An optimistic perspective on the role technology plays in society.

Cori Lathan

INVENTOR

TECHNOLOGY PIONEER & ENTREPRENEUR

FUTURE CYBORG

SPEAKING FEE: $10,000 - $15,000

A woman with gray hair wearing a red leather jacket and black clothing, standing on stage with a smile and open arms, speaking or presenting.

EXCLUSIVE

Meet Cori

Author of Inventing the Future: Stories from a Techno-Optimist

Had a life-size statue in an exhibit on contemporary women in STEM at the Smithsonian

Winner of the prestigious Gold Edison Award for mobile medical application

Dr. Cori Lathan is a technology entrepreneur who has developed robots for kids with disabilities, virtual reality technology for the space station, and wearable sensors for training surgeons and soldiers. She is an inventor with over 30 U.S. and international patents and her best selling book, Inventing the Future: Stories from a Techno-Optimist, explores the possibilities of making the world a better place through the 25 year journey of her career as a technology inventor. 

Founder and former CEO of AnthroTronix (est. 1999), Cori has led projects from agencies such as DARPA, NASA, NIH, and NSF.  Dr. Lathan has also been featured in Forbes, Time, and the New Yorker, and her work has led to such distinctions as MIT Technology Review Magazine’s “Top 100 World Innovators,” and one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business.” In addition, a full-size statue of Dr. Lathan was displayed at the Smithsonian as part of an exhibit on contemporary women in STEM.

Dr. Lathan was named a Technology Pioneer and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She chaired the Forum’s Global Future Council on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, served as founding co-Chair of the Human Enhancement Council, and is a member of their steering committee to select the annual list of Top 10 Emerging Technologies. 

Dr. Lathan is a social advocate and actively involved in STEM educational outreach programs that empower women and minorities in science and technology. She founded Keys to Empowering Youth (est. 1992) for junior high school girls, coached for the FIRST and VEX robotics program, and advised the Smithsonian Institute’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Dr. Lathan is on the Boards of the KID Museum Makerspace and Engineering World Health, which provides opportunities to college students to support the emergence of healthcare technology in the developing world. 

SPEAKING TOPICS

  • "Often, the greatest scientists are also great humanists. Cori Lathan exemplifies this. People are in for a treat to discover the warm, generous, and enlightened human being who we already know to be a brilliant and accomplished neuroscientist and entrepreneur."

    Yo-Yo Ma

  • "Dr. Lathan’s ability to weave together personal narrative, cutting-edge technology, and big-picture vision captivated our students and challenged them to see themselves as future innovators. Faculty, too, left the sessions energized, with many sharing that her visit helped reframe how they connect technology and purpose in their own teaching. Her presence was dynamic, warm, and deeply human—a rare and refreshing combination."

    University of Tennessee - Martin

  • "Cori was terrific and her presentation was outstanding. Her message was very compelling and uplifting and it was clear she spent a lot of time thinking about how her message could connect with our audience! We were really, really happy…"

    Environments for Aging Conference

  • "Whether speaking at our 15,000 visitor KidFest or to a small group at the KID Museum, Dr. Lathan engages and inspires kids and adults alike to explore creative applications of technology and discover how they can invent the future."

    KID Museum

FEATURED MEDIA

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