That hypothesis led to the founding of Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT), and it has enabled us to partner with principled entrepreneurs who are building transformative companies that are changing the world. From medical technology to automation to cybersecurity, our partnerships combine the principles of disciplined economic thinking and “the gale of creative destruction.” (Joseph Schumpeter)
During our inaugural KDT Founders Summit in June 2020, leaders from KDT, Koch and our partner companies convened to discuss the shared vision of creative destruction, breaking down barriers and mutual benefit. One of our Guiding Principles at Koch is humility – to be humble, intellectually honest and deal constructively with reality while developing an accurate sense of self-worth based on strengths, limitations and contributions. And of course, holding yourself and others accountable to these standards on a go-forward basis. For us, that means acknowledging the forces of creative destruction and working to drive them as we create virtuous cycles of mutual benefit.
We fully believe Koch could have more quickly accelerated its transformation through technology. Once we acknowledged the headwinds and tailwinds, we realized we could be a preferred partner to transformative companies and help grow their ideas, adding significant value. In the past three years, Koch has invested more than $30 billion in technology-related improvements to our companies and new investments. This is proving to be transformative to us and beneficial to all of society – from incisionless medical treatment (INSIGHTEC) to industrial cybersecurity solutions (Dragos) to software-defined enterprise cloud solutions (Alkira). We are working hard to be the change that helps improve people’s lives.
To have an impact, we have to keep changing how we differentiate ourselves in the market. This requires thinking broadly with a win-win mindset. It is about employing a long-term approach with a focus on the most significant opportunities that will benefit society and help all parties be successful. We know that by helping others succeed, we will also succeed; and in doing so, we can set the stage for the next transformations that will make life better for everyone.
