About

A think tank for the converged era.

Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI) is the dedicated policy arm of 1871, Chicago’s premier tech innovation hub. While 1871 builds breakthrough companies, C:TPI builds the smart policy frameworks needed to keep them secure, equitable, and globally competitive in the age of AI, blockchain, and quantum convergence.

We identify critical collisions between rapidly advancing technologies and outdated regulations, then translate those insights into clear, actionable recommendations for governments, industry leaders, and global standards bodies, helping shape a safe and prosperous quantum-safe internet.

Vision

Secure the quantum-safe internet through policy that outpaces the digital convergence.

Mission

Map converging AI, blockchain, and quantum policies to deliver safeguard recommendations.

Why convergence

AI, blockchain, and quantum computing are converging rapidly. Yet most regulation and policy work grous still treats them in isolation. This creates serious risk. Regulating AI without addressing quantum threats leaves systems vulnerable to encryption attacks. Regulating blockchain without considering AI leaves networks exposed to exploitation. Converging technologies require converged policy. C:TPI maps these critical intersections and delivers clear, practical frameworks to protect infrastructure and unlock long-term economic value in a quantum-safe world.

C:TPI Leadership

Meet the minds steering the converged agenda.

Our leadership combines deep technical expertise with decades of public policy practice across the U.S., EU, and Indo-Pacific.

Co-Founder & Executive Director, C:TPI

Arry Yu

Arry Yu is Co-Founder & Executive Director of Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). A 3x serial founder who has raised over $35 million, she previously co-founded the U.S. Blockchain Coalition and served as Head of Strategy (U.S.) for the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC). She is also a PSBJ “40 Under 40” honoree, adjunct professor at Portland State and Seattle University, and advisor to WTIA and the Milgard School of Business. She serves as Board Director and Head of External Affairs at the Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN), Chair of the Cascadia Blockchain Council, and Chair of the WTIA Advanced Technology Cluster. Recognized as a catalyst for tech ecosystems, Arry excels at scaling bold ideas from zero to one and convening diverse stakeholders around mission-driven initiatives.

LinkedIn ↗

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, C:TPI

Nirav Desai

Nirav Desai is Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). He is an innovation management expert supporting HP as Innovation Acceleration Lead and chairing PNWER’s Innovation Committee. Nirav co-authored the 2024 Washington State AI and 2023 Washington State Quantum Landscape Reports and is a recognized voice on the future of AI-driven enterprise transformation and the creative economy. As CEO and Co-Founder of Moonbeam Exchange, he helped companies source, prototype, and scale emerging technologies using AI-powered platforms and data science. He also serves as Affiliate Assistant Professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.

LinkedIn ↗

CEO, 1871

Betsy Ziegler

Betsy Ziegler is CEO of 1871, the world’s leading university-affiliated tech incubator. Under her leadership, 1871 has supported over 1,000 entrepreneurs and helped raise more than $1 billion in funding. A former Chief Innovation Officer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, she has advised Fortune 500 companies and global institutions on innovation strategy, ecosystem development, and inclusive growth. Recognized as one of Chicago’s most influential voices in technology and entrepreneurship, Betsy has built 1871 into a premier platform for scaling high-impact startups and driving meaningful public-private collaboration. She is a sought-after speaker and serves on multiple boards focused on innovation and economic development.

LinkedIn ↗

Senior Director of Innovation, 1871

Gabby Snedeker

Gabby Snedeker is the Senior Director of Innovation for 1871 and Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). She leads operations and execution for the institute’s flagship initiatives, including major policy summits. With deep expertise in tech policy coordination, stakeholder management, and high-impact event strategy, Gabby serves as the operational backbone of C:TPI, turning complex convergence challenges into actionable deliverables and strategic partnerships. A skilled program leader with a strong background in cross-sector collaboration, she is instrumental in building C:TPI into a trusted convener shaping responsible policy at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and quantum technologies.

LinkedIn ↗

Digital Media Manager, C:TPI

Lainey Gaffney

Lainey Gaffney is the Digital Media Manager at Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). She served as the engine behind WTIA's signature Seattle AI Week, producing 75+ community-driven events for over 5,000+ people, including a sold-out Summit and an opening event with Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson in 2025. A former Director at Founder Institute, Seattle, Lainey brings over eight years of experience in event strategy, digital design, and marketing to her work connecting technologists, founders, and policymakers across the Pacific Northwest, and increasingly, beyond. She is currently based in London, UK.

LinkedIn ↗

Research Fellows

Senior researchers driving the institute's published work.

Research Fellows often lead C:TPI's thought leadership, including white papers, working groups, and policy briefings across the converged-tech agenda.

Research Fellow

Alex Lightman

Alex Lightman is a Research Fellow at Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). An internationally recognized futurist, author, and technology pioneer, he is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with additional study at MIT Sloan and Harvard Kennedy School. He has spent over four decades commercializing frontier technologies and has advised the Obama and Trump administrations on emerging technology policy, as well as contributed to European Union AI regulation discussions. Lightman brings deep global insight into technology strategy, governance, and civilizational resilience, with extensive experience across artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and innovation policy.

LinkedIn ↗

Student Fellows

The next generation of converged-policy thinkers.

A selective cohort of graduate students from law, computer science, public policy, and economics. Fellows research alongside C:TPI directors and often publish under the institute's imprint. Meet our most recent 2026 Student Fellows.