Michael Kratsios, a two-time Wash100 Award winner, has been nominated to be director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House announced Wednesday.
Kratsios’ Career
Kratsios is currently serving as managing director of Scale AI, a position he has held since 2021. Prior to that, he was the acting under secretary of defense for research and engineering, making him the third highest ranking official at the Department of Defense.
He was also the chief technology officer of the DOD, where he led research, development and prototyping efforts. Kratsios also supervised the activities of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Innovation Unit, Space Development Agency, Missile Defense Agency and the DOD Laboratory enterprise.
Kratsios was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as CTO of the United States, serving from 2017 to 2021. He was the principal technology policy advisor to the president, advising on issues regarding technology policies and driving technology priorities and strategic initiatives.
During his time, Kratsios spearheaded numerous initiatives involving artificial intelligence, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, commercial drones, 5G and broadband communications, STEM education and advanced manufacturing. He played a vital role in major projects including the American AI Initiative, National Quantum Coordination Office and the COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium.
Before his stint in the White House, he spent seven years at Thiel Capital holding positions such as principal, chief financial officer and chief compliance officer. He was also an analyst at Barclays Investment Bank.
