Beau Lotto – Seeing the World Differently
Beau Lotto is one of the most prominent voices in the science of perception and human adaptability. His work explores how the brain makes sense of the world and why our beliefs, assumptions, and past experiences often limit our ability to change. Beau’s core message is simple yet transformative: adapting from A to B first requires moving from A to not-A. By trading certainty for curiosity, individuals and organizations expand their capacity to lead, innovate, and thrive in unfamiliar territory.
A three-time mainstage TED speaker with more than nine million views, Beau is known for talks that are visually rich, deeply interactive, and intellectually playful. His presentations are designed not just to inspire, but to change how people see themselves and the world around them. As a conference keynote, Beau is often chosen to open events, creating a powerful shared mindset that fuels collaboration and creativity throughout the program.
Academic Authority and Scientific Impact
Born in Seattle, Beau Lotto earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, before moving to Scotland to complete his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University Medical School in Edinburgh. He continued his academic career through postdoctoral fellowships in Edinburgh and at Duke University, where he was mentored by Professor Dale Purves.
Beau spent 20 years as a professor at University College London and is now a professor at the University of London, as well as a visiting scholar at New York University. Over the course of his academic career, he has mentored more than 30 undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D., and postdoctoral researchers. His lab has published over 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles across a remarkable range of disciplines, including perception, augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, complex systems, architecture, design, and human behavior.
Lab of Misfits and Applied Neuroscience
In 2001, Beau founded the Lab of Misfits, the world’s only neuroperception creative studio that is also a functioning neuroscience lab. The Lab’s mission is to foster adaptability and creativity by studying humans “in the wild.” Using immersive design, digital technology, and rigorous neuroscientific measurement, the Lab conducts experiential experiments in theaters, museums, public spaces, and even entire cities.
Their work reveals the hidden drivers behind human decisions, creating insights that are scientifically robust, commercially valuable, and emotionally resonant. The Lab of Misfits has delivered public experiences at institutions such as London’s Science Museum and the Hayward Gallery, as well as large-scale public art installations. Past clients include Cirque du Soleil, L’Oréal, Microsoft, Edelman, and the UAE’s Crown Prince’s Court. Today, the Lab powers the neuroscience offering at Burson Cohn & Wolfe, one of the world’s largest communications firms.
Entrepreneurship and Augmented Reality Innovation
Beau is also the founder and CEO of Ripple Inc., a company holding five highly influential patents in augmented reality, with additional patents pending. Ripple’s technology enables immersive digital layers to be woven into physical environments, creating entirely new forms of storytelling and engagement. Projects such as Traces, Acoustigram, and W_nder demonstrate how AR can add meaning to places in ways previously impossible. Through this work, Beau sits at the intersection of neuroscience, technology, and human experience.
Global Speaker and Author
Beau Lotto has spoken at some of the world’s most influential stages, including the G8, World Economic Forum, Google Zeitgeist, Wired, Cannes Lions, Burning Man, and the Oslo Freedom Forum. He is a trusted keynote speaker for global organizations such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Warner Music, Universal, Viacom, and Sainsbury’s.
In addition to his speaking and research, Beau is the author of Why We See What We Do, Why We See What We Do Redux, and Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently. His work has been featured across major television, radio, and podcast platforms, and he has received multiple honors, including the Josef Albers Prize for Disruptive Innovation.
Book Beau Lotto for your event to give your audience a rare and transformative experience one that reshapes how they see uncertainty, change, and the possibilities hidden inside “I don’t know.”
