Rob J. Mann

Background

About Rob J. Mann

We are on social media, and that makes us the lucky ones.*For most of us, professional success has depended on something we take for granted: reliable internet service. But four billion people today lack internet connectivity, usually because of geographic or socioeconomic conditions. Put frankly, it has not been commercially attractive to wire up the world’s most remote, rural, or poor populations. The disadvantages for those left offline are significant: diminished access to economic opportunity, modern medicine, education, and infrastructure.I believe internet connectivity is a modern human right, and at Astranis, we are doing something to uphold this right. Through a thoroughly novel approach to satellite technology, Astranis enables low-cost, dedicated broadband internet to be available anywhere in the world. No longer do people have to settle for limited, unreliable, or exorbitantly expensive broadband. No longer will access to telehealth, remote learning, or e-commerce be exclusive to the geographically fortunate. Astranis is bringing connectivity to everyone.Addressing global challenges of this scale is not new to me. Before managing international relations for a leading tech company, I served as a diplomat helping overcome issues posed by advanced technology. Working both sides of the spectrum of technology diplomacy, I have seen how nations everywhere struggle to adopt technology’s benefits while reducing potential harms posed by rapid digitalization. Threats to peace and stability are persistent, insidious, and more complex than they were even a few years ago. While connecting people alone will not solve the world’s ills, neither will prosperity come from stopping the advance of technology. When designed with humanity’s interest at its core and aligned to our values, from technology itself we can uncover the solutions to our problems of today.*The allusion here to Richard Dawkins' famous quote about the elusiveness of life itself ("We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones.") is deliberate. Most of us on LinkedIn will struggle to think of a single person we know who lacks internet access, but this is the reality for almost half the people on this planet. We ARE the lucky ones.