Loonshots

Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall explores how groundbreaking ideas—loonshots—often seem unconventional or improbable but have the potential to drive major breakthroughs. Bahcall combines insights from physics, business, and history to explain how organizations can balance fostering creativity with executing established plans. The book provides strategies for leaders to cultivate an environment that supports innovation while avoiding the pitfalls of groupthink and stagnation.

Safi Bahcall is an American physicist, technologist, business executive, and author. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in theoretical physics. He received his Ph.D in physics from Stanford University in 1995. In 1995, he was awarded a Miller Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at U.C. Berkeley to continue his research in condensed matter theory. His published work focused on superconductivity, random matrix theory, the quantum hall effect, and particle astrophysics. He worked for McKinsey & Company. In 2008, he was named the Ernst & Young New England Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2011, he worked with President Obama’s council of science advisors on the future of US science and technology research. He has spoken at various banking conferences, investor events, medical meetings around the world, and academic institutions including Harvard University. His book, Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries, was cited as Washington Post's 10 Leadership Books to Watch For in 2019.