Shuo Chen

Launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2024

Brain Capital Industrial Innovation Strategy via Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

Sustaining our planetary future requires a world with clean water, affordable energy, reduced carbon and methane emissions, reduced habitat loss, eradication of poverty, reduction of global inequalities, and quality — as well as equitable — medical care and education. Achieving these endpoints requires innovation, systems thinking, and ultimately, mass human behavior change. This is attainable by fostering a clear scientific and economic evidence base, coordinated and diverse leadership… Show more

Sustaining our planetary future requires a world with clean water, affordable energy, reduced carbon and methane emissions, reduced habitat loss, eradication of poverty, reduction of global inequalities, and quality — as well as equitable — medical care and education. Achieving these endpoints requires innovation, systems thinking, and ultimately, mass human behavior change. This is attainable by fostering a clear scientific and economic evidence base, coordinated and diverse leadership, sustained motivation, and the right mindset and public messaging. Brain capital is a novel framework that recognizes brain skills and brain health as indispensable drivers of the modern knowledge economy. The concept of “green brain capital” — which we are scoping in this paper — places a central emphasis on the brain to deliver a healthy and sustainable environment and, vice versa, on a green environment to promote and safeguard brain health. The environmental determinants of brain health are foundational to this model, as brain health is key to navigating the modern world and thriving. Key brain skills include green skills, creativity, adaptability, digital literacy, and ecological intelligence. Green brain capital intends to be politically pragmatic, economically aware, and lifespan-focused. Growing green brain capital will require transformations across hierarchical levels in social-ecological systems, ranging from individuals to sub-populations to entire societies. Show less

Democracies are increasingly under siege. Beyond direct external (e.g., warfare) and internal (e.g., populism, extremism) threats to democratic nations, multiple democracy-weakening factors are converging in our modern world. Brain health challenges, including mental, neurologic, and substance use disorders, social determinants of health, long COVID, undesired effects of technology, mis- and disinformation, and educational, health, and gender disparities, are associated with substantial… Show more

Democracies are increasingly under siege. Beyond direct external (e.g., warfare) and internal (e.g., populism, extremism) threats to democratic nations, multiple democracy-weakening factors are converging in our modern world. Brain health challenges, including mental, neurologic, and substance use disorders, social determinants of health, long COVID, undesired effects of technology, mis- and disinformation, and educational, health, and gender disparities, are associated with substantial economic and sociopolitical impediments. Herein, we argue that thriving democracies can distinguish themselves through provision of environments that enable each citizen to achieve their full brain health potential conducive to both personal and societal well-being. Gearing policymaking towards equitable and quality brain health may prove essential to combat brain challenges, promote societal cohesion, and boost economic productivity. We outline emerging policy innovations directed at building “pro-democratic brain health” across individual, communal, national, and international levels. While extensive research is warranted to further validate these approaches, brain health-directed policymaking harbors potential as a novel concept for democracy strengthening. Show less

Build Back Brainier: Base Policies on Brain Science
This chapter presents a conceptual asset, Brain Capital, to inform novel policies. The concept builds on previous work, the Brain Capital Grand Strategy, that considers Brain Capital in all policies and offers a comprehensive investment plan and the development of an index or a dashboard. The premise, enablers, and barriers towards a Brain Capital Building Policy Agenda are outlined. Engagement with communities is proposed, and approaches… Show more

Build Back Brainier: Base Policies on Brain Science
This chapter presents a conceptual asset, Brain Capital, to inform novel policies. The concept builds on previous work, the Brain Capital Grand Strategy, that considers Brain Capital in all policies and offers a comprehensive investment plan and the development of an index or a dashboard. The premise, enablers, and barriers towards a Brain Capital Building Policy Agenda are outlined. Engagement with communities is proposed, and approaches for educating policymakers are described. Brain Capital building policies should be considered in sectors such as human development, migration, gender issues, social justice, multi-cultural affairs, economics, protections, and international relations. Novel approaches for public investment including brain bonds and social impact investing are considered. Show less

Brain Capital: a fresh approach to technologies and investing

Our brains are arguably our biggest assets as individuals and communities. However, standards of care and access to solutions for brain challenges are woefully inadequate. Our environment can be harmful to our brains, such as through air pollution and nano-plastics in our food and water, as well as trauma and negative psychological effects from social media. Moreover, the neuroscience innovation market to “fix” these issues is often riddled with perverse incentives. We need a new model to link… Show more

Our brains are arguably our biggest assets as individuals and communities. However, standards of care and access to solutions for brain challenges are woefully inadequate. Our environment can be harmful to our brains, such as through air pollution and nano-plastics in our food and water, as well as trauma and negative psychological effects from social media. Moreover, the neuroscience innovation market to “fix” these issues is often riddled with perverse incentives. We need a new model to link brain-based innovation with economics—a disciplined approach, methodology, and set of services for accelerating responsible innovation. We need a Brain Capital Foundry. Show less

The key to addressing mental health may lie in business innovation theories

Recognition in credits for "The Client Data Windfall Nourishing the Birth of Legal Technologies"