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Yuri Cataldo went from the costume shop to the boardroom and never fully left either. He trained as a designer at Juilliard, Indiana University, and the Yale School of Drama, where he earned his MFA, and built credits across Broadway, film, dance, and opera. He then earned an MBA at MIT Sloan, founded the multi-award-winning beverage brand IndigoH2O, and designed the Creative Entrepreneurship program at Emerson College.

Today he is Business Lead for Physical AI at Autodesk, where he previously served as AI and Market Intelligence Lead. He is the author of Everything But Taste: How Artists Train the One Skill AI Can't Replace.

He has spoken at Yale, MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Juilliard, Oxford, Syracuse, and Tufts, and has mentored founders through Yale Tsai CITY, MIT Sandbox, and MassChallenge. His work has appeared in Forbes, Wired, Bloomberg, CNBC, Inc., the Boston Globe, and Variety.

Speaking Topics include:
Everything But Taste: The Skill AI Can't Replace - AI can make anything. It can't tell you what's worth making. Why judgment is now the scarcest skill in any organization, and how artists have been training it for centuries.
The Director's Loop: Working With AI as Crew - A practical method for teams: generate wide with AI, select with judgment, and own the decision.
Taste Is Trained, Not Gifted - How critique, iteration, and apprenticeship build judgment, and how leaders can build it on purpose.

Book Me Through AAE Speakers
Unlocking Potential: Inspiring Universities, Conferences, Companies, and Government Innovators
Showcasing a Select Few from My Extensive Speaking Engagements:
Speaker Videos
Video Clips
Driving Diversity and Inclusion in Blockchain (Panel)
Boston Blockchain Week (2021)

Why Diversity is the Mother of Innovation
Autodesk University (2020)
What Organizations are Saying About Yuri:

"That was an outstanding webinar. The content was insightful, easy to understand, and extremely useful. It took me from being clueless to understanding the basics of cryptocurrencies. Absolutely one of the best "sessions" I've heard in years. Thank you very much.... "
- Yale University

" Excellent storytelling by lively Yuri! I look forward to the rest of the series"
-Charred Accountants Worldwide

"Yuri is someone we always learn something from and in a positive way. We are excited to learn and don’t feel small for not knowing. "
-Autodesk Research

"Yuri just gave us a masterclass in how to present a complex idea in a way that is easily understood."
Wentworth Innovation + Entrepreneurship

"One of the top 5 speakers we've heard this year out of 120, and the most memorable."
- MassChallenge Israel

"Yuri 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."
- Valparaiso University
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Upcoming

Brown University
2026 (Nov)
Lecture: AI for Artists
Suffolk University
2026 (Dec)
Lecture: The future of AI in Finance
Yale University
2027 (Feb)
Lecture: AI for Artists
The Juilliard School
2027 (March)
Lecture: AI for Artists
PAST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2020 - Current

Harvard University
2025 (Nov)
Panelist: AI in the Arts
Jump$tart National Educator Conference
2025 (Nov)
Keynote Speaker: Bitcoin 101 for Educators
Fusion Fashion Tech Society
Summit 2025
2025 (Sept)
Panelist: AI and Blockchain in Supply Chains
Digital Economist
2025 (July)
Panelst: Escaping the web3 matrix
Qubic Labs
2025 (April)
Speaker/Mentor: PR and pitching
Digital Economist/World Bank
2025 (April)
Panel Moderator: Citizen Security and the Future of Rights
Yale University
2024(Dec)
Guest Lecturer - Future of AI in VC
Boston Blockchain Week
2024(Sept)
Speaker: AI, Blockchain, and Trust
The Juilliard School
2024 (July)
Speaker: Arts, Entrepreneurship, and Generative AI
Association for Financial Professionals New England
2024 (April)
Speaker: Blockchain and AI in Finance
Draper University - International
2024 (March)
Guest Lecturer - Entrepreneruship
MIT 100K
2023 (Dec)
Live Event Judge and Advisor
Blockchain In Construction
(Hong Kong Conference)
2023 (Nov)
Keynote Speaker: Business Applications for Web3 in Construction
MIT Sloan/Imperial College of London
2023 (Oct)
Panel - Innovation Ecosystems
Suffolk University
2023 (Oct)
Guest Lecturer : Intro to Blockchain
Draper University International
2023 (Aug)
Guest Lecturer - Sales & Marketing for startups
Autodesk TechX
2023 (May)
Speaker: Corporations, Web3, and Designing with trust
Draper University International
2023 (March)
Guest Lecturer: Sales & Marketing
University of Oxford
2023 (March)
Speaker: Collaboration and blockchain education
Draper University International
2022 (Nov)
Guest Lecturer: Sales & Marketing - web 2 and web3
Blockchain in Education
2022 (Oct)
Speaker: MIT Bitcoin Club and the future of blockchain education
Charted Accountants Worldwide
2022 (Sept)
Keynote Speaker: web3 in 2022
Draper University/NEO
2022 (July)
Speaker: Sales and Marketing in web3
SCGTS
2022 (May)
Keynote Speaker: Web3 and Supply Chain management
MassChallenge - Israel
2022 (April)
Featured Speaker: How to tell your story, launch your brand, and land free PR.
STYBEL PEABODY/BOARD OPTIONS, INC. SEAT AT THE TABLE
2022 (Feb)
Case Study Lead for Board Training - “The CEO Wants to Pay Certain Vendors in Bitcoin."
Autodesk Research
2022 (April)
Speaker: web3 and the future of Manufacturing, Construction, and Media/Entertainment
Suffolk University
2022 (April)
Guest Lecture: Intro to Blockchain/Bitcoin
Yale University - International Alliance
2021-22
Keynote Speaker: Blockchain, Bitcoin, NFT's, DeFi, web3

Nov '21: Understanding Blockchain
Dec '21: NFT's
Jan '22: DeFi
March '22: web3 and The Future of Blockchain
MIT SLOAN
2021 (December)
Speaker: Understanding Bitcoin
Draper University/Algorand
2021 (December)
Speaker: Sales/Marketing for Blockchain startups
Draper University/Algorand
2021 (Oct)
Speaker: Sales/Marketing for Blockchain startups
Suffolk University
2021 (Oct)
Lecture: AI, Blockchain, and the Future of Fintech
Disrupt - The FinTech Initiative at Northeastern University
2021 (Oct)
Speaker: What are Blockchain and Cryptocurrency and how will this technology change industries.
Draper University
2021 (Sept)
Speaker: Sales and Marketing for EdTech
Chartered Accountants Worldwide
2021 (Sept)
Featured Speaker for 2 nights: What is bitcoin/blockchain and what is the future of digital currencies.
MassChallenge - Mexico
2021 (Aug)
Individual startup coaching for 25 LatAm startups
Goethe Institute
2021 (July)
Speaker: Bitcoin, NFT's, and DAO for artists
Boston Blockchain Association
2021 (June)
Speaker: How to get involved in blockchain even if you're not a programmer
BILT Virtual 2021
2021 (June)
Speaker: Why Blockchain is the future of AEC
MassChallenge - Israel
2021 (May)
Speaker: PR for Startups
Boston Blockchain Week
2021 (May)
Speaker: Speaker: How to get involved in blockchain even if you're not a programmer
Yale - School of Drama
2021 (May)
Speaker: How to create your own path to a rewarding career
Chainreaction - Boston
2021 - February + March
Speaker: Bitcoin 101 (Feb) and 102 (March)
Suffolk University
2021 (March)
Lecture: AI, Blockchain, and the Future of Fintech
Bryant University
2021 (Feb)
Speaker: Entrepreneurship and Funding Your Project (VC, Bootstrapping, ICO's/Crowdfunding
Draper University/Tezos
2021 (Feb)
Speaker: DeFi
Draper University
2021 (Feb)
Speaker: Marketing and Entrepreneurship
World Boston
2021 (Jan)
Speaker: Open Innovation
Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle - NYC
2021 (Jan)
Speaker: Open Innovation
Babson University/CES Boston
2020 (Dec)
Speaker: Open Innovation
Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle Boston.
2020 (Nov)
Speaker: Open Innovation and the future of work
Autodesk University
2020 (Nov)
Speaker: Why Diversity is the Mother of Innovation

Draper University
2020 (Oct)
Speaker: Business Strategy
Suffolk University
2020 (October)
Speaker: The Future of AI in Finance
Draper University
2020 (July)
Speaker: Marketing 101
Accelerate Yale
2020 (June)
Panelist - Transformative Technologies: How COVID-19 Forced Change in Technologies Old and New

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3PXR3OTZxg
AIBC Summit - ASIA DIGITAL
2020 (June)
Panel Speaker: Emerging Technolgy: Asia vs the US
Masschallenge - Israel
2020 (June)
Featured Speaker: PR/Marketing
Autodesk
2020 (May)
Speaker: Personal Branding
Yale University
2020 (Feb)
Entrepreneurship event - Build It and They Will Come.

Panelist - Finance
Innovation Leadership Panel
2020 (February)
Panelists speaking on corporate innovation to executives from Mitsubishi.
SEA Conference
2020 (Feb)
Featured Speaker
Tufts - Innovative Social Enterprises
2020 (Feb)
Guest Lecturer - Social Enterprises
PAST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2015-2019

Malta AI AND Blockchain Summit
2019 (Nov)
Making widespread adoption a reality. How start-ups should design their business model to attract users and investors.
Longy School of Music
2019 (Oct)
Startup Coach
MIT
2019 (Oct)
Speaker: Future of Work
Accelerate, Wentworth Innovation + Entrepreneurship Center
2019 (Sept)
Featured Luminary Speaker
MassChallenge
2019
Judge and Mentor
135 Startup Battle, Boston
2019
Judge
Syracuse University - School of Architecture
2019 (April)
Master Class lecture: Materiality: From Frocks to Fabrication
Syracuse University - School of architecture
2019 (April)
Speaker: Inside-out Innovation - The Future of the Design, Building, and Construction Industries
Tufts - Innovative Social Enterprises
2019 (March)
Speaker: Social enterprises and why startups fail.
MassChallenge
2018
Judge
PRSA Boston Social Media Summit
2018 (May)
Speaker: Cryptocurrency Marketing Strategies
Longy school of music
2018 (March)
Startup Judge
Tufts - Innovative Social Enterprises
2018 (Feb)
Speaker and Substitute Professor
Bryant University
2018 (Feb)
Guest Lecturer - PR/Marketing strategies for launching an award-winning product
THINK TANK:
Future of our Cities: Converging Generations
2018 (Feb)
Participant
Yale - Entrepreneurship Initiative
2017 (Nov)
Speaker: How artist can connect the dots between art and entrepreneurship
Venture Café
2016 (April)
Lead Panel of 5 women on a discussion of Artistic Innovation and the struggles they face in the workplace.
ISPIM
2016
Featured Panelist about the Boston creative economy and education

SEA Conference
2015, 2016 (Feb)
panelist and speaker on the following subjects:

-Speaker – Shift Happens: What do you do when your plans fall apart
- Panelist: How to find and work with clients
-Panelist: Faculty Best Practices
-Round Table leader: How to make money in Independent Film
-Panelist: 1st steps in starting an artist business
-One-on-one mentoring leader

http://www.selfemploymentinthearts.com/
Art Entrepreneurship Educators Conference
2015 (Sept)
Speaker: How to use fear setting as a way to boost the productivity of your students.
Stanford University
2015
Speaker: Creative Entrepreneurship