About Bottleneck Institute
At Bottleneck Institute, we explore the hidden barriers causing stagnation across society, technology, and innovation. Understanding these bottlenecks enables us to create pathways toward a future of abundance, efficiency, and human flourishing.
We envision a world where humans live fulfilled lives, harmoniously coexisting with technology and nature. Our approach is practical, impartial, and driven by actionable insights from diverse perspectives.
Areas of Focus
Our goal is to identify inefficiencies and direct attention toward ideas with the greatest potential for transformative impact across these key areas.
Imagination & Innovation
Understanding constraints on creative thinking and how they limit innovative solutions.
How do societal norms restrict our ability to innovate?
Talent & Skills
Identifying and addressing gaps in skills and talent that hinder progress.
Which critical skills are currently lacking, and why?
Cultural Bottlenecks
Exploring how cultural attitudes shape the adoption and progression of technology.
How do local traditions and generational views affect technology acceptance?
Technological Bottlenecks
Investigating technical barriers slowing essential technological advancements.
Which existing infrastructures inhibit innovation?
Economy & Market Dynamics
Analyzing economic systems and market forces shaping innovation trajectories.
How do market incentives influence technological development?
Regulatory Bottlenecks
Assessing the influence of regulatory environments on innovation speed and feasibility.
How do regulatory frameworks vary across regions and affect innovation?
Our Founders
Parnian Barekatain
Entrepreneur & AI/BioTech Researcher
Her unique insight comes from viewing technological advancements through an evolutionary lens—recognizing patterns in how complex systems adapt and thrive. This perspective has shaped her research at MIT Media Lab and University of Washington, her community-building with Nucleate, and her reinforcement learning work at OpenAI. What distinguishes her is seeing technologies as part of an evolutionary continuum shaped by selection pressures. She's drawn to self-modifying systems—positioning her at the intersection where Artificial Super Intelligence meets living systems. This translates to understanding bottlenecks across fields and how organizations evolve or stagnate. She perceives social structures as living organisms and focuses on creating adaptive ecosystems.
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James Gray
Entrepreneur & Climate Tech Expert
Entrepreneur and expert on emerging climate & energy technologies. James is the founder of Seren Labs, the data platform that helps investors and corporations discover the climate solutions that are gaining traction and ready for scale. He brings years of expertise and insight into the challenges and opportunities in climate-related industries, and takes a special interest in novel mechanisms and frameworks related to talent, funding, research collaboration, and pilot projects.
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Ian Derrington
AI & Technology Advisor
Ian Derrington's experience spans breakthrough biotechnology, the nonprofit MakeTruthMatter.org—created to improve public understanding through clear, evidence-based communication—and Managen.ai, a platform for navigating the fast-moving world of generative AI. At Bottlenecks Institute, he draws on this mix of technical insight and communication focus to shape AI strategy and pinpoint the friction points that stand between today's challenges and a more resilient, successful future.
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