Q: What is TTI/Vanguard?
A: TTI/Vanguard is the advanced technology conference series for senior executives. Five times annually, we come together to introduce, discuss and evaluate emerging and breakthrough information technologies on the two-to-five year horizon.

Q: Who “runs” TTI/Vanguard?
A: At the core of TTI/Vanguard is our world-class Advisory Board: John Perry Barlow, Gordon Bell, Peter Cochrane, Deborah Estrin, Eric Haseltine, Mike Hawley, Alan Kay, Leonard Kleinrock, Doug Lenat, Bob Lucky, Nicholas Negroponte, and David Reed.

Q: What’s unique enough about TTI/Vanguard to warrant membership?
A: Organizations join TTI/Vanguard for early warnings about breakthrough and potentially disruptive technologies; a challenging vision of the future; and the power of our network.

Q: Who are the members of TTI/Vanguard?
A: TTI/Vanguard member organizations represent global private, public, and academic sectors. Members include: brand-name manufacturers, cutting-edge software and hardware developers, aerospace and defense companies, financial and investment institutions, insurers, retailers, pharmaceutical and healthcare groups, telecommunications firms, corporate and government labs, service providers and consulting groups, energy and chemical companies, broadcasters, startups, Internet businesses, food and beverage companies, universities, and top advisors in international government agencies. This diversity brings an unequalled richness of perspective and experience to our forums.

Q: Who are the speakers?
A: Every TTI/Vanguard conference includes a group of guest experts—entrepreneurs, inventors, scientists, business practitioners, technologists, academicians, authors, journalists, commentators and futurists, creative artists, and policy makers. These internationally renowned experts offer perspectives on future technologies and their impacts on business, scientific, and sociological disciplines.

back to top

Q: What are the sessions like?
A: Sessions are highly interactive. Attendees sit behind microphones at their desktops. Speakers typically receive a 10-15 minute "head start" before members begin to ask questions that "test" ideas being presented. The result: dynamic and collaborative sessions—part think-tank, part laboratory, and part classroom—where debate is stimulated and new ideas flourish.

Q: What is TTI/Vanguard’s business model?
A: TTI/Vanguard is a membership organization. Pricing is based upon the number of seats contracted during the membership term of five consecutive conferences.

Q: What are some of the deliverables an organization gets from membership?
A: Within days of each meeting, audio and slide presentations from each session are posted in the Members’ section of TTI/Vanguard’s web site. (Materials are available through RSS feeds as well.) Organizations have access to this multimedia knowledge-base, which archives and indexes materials, preconference readings (Reconnaissance Papers), conference notes (Highlights), and postconference reports on the proceedings (Reinforcements) going back to 1998. In conjunction with each session, members also receive recently published books which are chosen to expand on ideas and topics being addressed in our sessions. The aggregate of these books and readings provides members with additional perspectives and resources for understanding critical technology issues.

Q: Are there other activities offered other than the conference sessions?
A: Yes. In conjunction with our conferences, TTI/Vanguard offers field trips to leading research and development laboratories that are often inaccessible without invitation. Additionally, TTI/Vanguard runs executive workshops led by content experts, major consulting firms, and think-tanks as part of our programming.

back to top

Q: Can an organization or an individual attend one session only for a fee?
A: No. TTI/Vanguard subscribes to the belief that continuity of attendance allows an organization to dive deeply into the world of unanticipated sources of change. Further, we believe that it is only by attending sessions over time, that the full value of our predictions and the worth of our community can be measured.

Q: Does TTI/Vanguard’s membership work on a calendar year?
A: Membership begins whenever an organization signs up for the five consecutive conference term.

Q: Can different people attend from an organization, or does it always have to be the same person who goes to sessions?
A: Attendance is designed to be flexible. We encourage organizations to match their internal content experts with the topics we offer.

Q: What level participant attends the sessions?
A: Sponsors of TTI/Vanguard memberships are typically serving at the CXO level. Attendees from organizations are often CXOs, or other senior staff within an organization who have responsibility for strategy, infrastructure, architecture, engineering, research and development, etc. While there is no official “level” that is mandatory for an organization’s sponsorship, attendees should be those who can significantly influence an organization’s future direction.

Q: How does our organization join?
A: Please contact Ann Cheslaw at +1 310.394.8305, ext. 246.

back to top