State of the Future (SotF) is a new think tank for public servants and others who believe data, digital, openness and innovation can deliver better policy, better services and better outcomes for people.

It is born from a recurring frustration. Governments, swept away by hype, make grand promises about technology; too often, they repeat the same mistakes and rarely stop to ask why. Or, hindered by fear and panic, they get stuck in the same old ways of doing things and fail to deliver for the public.

By combining history, frontline experience and international examples, SotF will collaborate with others to create spaces, stories and tools that help public servants use technology more thoughtfully, and build a more open, human and effective state.

You can:

• Read more about the thinking behind State of the Future

• Follow us on Bluesky

• Connect on LinkedIn

• Get in touch via gavin@sotf.org.uk

• Sign up to our mailing list.

More projects and information will follow, but already State of the Future is:

• Sponsoring TransformGov Talks, a monthly event series for people who care about making government work better (and one of the inspirations behind Policy Camp)

• Working with mySociety and others on the FOI Network, an informal coalition for people and organisations interested in Freedom of Information, following FOI Fest 2026

State of the Future is being set up by Gavin Freeguard, a freelancer who is policy associate at Connected by Data, associate at Kinship Works, associate at the Institute for Government, conference chair for Think Digital Partners, and the creator and longstanding host of Data Bites (first at the Institute for Government, before moving to Public Digital).

You can follow him on Bluesky or connect on LinkedIn.