive funding, scale, and market influence
Nonprofits: Organizations like Reimagine Freedom, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, and Youth Law Center whose decisions directly impact how underserved communities access and experience social services
As a vital strategy within the FCI Leadership Network, the Salons are building the relationships, shared understanding, and coordinated action necessary to ensure that the next generation of technology serves all communities, especially those most vulnerable.