Dean Furman

Dean Furman is on a mission to transform the way the world thinks about innovation, disruption and the new age of work. He wants you to join him.

As CEO and founder of 1064 Degrees, Dean partners with CEOs and leaders of companies of all sizes. He saves them from the agony of being disrupted and gives them a new mindset and toolset to disrupt their industry.

Dean’s knack for connecting things that others seem to overlook, was clear from early in his career. As a young Actuary, Dean twice won the Discovery award for the best annual actuarial innovation, beating a couple hundred more experienced peers. In 2015, after launching multiple first to market innovations and products, he was appointed by the Alexander Forbes group to head up Innoruption Holdings – a disruptive skunkworks, focused on investigating and developing disruptive and ground-breaking new solutions.

As part of the journey, he created a new revenue generating division for the group, put together a multi-million rand partnership with a cutting edge technology provider in the US and developed other game changing initiatives. Dean’s success and his creations were highlighted by almost all top local publications and in 2016 was acknowledged by the Mail & Guardian as one of the top South Africans under 35 years old. Dean is the author of the acclaimed ‘Exponential Potential’ which was released in stores in December 2017. In his ground-breaking book, he shares his experience and covers practically every element of growing a company, innovating and disrupting in this new age of work.

Dean is more than a Futurist, he is a ‘Nowist’ – he believes that while tomorrow will bring even more amazing possibilities, today’s untouched opportunities are insane. What better way to prepare for the future than to create it today?

Dean has a diverse range of topics:

• Unleash your Exponential Potential
• Disrupt before being disrupted
• Know-it-alls will go extinct, become a learn-it-all
• New tools, New Rules
• Global acceleration, so much more than just an inconvenient truth

Just some of the companies I have worked with:

Absa
Nedbank
FNB
Stanlib
Nandos
Bidvest
Tiger Brands
Exclusive Books

Dawn of Disruption board game teaches players about how to make money from AI

We all know or have an inkling of an idea of what artificial intelligence (AI) is, but do you know what your company or business could use it for?

SA innovation expert and futurist Dean Furman has launched Dawn of Disruption, a board-game that teaches players about the theoretical uses of AI, including the technology’s profit-boosting applications.

Furman’s game shares real-life examples of how AI is being used, as well as case studies of companies that can supply the technology. He claims the gamified learning delivers return on investment as learnings can be applied straight away.

He said it was more important for most to understand what can be done through machine learning and other AI methods than the underlying algorithms.

“This is equivalent to teaching a learner driver, about how an engine works. This is important for mechanics but not as important for those looking to get from A to B,” he explained.

Furman believes too many “great orators” are latching onto this “hot topic” of disruptive innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and providing great inspiration, but without any depth that can be used by those listening to make a practical difference to their businesses or lives.

“Executives and founders often stream to large, glitzy events to hear some mind-blowing information but then go back to their desks after a super day out without being able to use the information to move the needle in their businesses,” he said.

The game, Furman claims, lets players see first hand how different professions are being disrupted by AI..

“In the game, players will inevitably understand this more deeply as they disrupt their fellow players’ professionals using specific artificial intelligence cards,” he explained.