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    YURI CATALDO

    Empowering Creators: Uniting Art, Tech & Innovation for Tomorrow's Breakthroughs

    Investor | AI Researcher | Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Best Selling Author | Keynote Speaker

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    I HELP MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

     HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

  • Meet Yuri

    Yuri Cataldo, a dynamic entrepreneur and 40 Under 40 business leader, seamlessly merges an artist's heart with a technologist's mind. Currently serving as an AI Research Scientist at Autodesk Research and Founding Partner of Athenian Capital, Yuri brings together elite artistic training from The Juilliard School and Yale University with technical expertise from MIT.

    As founder of IndigoH2O, the world's only multi-award-winning alkaline water, Yuri drove global distribution and secured features in 160+ publications. His ventures include launching a 3D-Scan-To Print sunglass company that raised $1M on Indiegogo, creating the pioneering Creative Entrepreneurship program at Emerson College, and co-developing web3 initiatives at MIT. A graduate of Indiana University, The Juilliard School, Yale University, and MIT, Yuri combines Broadway production credits with AI expertise.

    As a mentor and judge for prestigious incubators including MIT Sandbox, Yale Tsai City, and MassChallenge, Yuri has guided hundreds of startups through his roles as advisor, mentor, and investor. His expertise in scaling ventures, securing funding, and building market presence makes him a sought-after strategic partner for emerging companies.

    As a renowned keynote speaker and bestselling author, Yuri provides strategic guidance on go-to-market strategies, innovation, and emerging technologies to corporations, institutions, and startups worldwide. His track record includes features in Forbes, CNBC, Wired, Bloomberg, and Yahoo Finance, establishing him as a trusted voice at the intersection of creativity and technology.

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    Chat with Yuri's AI Digitial Twin

    Ask me about AI, Web3, Corporate Innovation, Marketing/PR, Entreprenurship, or my career and journey from set designer to investor

  • My System

    PURSUE PASSIONS, NOT PAYCHECKS.

    CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMER.

    BE CRAFTY, LOVABLE, SYSTEMATIC, AND HUNGRY

    INVEST IN IDEAS THAT MATTER.

    READ EVERY DAY, AND A LOT.

    DON'T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY.

  • What others are saying:

    "Yuri just gave us a masterclass in how to present a complex idea in a way that is easily understood"

    -Autodesk Executive

     

    "You’re someone I always learn something from and in a positive way, like I’m excited to learn and don’t feel small for not knowing. "

    M. Shipek - Autodesk

     

    "Top 5 speakers we've heard this year out of 120"

    - MassChallenge Isreal

     

     

    "Yuri has twice been invited to speak as part of our Theatre Colloquium series and his presentations have received very positive reviews from faculty and students alike. He provides clear and specific strategies on how to be a successful artist/entrepreneur, how to generate multiple streams of income, and how to develop a skill set designed to pursue opportunities in both theatre and business."

    -Dr. Lee F. Orchard, (Chair, Department of Theatre, Valparaiso University)

     

     

    "I was very pleased to have Yuri as a guest speaker for one of my business classes. He did an excellent job of engaging my students with his lively presentation on the value of his education and experience in theater to starting and growing a business. It was fascinating! The feedback from my students afterward was enthusiastic; several said he was the best guest speaker ever!"

    -Stephen Antisdel, (Adjunct Professor; Analyst at Precept Partners, LLC)

     

  • have an idea?

    Let's get in touch

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    email me

  • “If [more] information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.”
    – Derek Sivers

    My best career achievements have been those that had a positive impact on the lives of others -- while also benefiting the business I have worked for and started. My experience covers design thinking, innovation, communications, brand development, digital marketing, media relations and social media strategy that has resulted in 7 figures worth of free publicity on product launches.

     

    By approaching a problem with empathy and creativity I have used the design thinking principles to help clients identify the obstacles that were stopping them from achieving their goals, and reframe the problems to make them easier to solve.

     

    If you have tried something and it hasn’t worked, then maybe you’re working on the wrong problem. I can help you find the real problem to solve.

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