LinkedIn Top Voices in Technology & Innovation: The 15 creators to follow

The 2021 LinkedIn Top Voices in Tech & Innovation highlights 15 thought leaders covering everything you need to know about the technologies shaping the future of how we live and work.

While the prospect of interacting in the metaverse or buying an NFT may seem foreign to many professionals, such technologies are quickly shaping the future of how we live and work. Take Roblox, for example. The platform, which enables players to build their own virtual worlds and interact with other users, has made headlines recently for disrupting centuries-old industries — whether it’s expanding into classroom education or creating digital clothing lines with brands like Ralph Lauren.

Today, LinkedIn News is debuting our Top Voices in Technology & Innovation, 15 thought leaders covering everything you need to know about navigating the latest cutting-edge concepts and technologies. There’s people talking about the next big innovations, such as an interface that enables you to order a pizza with your thoughts and devices that can harvest water from air — as well as the issues that need to be tackled as these ideas scale, ranging from cyber threats to algorithmic bias. Check out and follow the creators that speak to your interests to stay updated on their latest insights in your LinkedIn feed.

While this is our newest Top Voices list, it joins a family of features highlighting creators in areas ranging from sales to entrepreneurship. All Top Voices lists are editorially curated by the LinkedIn News team and highlight creators to follow who are writing and sharing about today’s important workplace, career and industry topics. You can find more about how we compiled the list and who is eligible to be a Top Voice at the bottom of this article.

Check out this year’s #LinkedInTopVoices in Tech & Innovation — and follow them to stay plugged into the conversation.

Honorees are listed in alphabetical order. Reporting by Ali McPherson, Ashley Peterson and Josh Carney.

What she talks about: Miller has built a career in artificial intelligence and is constantly covering the latest innovations, whether it's avatars, robots that can fly and skateboard or a brain-computer interface that enables you to order pizza with your thoughts. Her 1 million+ followers also look to her for simple explanations of AI topics, tips on how to break into big tech, career opportunities in the startup space and more.

👉See more of Allie Miller’s content

What he talks about: Having nearly 10 years of experience in blockchain, Day shares on a variety of related topics. You’ll find him frequently engaging his followers through polls on subjects like how blockchain and crypto should be regulated and what the best use is for NFTs. He also hosts a monthly podcast, where he discusses blockchain trends and innovations around the world — from Singapore to Switzerland. 

👉See more of Anthony Day’s content

What she talks about: Ahmed posts about her company’s latest work, whether it’s building robots that help people in their everyday lives, expanding access to clean and reliable power or improving availability of safe drinking water by harvesting water from air. She also shares about her journey to getting where she is today and what motivates her to do what she does.

 👉See more of Asmau Ahmed’s content

What she talks about: As the head of Gary Vaynerchuk’s new NFT venture, Akkineni is an expert on the latest trends and happenings in the space — covering topics like the U.S. Open’s first NFT program and Vogue Singapore’s metaverse edition. On her page, you’ll also find her talking about how brands can create more opportunity for NFT female artists and the impact NFTs can have on a brand. 

👉See more of Avery Akkineni’s content

What he talks about: Marr, a best-selling author and self-defined futurist, shares his insights on what the future will look like for cars, phones, delivery robots and more. He also writes a regular newsletter on the latest trends in artificial intelligence and machine learning, ranging from how AI can help speed up scientific discovery and drug development to how it’s transforming retail. 

👉See more of Bernard Marr’s content

What she talks about: Hackl is the founder of an agency that helps companies prepare for the metaverse — and she’s regularly sharing news and conversations around a variety of metaverse topics, whether it’s Facebook’s rebranding, how to create a utility framework for NFTs or if companies should hire a chief metaverse officer. She also hosts a weekly podcast for Adweek discussing metaverse marketing, with episodes on how fashion is embracing the future, identity and culture in the metaverse and more.

👉See more of Cathy Hackl’s content

What he talks about: Burgar, the co-founder of a Vancouver-based startup building 3D and immersive technologies, talks about what’s happening in the virtual and augmented reality space. His posts cover the latest developments in VR, such as how it’s gamifying fitness and making PTSD more manageable, as well as what needs to happen on the business side, such as the importance of attracting women to AR/VR companies and why older industries need to adapt to become tech-forward.

👉See more of Dan Burgar’s content

What he talks about: Coquillo, who leads a team of engineers and data scientists driving artificial intelligence projects at Amazon, talks about topics like how to keep up with AI trends, Amazon’s latest developments and the future of machine learning observability. You’ll also find him sharing technical tips, such as how to write efficient SQL codes and advice on AI architectures. 

👉See more of Greg Coquillo’s content

What he talks about: Having spent his career in cybersecurity, Farshchi covers how to minimize risk as the internet continues to scale. His posts include bold steps that leaders can take to defend against cyber threats, how quickly companies should be required to report cyber incidents to the government, the importance of cybersecurity when going through a merger or acquisition, how small businesses can prepare for outside threats and more.

👉See more of Jamil Farshchi’s content

What she talks about: Buolamwini, a graduate researcher at the MIT Media Lab who’s known for driving awareness around the social implications of artificial intelligence, covers algorithmic bias and how to help solve for it — whether it’s encouraging women of color to pursue STEM or discussing the dangers of facial recognition technology. A self-described “poet of code,” she also regularly shares verses around topics like the importance of self-preservation and mental health awareness and what she’s labeled “terminal resistance.”

👉See more of Joy Buolamwini’s content

What she talks about: Osbourne, the founder of a platform that elevates women in the blockchain sphere, hosts Live shows on topics ranging from how she’s creating a new female centric NFT marketplace to marketing mistakes NFT projects make and how to pivot to a career in Web3 developing. She also frequently covers industry events, such as the Blockchain Expo World Series and NFT LDN.

👉See more of Lavinia D. Osbourne’s content

What he talks about: Harbech, who worked at Google and Amazon prior to Meta (formerly Facebook), shares news and updates around the ins-and-outs of the tech industry, whether it’s remote truck drivers, photorealistic avatars or haptic gloves research. He also shares insights on new companies and the future of various industries. 

👉See more of Martin Harbech’s content

What he talks about: The head of a platform that enables users to teleport in avatar form, Ranta covers topics ranging from what Staples Center’s rebranding means for the crypto market and the value of digital collectibles to why he accepted his CEO role. He also offers tips on how to think about NFTs depending on one’s goals and shares his perspectives on companies like Crocs and Apple. 

👉See more of Phil Ranta’s content

What she talks about: Llamas, the founder of a research and strategy group advising companies on extended reality, gaming and the metaverse, posts about related topics — such as guidelines for the metaverse, her virtual and augmented reality predictions and the top VR headsets. She also frequently shares job openings in the space.

👉See more of Stephanie Llamas’ content

What she talks about: Wyche, who made history as the first Black woman to lead a NASA center, shares frequent NASA updates — from its preparation for a yearlong mission to Mars to its research around how confinement affects mission-critical tasks. She also shares her perspective on past, current and future space events, whether it’s SpaceX’s first private mission or learnings from the longest single spaceflight for an American. 

👉See more of Vanessa Wyche’s content

How we compile the list

Top Voices is a series of lists that have been editorially curated by the LinkedIn News team, with the goal of highlighting creators to follow who are covering the chosen segments and/or topics. To compile each list, editors consider each individual’s content on LinkedIn. Specifically: Are they covering the topic at hand on a regular basis? Are their contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Have they built up and engaged with their communities? Do they seek to give and get help vs. being self-promotional? We aim to highlight a diverse set of voices, so that the list reflects the world we live and work in today. 

Who is eligible

Any LinkedIn member who shares content and drives professional conversations on the platform is eligible to be a Top Voice, with the exception of LinkedIn and Microsoft employees, members who have violated LinkedIn’s User Agreement, including our Professional Community Policies, or individuals currently running in an election for an executive, legislative or judicial position.

Top Voices may include individuals who are a part of the LinkedIn Influencer (invite-only) or the Creator Accelerator (application-based) programs. However, being a part of either does not automatically boost a member’s chance of being a Top Voice, nor is it a requirement or prerequisite for success on the platform. 

Interested in building your audience on LinkedIn? 

New voices emerge every year — and there’s nothing stopping you from turning your own ideas into powerful conversations. Try creating a post to share your expertise or thoughts on the latest trending news, and you may be surprised at the community you find. If you’re struggling with where to start, follow our LinkedIn for Creators page for content inspiration, tips, news, education and more. And if you’d like to recommend someone for a future Top Voices list, let us know in the comments (just be sure to tag them and let us know why you love following them). We’re always looking for new individuals to highlight.