Associate Professor, Dr Catherine Ball is an academic, company director, bestselling author, futurist and visioneer working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.

Having been called a ‘social architect’, Catherine also likes to create businesses and champion movements, search for unicorns, collaborate with peers, and advise current and future game-changers.

A champion of diversity and inclusion, Catherine believes we need points of difference to truly innovate and curate the changes we want to see in the world. Working to protect the natural environment and empowering all members of society through mutual education and respect are core aspects of her chosen projects. As well as supporting Australian start-ups and leaders from all generations; Catherine is particularly passionate about social mobility and equity.

Catherine is proud to be an advisor to a broad range of enterprises and philanthropic organisations; i.e. an international advisory board member for the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and an XPRIZE visioneer and member of their Global Brains Trust.

Catherine’s latest business ventures span angel investments and advisory across the broad emerging technology sector, from insect protein to personalised brain health through AI and neuroscience.  Her internationally recognised work on drones and robotics community engagement via the World of Drones and Robotics Global Congress continues and is evolving. Catherine is also proud to be a member of Australia’s Robotics Advisory Council.

Catherine holds a BSc Honours (Environmental Protection), a PhD (Spatial Ecology, Descriptive and Predictive Statistics) both from the University of Newcastle- upon-Tyne in the UK, and recently was awarded a DSc (Doctor of Science Honoris Causa) from Worcester Polytechnic in Massachusetts, USA.

Catherine lives in Sydney, Australia, with operations out of Los Angeles and London.