A technology pioneer and thought leader who takes audiences on an incredible journey into the future of humankind, Tan Le is the founder and CEO of EMOTIV, the leader in EEG – Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology. Her company’s cutting-edge “brainwear,” or wearable neurotechnology, allows humans to interface with computers in almost miraculous ways. It has already enabled a quadriplegic to drive a race car with his mind and powered bionic limbs, created the technology to optimize work environments, and given ordinary people the tools to understand and harness their brains’ limitless potential.
A three-time TED speaker who has spoken to audiences around the world, Ms. Le has been named as one of Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology and Forbes’ 50 Names You Need to Know. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Neurotechnologies and Brain Science and the Forbes Technology Council, where she is a contributing writer on business and workplace-related subjects. Ms. Le is the author of The NeuroGeneration: The New Era in Brain Enhancement That Is Revolutionizing How We Think, Work & Heal, in which she explores exciting advances in brain science and neurotechnology, including emerging technologies that do everything from help us learn faster to enabling the colorblind to “hear” colors. Ms. Le is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) Achievement Award, the G’Day USA Global Innovation Award, the Advance Global Australian Award for ICT, and the AutoVision Innovation Award.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Ms. Le brings the inspiring life story of a Vietnamese refugee and “boat person” who arrived in Australia at the age of four with her mother and sister. Her remarkable journey from a squalid refugee camp to being named “Young Australian of the Year” for her community work and having her portrait added to the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, is told in her 1.4 M+ views TED Talk, “My Immigration Story.” Now based in San Francisco, Ms. Le continues to champion causes close to her heart, including STEM education, women in technology, and technology for mental health. She was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Technology for Mental Health and a director of Plan International Australia, one of the world’s largest community development organizations focused on ending childhood poverty. She has been an Ambassador for the Status of Women since 2001.
