Sam leads Arq’s Breakthrough Innovation programme, which works on accelerating European science and R&D so that Europe produces breakthroughs rather than safe increments. His current work covers the tools, talent, and decision-making structures Europe needs to strengthen its economy and stay competitive with geopolitical rivals, spanning the next EU research framework programme (FP10), ARPA-style research agencies, and AI governance.
Previously, at the Centre for Future Generations, Sam co-authored the Advanced AI: Possible Futures scenarios and ran foresight workshops with hundreds of European and Member State policymakers. Earlier, as a strategist in the Dutch government, he helped shape national AI strategy and broader digital policy.
Sam holds an MSc in Public Administration and a BSc in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges, both from Leiden University.
Publications
External publications
Europe's cyber defence now runs on American goodwill
An op-ed on how Europe's cyber defence has come to depend on American goodwill, and what that dependency means for European security.
It's time to experiment how Europe funds science
An op-ed arguing that Europe should treat science funding as something to experiment with, testing new mechanisms instead of defaulting to the established ones.