An architect and engineer by training, Carlo Ratti works on the future of cities and the built environment. He is a Professor of the Practice of Urban Technologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, where he directs the Senseable City Lab, and is a Full Professor in... Read more
An architect and engineer by training, Carlo Ratti works on the future of cities and the built environment. He is a Professor of the Practice of Urban Technologies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, where he directs the Senseable City Lab, and is a Full Professor in the Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano. He is a founding partner of the international architecture and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and has established several tech start-ups in the United States and Europe.
Ratti graduated from the Politecnico di Torino and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris and later carried out his MPhil and Ph.D. work at the University of Cambridge – completing his Ph.D. thesis as a Fulbright Scholar at MIT. In December 2023, he was named as Curator of the Venice Biennale Architettura 2025. One of the top ten most-cited scholars in urban planning, Ratti has co-authored over 750 academic publications. His books include the recent “Atlas of the Senseable City” (Yale University Press, with Antoine Picon, 2023), “Urbanità” (Einaudi, 2022), and “Open Source Architecture (Thames & Hudson/Einaudi, with Matthew Claudel, 2015). He has developed applied research projects in collaboration with companies and local/national governments across five continents. He has written op-eds for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American, Financial Times, Le Monde, and Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
He has consulted international bodies from the European Union to the Queensland Government. He was a curator of the BMW Guggenheim Pavilion in Berlin, the Future Food District Pavilion for the 2015 World Expo in Milan, the chief curator at the 8th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture in Shenzhen, and a creative mediator at the European Nomadic Biennale Manifesta 14 Prishtina. Carlo has been a presenter at TED (in 2011 and 2015) and was program director at the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture, and Design in Moscow. He is currently serving as co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.
Ratti’s work has been exhibited worldwide at venues including New York City’s MoMA, the Venice Biennale, the Science Museum in London, Expo 2015 Milan, and Expo 2020 Dubai. His focus on many scales of innovation– from products to buildings to cities – has led CRA to become the only design firm in the world to feature on TIME’s “Best Inventions of the Year” list three different times (2007, 2014, 2019). He has appeared as one of “50 people who will change the world” according to Wired. Fast Company hailed him as one of the “Most Influential Designers in America,” and Blueprint Magazine listed him as one of its “People Who Will Change the World of Design.” Bloomberg dubbed him the “Sensory City Philosopher.”
Tell us about your event, one of our consultants will reach out within 24 hours.
You can book Carlo Ratti through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Carlo's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Carlo Ratti's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Carlo tailored to your event.
Carlo Ratti speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Carlo to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Carlo Ratti for events worldwide, subject to Carlo's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Carlo Ratti is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Carlo can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Carlo Ratti on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Carlo can offer.
Carlo Ratti delivers keynotes in Italian. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Carlo Ratti's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Carlo's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Carlo Ratti can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Carlo's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Carlo Ratti is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Carlo Ratti, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Carlo's current availability for your dates.