About Us

THE PURSUIT OF TRUTH

Changing lives by transforming the way people think.

The Palo Alto Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank dedicated to the pursuit and promotion of unconventional truths through research and education. Founded in 2005, by Palo Alto Investors, the Palo Alto Institute collaborates with innovative thinkers who take pleasure in creative and intellectual exploration and action, and benefits from being located in Palo Alto, the heart of Silicon Valley and the home of Stanford University.

THINK
At PAI, search leads to research. We believe in a bottoms-up approach, where open-ended exploration produces new insights. These new ideas trigger interdisciplinary deep dives into fields as diverse as medicine and humor, and combining perspectives from neurobiology to anthropology to design.

TELL
PAI’s T3 series of inspirational and informative talks showcases innovative thinkers and doers from both inside and outside the Institute, bringing them together with our community in an enjoyable and accessible format. We publish books and journal articles, and are developing video, blogs and other means of communicating and connecting with the world.

TEACH
We want to change the way people think, incorporating new knowledge and insights as they arise. We also want to catalyze positive change in our everyday lives. We’re working on ways to teach people things like how to be funnier and healthier, how to use compound thinking to make better decisions and even how to slow down one’s perception of time.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

While informing and educating are two aspects of our mission, connecting with and serving our community are core tenets as well.

FILM FESTIVAL
The Palo Alto International Film Festival (PAIFF), premiering in October 2011, celebrates art and technology in film. Palo Alto is an epicenter of technological innovation and the Bay Area a leader in film entertainment technology. PAIFF will convene this amazing local talent, other masters from around the world, and our community, for a festival celebrating the interplay of art and technology in film. PAIFF will provide an intimate setting where people can experience and learn about technology in film, and also engage with the artists and innovators who change the medium on a daily basis.

GRANTS
The Palo Alto Institute supports other innovative organizations through its grant program. Palo Alto Institute grant recipients all share our mission of changing lives by changing the way people think. Grant recipients include: Backlight Media’s Fearless Genius project, BATS Improv, the National Organization of Rare Diseases, The Genetic Alliance and the Stanford Institute of Design (d.School).
 

PALO ALTO FARM SHOP
In 2009, when the economy was hitting bottom, we started and sponsored an Open Mic in downtown Palo Alto, bringing musicians and performers together with audiences hungry for inexpensive, local entertainment. In 2010, when the city of Palo Alto cut the budget for the downtown farmers market, the Palo Alto FarmShop, we stepped in and provided the funds to keep it alive.