Laurie Smith
www.nesta.org.uk/team/laurie-smith/
www.nesta.org.uk/team/laurie-smith/
Director, discovery
Laurie leads Mission Discovery at Nesta, which uses intelligence about the future to change practice today.
The Mission Discovery team identifies and investigates emerging trends, ideas, technologies and partnerships that could unlock new paths to impact. The team brings together expertise in foresight, data science, qualitative research, innovation methods and programme management.
Our role is to uncover what's possible, challenge assumptions, and explore ambitious, long-term opportunities that others might overlook. For example, we are home to the experimental AI-driven policymaking tool Policy Atlas, Nesta's social innovation scaling accelerator and have pioneered the organisation's work on digital public infrastructure. Discovery also hosts Nesta’s unique residency scheme specifically designed for a social impact context.
Prior to joining Nesta, Laurie worked at the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, where he led teams working on emerging technologies and futures, and before that on science and innovation policy. Previously he worked at the Academy of Medical Sciences on policy around medical science, public health and international health. During that time he undertook secondments at the Department for International Development and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. He studied an interdisciplinary degree that combined the biomedical and social sciences at University College London. He also has a masters in science from the Open University, which he undertook while working full time.
Outside work Laurie enjoys running, reading, travel and spending time with his family and friends. He also once taught English in a Buddhist monastery in India and briefly trained at Rada...just not in acting.
