About us – Horizon Institute for Public Service

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horizonpublicservice.org·horizonpublicservice.org/about-us/

Horizon Institute for Public Service works to place technically skilled professionals in government roles focused on emerging technology policy, including AI governance, which is directly relevant to building institutional capacity for AI safety oversight.

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Summary

The Horizon Institute for Public Service is a non-partisan nonprofit that bridges the gap between technical talent and US government policy roles in emerging technologies. It addresses a market failure where technologists eager to enter public service lack the training and connections to do so, while government agencies struggle to find technical expertise. Horizon runs programs supporting career transitions at all stages, with focus areas including AI, biotechnology, cybersecurity, and more.

Key Points

•Horizon matches technically skilled professionals with US government policy roles in emerging technology domains including AI, biotech, cyber, and nuclear.
•The organization was founded after observing a systemic market failure: technologists wanted policy careers but lacked training, while agencies couldn't afford to train them.
•Programs support aspiring public servants at all career stages, from students seeking internships to mid-career professionals pivoting to government.
•The initiative addresses a critical shortage of cutting-edge tech skills in the federal workforce, as noted by OPM Director Scott Kupor.
•Building government technical capacity is framed as essential for both capitalizing on technology benefits and guarding against potential harms.

1 FactBase fact citing this source

Entity	Property	Value	As Of
Horizon Institute for Public Service	Founded Date	2022	—

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About us &#8211; Horizon Institute for Public Service 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 About Us

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mission The Horizon Institute for Public Service is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that helps the US government navigate our era of rapid technological change by supporting the next generation of emerging technology policy talent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 What we do

 We have a real, acute shortage of people [in the federal workforce] who have what I would call very cutting-edge, modern tech skills ... We’re not going to slow down the pace of technology. The only question is, are we actually equipped ... to be able to utilize the technology in a way that will actually drive change? Scott Kupor OPM Director The US government plays an essential role in developing and governing new technologies, crafting policies to take advantage of their benefits and guard against the potential harms they pose. But its ability to stay ahead of the curve depends crucially on policymakers having access to the requisite technical talent. And right now, that access is sorely lacking. 

 As American leadership in critical technologies increasingly depends on smart policy, the institutions shaping those policies are struggling to find and retain technical talent. At the same time, many scientists and technologists are eager to enter public service careers, but they lack the mentoring, connections, and training to make the switch.

 Horizon exists to match the talent demand from policy institutions with the supply of technologists passionate about public service. We do this through various programs that provide support to aspiring public servants at all stages of their career transitions, from students interested in their first internship to experienced professionals looking to make a mid-career pivot.

 Read our 2025 year in review → 

 Focus areas 

 Horizon works to build pipelines into public service for specialists in emerging technology domains where cross-cutting and interdisciplinary knowledge is needed. Developments in areas such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology have wide-ranging impacts across society, the economy, and national security. These technologies are already affecting people in profound ways, and as the frontier advances, their impacts will only increase. To capitalize on their potential while rising to the challenges they create, government requires a technologically savvy talent base — from engineers to lawyers to business leaders. Through our programs, Horizon provides career support to technologists, scientists, and other specialists interested in a wide range of emerging technologies.

 Artificial intelligence 
 Biotechnology 
 Civic tech 
 Computing 
 Cyber 
 Nuclear 
 Space 
 Remco Zwetsloot 
Horizon Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Horizon’s founding story

 “Back in the late 2010s, I was on the founding team of DC's first AI policy-focused think tank. Wh

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