The New Polymath : Profiles in Compound-Technology Innovations

"Bravo! In a work that's fresh and inviting, Mirchandani shares with us his case studies in innovation and creativity. It's no small irony that the `IT' revolution has created a technology industry that all too easily falls back on bromides and received wisdom. Mirchandani inspires us to return to IT's roots, with the transformative power that comes from putting technology innovation in service to business and society."---Benjamin Fried, CIO, Google, Inc.

"At DeVry Education, we are focused on the next-generation workforce that will build the Polymath enterprises of tomorrow. So, it's good to see the book touch on such a wide range of technologies---from cloud computing to emerging medicine---that are shaping our curriculum. We are always looking for innovation, including online classes and instructional labs, and this book has got us thinking in new directions."---Daniel Hamburger, President and CEO, DeVry Inc.

"In this fascinating book, Mirchandani, himself an example of the new breed of Polymaths that he defines, brings into a sharp focus exactly what has been achieved by those who have the remarkable ability to combine and mix technology elements. An excellent read on multiple levels: to learn from; to be entertained by; and most of all, to leave you wondering what you could personally achieve."---Andy Mulholland, Global Chief Technology Officer, Capgemini

"A brilliant read. In order for individuals and companies to fully maximize new century opportunities---and stay abreast of a constantly morphing technological frontier---Mirchandani not only gives examples of the Polymath framework, but concrete evidence for successful leveraging. Thanks to technology, we can all be Polymaths if we open our minds to the possibilities. Consider this book your guide---I think da Vinci would be proud."---Linda Avey, cofounder, 23andMe

"Mirchandani is one of the few technology analysts to realize that technology doesn't come in neat bundles anymore, if it ever did. His stories and lessons cut across infotech, biotech, greentech, and mathtech. If you want to be a Polymath innovator, this is your bible!"---Thomas H. Davenport, President's Distinguished Professor of IT and Management, Babson College; coauthor of Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results

"In today's world, innovation distinguishes great companies from good ones. Mirchandani highlights the importance of technology in such innovation and, specific to IT, counsels about being a full partner of the business and being open to the best ideas from other industries and geographies. The book is full of examples on how to accomplish this and should be required reading for all IT professionals and students."---Caroline Watteeuw, Global CTO and SVP, Business Information Solutions, PepsiCo, Inc.

A Polymath---the Greek word for Renaissance Man---is one who excels in many disciplines. From Leonardo da Vinci to Benjamin Franklin, we have relied on Polymaths to innovate and find creative solutions to the problems of the day. How would these Renaissance men and women manage our current technology bounty? Which disciplines would they choose to focus on? Would they work on the architecture of next-generation green cities, or focus on nanotechnology?

As our challenges have grown exponentially we need to bring together da Vinci, Franklin, and many more. The New Polymath is an enterprise that excels in multiple technologies---infotech, cleantech, healthtech, and other tech---and leverages multiple talent pools to create new medicine, new energy, and new algorithms.

Author Vinnie Mirchandani shares his varied experience as a technology adviser and market watcher to explain in business language the diversity of today's technology palette and to profile a wide range of innovations at:

This book categorizes eleven "building blocks" for the New Polymath to leverage in its Renaissance framework, including next-generation analytics, cloud computing, sustainability, and social networks.

The author profiles over a hundred innovators and demonstrates how they use these building blocks to solve both their individual day-to-day issues and the "Grand Challenges" the world faces.

Brimming with examples from a variety of industries, countries, and business processes, the book will inspire you to groom your own New Polymath tools, processes, and ecosystem of innovation ideas.

Vinnie Mirchandani, who goes by the moniker of "Deal Architect," coaches enterprises on how to exploit disruptive technology trends. His firm has been recognized in The Black Book of Outsourcing as a top advisory boutique. He is also a prolific blogger, writing about technology-enabled innovation on his "New Florence, New Renaissance" blog and about waste in technology on his "Deal Architect" blog. Earlier in his career, he was a respected analyst at Gartner, the technology research firm, and handled numerous international assignments at PwC Consulting. He has keynoted at many business and technology conferences and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, The Financial Times, CIO Magazine, and other executive and technology publications.

Vinnie Mirchandani, who goes by the moniker of "Deal Architect," coaches enterprises on how to exploit disruptive technology trends. His firm has been recognized in The Black Book of Outsourcing as a top advisory boutique. He is also a prolific blogger, writing about technology-enabled innovation on his "New Florence, New Renaissance" blog and about waste in technology on his "Deal Architect" blog. Earlier in his career, he was a respected analyst at Gartner, the technology research firm, and handled numerous international assignments at PwC Consulting. He has keynoted at many business and technology conferences and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, The Financial Times, CIO Magazine, and other executive and technology publications.