HARC, part of Y Combinator Research , has the mission to ensure human wisdom exceeds human power, by inventing technology that allows all humans to see further and understand more deeply. In our increasingly interconnected world, every individual’s actions affect billions of others in complex and invisible ways. Thus, we believe every individual must have access to technologies that allow them to build their own understanding of the world and its systems in order to act conscientiously and responsibly.

We research technology in its broadest context, which includes: technology for communication (from the invention of spoken language to internet chat), intellectual tools (such as the scientific method and computer simulation), media (from cave painting to video games), and social systems (including democracy and public education). We’re focusing in areas where we believe the structures created today will have the most impact on the future, and that can most benefit from having dedicated resources outside the for-profit world. At the moment, these areas include programming languages, interfaces, education, and virtual reality.

Our shared vision of technology combines an expansive long-term view with a strong moral sense. We look to the distant past as well as the far future. We reject the artificial boundaries created between the humanities, arts, and sciences. We seek to guide human technologies in thoughtful and ethical directions, always keeping in mind the difference between what a piece of technology is intended to be and how it impacts humanity in reality.

We collaborate with Viewpoints Research Institute .