Carlo Ratti Speaking Fee: $10,000 to $20,000

Carlo Ratti is an Italian architect, engineer, and academic whose work bridges the digital and physical dimensions of urban life. Born in Turin in 1971, he studied engineering at Politecnico di Torino and architecture at the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris. He later earned his MPhil and PhD at the University of Cambridge, completing his doctoral research as a Fulbright Scholar at MIT. This multidisciplinary background laid the foundation for a career focused on reimagining cities through data, design, and technology. At MIT, Ratti serves as a professor and directs the Senseable City Lab, a research initiative he founded in 2004. The lab explores how digital technologies are transforming urban environments, with projects ranging from real-time data visualizations to robotic systems that interact with public space. Under his leadership, the lab has collaborated with cities like Singapore and Copenhagen, and companies including GE and Audi, to prototype new models of urban living. In parallel, Ratti is the founding partner of CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, an international design and innovation firm with offices in Turin, New York, and London. The studio’s work includes the Digital Water Pavilion, the Copenhagen Wheel, and the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. In 2025, CRA unveiled the official torches for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, emphasizing sustainability and transparency in their design. Ratti’s influence extends beyond architecture and academia. He has co-authored over 750 publications, including the recent Atlas of the Senseable City, and frequently contributes to global media outlets such as The New York Times, Financial Times, and Le Monde. Recognized by Wired, Fast Company, and Forbes as a leading voice in design and innovation, he currently co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization. In 2025, Ratti was appointed curator of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. His exhibition, titled “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.,” explores how architecture can respond to climate change and social transformation through interdisciplinary collaboration. The show reflects his ongoing commitment to shaping cities that are more responsive, inclusive, and resilient.