10 of the Best Technology Thought Leaders to Follow on LinkedIn

Technology is one of the biggest industries there is, making it an incredibly exciting field to work in. Research has reported that there are 11.8 million people employed in net tech in the U.S, with a whopping total of 525,000 tech businesses in the U.S. today.

All that business generates a ton of revenue, with $1.8 trillion in estimated direct economic output, representing over 10 percent of the national economy. 

Obviously, the tech industry is well fleshed out. But with so much competition, it’s hard to stand out. Tech is one of the most rapidly, consistently changing fields there is, and those who can’t keep up quickly get left behind.

The best way to keep pace with the fast evolving tech world is to follow thought leaders. 

Thought leaders spark important conversations that foster creative energy throughout the entire tech industry. Technology is constantly moving toward the future, and thought leaders are the forward thinkers who steer the direction of the industry through innovation. 

And while they’re doing all this, they share their ideas and reflect on their professional setbacks and successes, providing guidance for fellow tech professionals. 

If you’re looking to advance your career and drive results for your company in ways that have been tested and proven by other brilliant minds, you need to know exactly who to follow. 

10 Technology Thought Leaders to Follow on LinkedIn

Technology has some heavy hitters you’ll probably recognize. Following the Elon Musks and Tim Cooks of the world sheds light on how you can think outside the box and truly achieve the improbable.

If you’re looking to learn, be inspired, and light a match to spark your own creativity, then it’s time to start paying attention to the great thinkers of your industry. 

Here’s a list of the best tech thinkers you should follow on LinkedIn.

1. Cathy Hackl | Futurist, You Are Here Labs

Seriously, is there anything cooler than getting to describe yourself as a ‘futurist’?

The world of virtual reality is still just taking off, but Cathy Hackl is already way ahead of the game. Her work focuses on the use of augmented and virtual realities for marketing purposes. That’s right marketers, if you’re reading this, you might want to hop on board. 

Hackl posts a ton of thought leading LinkedIn content focusing on this unique niche, including articles such as "Augmented Reality: The New Frontier for Brand Marketing" and "What Marketers Need to Know about V-Commerce." 

If you’re at all interested in the intersections between emerging technology and marketing, Hackl is the woman to follow. 

2. Bill Gates | Co-Founder, Microsoft Corporation

This one should really come as no surprise – unless you live under a rock at the bottom of the ocean (or a pineapple under the sea), you’ve most likely heard of Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. Honestly, every good tech professional should already be following Bill Gates, and if you’re not...are you even a tech professional?

Gates continues to be an incredibly active thought leader throughout tech and other industries. He’s recently focused a lot more on climate change and public health matters, but you’ll still find tons of quality tech content throughout his extremely active LinkedIn feed.

Among his most recent tech articles are "10 Technologies that will Make Headlines in 2019" and "One Great Way to Use Your Tech Skills." 

Gates is one of those brilliant thought leaders who often praises the immense benefits of being an avid reader, and as a result, he regularly posts recommended reading lists on his LinkedIn. Have a look at those too!

3. Michael Krigsman | Industry Analyst, Host of CXOTalk

As the fourth most mentioned man among IT leaders on Twitter, Michael Krigsman has made some serious waves in the industry.

He’s a renowned industry analyst, a leading CIO influencer, and the host of CXOTalk, a podcast on “transformation, disruption, and innovation” among the “world’s leading business and technology executives.” 

What does that mean exactly? It means Krigsman spends his time bouncing ideas around with other thought leaders like himself, and that’s how truly great industry leaders are established. 

These days, much of Krigsman’s thought leading content is presented through CXOTalk, but you can still find a handful of his innovative articles on LinkedIn, such as "AI, Ethics, and Future Workforce."

4. QuHarrison Terry | Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Inevitable/Human

QuHarrison Terry’s LinkedIn description literally says “boy from the future,” and we’re willing to bet he’s buddies with Marty McFly.

He’s the founder and editor-in-chief of Inevitable/Human, a “futuristic newsletter and online support network for Futurists, Technologists, and Business Professionals who want to anticipate the future and foresee transformative changes.” 

Apart from the fact that he is truly a young genius in his industry, his dedication to spreading ideas and knowledge throughout the tech community is one of the many great things that make Terry a truly inspirational thought leader. 

Terry focuses on how technology will shape our lives in the future, and his LinkedIn content honestly might throw your mind through a loop. His articles include truly forward-thinking material, such as "What is the Metaverse and How Will it Replace the Internet?" and "Everything You Need to Know About Digital Humans." 

5. Lisa Seacat DeLuca | Director of Offering Management & Distinguished Engineer, IBM Watson Internet of Things

Lisa Seacat Deluca is truly an impressive figure within the tech industry. Named one of LinkedIn’s top 15 female voices to follow, she is renowned as IBM’s more prolific inventor, having created more than 400 patents. She has been recognized as one of the most influential women in the tech industry. 

Deluca’s LinkedIn content creates a bridge between technology and more human elements of our society, approaching such topics as "Gender, Bias, and Artificial Intelligence." She’s revered by women as a truly inspirational leading female figure in an industry primarily dominated by men. 

6. Tom Davenport | Distinguished Professor, Babson College

A true technology educator and thought leader, Tom Davenport has authored and co-authored almost two dozen books within his field. He’s a distinguished professor of information technology and management at Babson College and a senior advisor to Deloitte Analytics. 

One of the many important qualities of great thought leaders, Davenport is an avid content creator, and some of the most recent articles on his LinkedIn cover topics such as artificial intelligence-driven leadership, data management techniques, and the state of artificial intelligence in enterprise. 

7. Tim O'Reilly | Found and CEO, O’Reilly Media

Tim O’Reilly is the founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, an online learning platform that aims to provide the educational resources to help professionals advance their careers and stay ahead of the curve in their industry.

While O’Reilly is a thought leader himself, he seeks to “spread the knowledge of innovators” with his efforts, and he does a damn good job of it. 

With his focus on helping the masses be successful, O’Reilly LinkedIn content falls at an intersection between technology and the workforce, making it incredibly relevant for everyone.

Some of his articles include titles like "Uber, Lyft, and the New World of Continuous Partial Employment" and "Value Creation vs. Value Caption: Musings on the New Economy." 

8. Ronald van Loon | Director, Adversitement

Ronald van Loon’s area of focus is in utilizing data, business intelligence, and technology in the creation of value and a better customer experience.

He works closely with many companies in this endeavor, and often writes articles and hosts webinars on the subject. He even has a LinkedIn group called Awesome Ways Big Data is Used to Improve Our World. 

Loon’s Linkedin content pioneers material on the use of data and greater technology within business, including articles such as how to "Build Your Empire Through a Data Fabric" and "How AI Supports Real Time Data Governance."

9. Michael Fauscette | Chief Research Officer, G2

Michael Fascette’s area of expertise falls into business software, customer experience strategy, and general technology.

He’s the chief research officer at G2, a well known B2B software and services review platform. If you’re looking for someone who really knows their stuff about software, Fauscette is the man to follow. 

While Fauscette doesn’t regularly post an extensive amount of content on LinkedIn, he is an active blogger and published author. You’ll find plenty of content on his website, which encompasses his “observations, opinions, and analysis of emerging trends in business software.”

10. Brian Solis | Author

Award winning author of X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, Brian Solis specializes in disruptive technology and its impact.

He focuses on the “future of industries, trends, and behavior.” One of the reasons Solis’s work is so fascinating is because it looks closely at the behaviors of everyday people and how technology impacts our worlds. 

His LinkedIn content tackles some truly eye-opening concepts that most people might not consider and look at closely on a day to day basis, but his articles are a fascinating read for anyone, not just tech professionals. They include titles such as "Can You Change the World From Your Smartphone?" and "Competing for the Future: Iteration vs. Innovation." 

Follow Your Leaders Into the Future

More so than any other industry, technology is constantly advancing and looking toward the future. With this continual flow of movement within the field, it’s all too easy to fall behind.

In order to move with the pack through your profession (and even pull ahead of them), you’ll need to keep a close eye on what the leaders are doing. 

This group of technology thought leaders are some of the innovative, successful professionals in the industry, and by following them, you could be too.