Rana el Kaliouby, Ph.D.
Deputy CEO of Smart Eye
Rana el Kaliouby is an Egyptian-American scientist, entrepreneur, investor and an AI thought leader on a mission to humanize technology before it dehumanizes us. She is the Deputy CEO at Smart Eye and formerly, Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, an MIT spin-out. El Kaliouby is also General Partner at AI Operators Fund, an early stage AI-focused venture fund, as well as an executive fellow at the Harvard Business School where she teaches about AI and startups. Her bestselling memoir, “Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology,” follows her journey, growing up in the Middle East and moving to the United States to become an entrepreneur and emotion AI pioneer.
El Kaliouby has a track record of translating technology innovations into products that address massive market needs including in automotive, health and robotics. She is a Trustee at the Boston Museum of Science, as well as the American University in Cairo. She is a member of YPO where she serves on YPO’s New England Chapter board and is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. She is Co-Chair of the Fortune Brainstorm AI conferences. A TED speaker and Co-Host of a PBS NOVA series on AI, El Kaliouby has been recognized on Entrepreneur’s 100 Women of Influence, Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, Forbes’ Top 50 Women in Tech and Newsweek’s top Disruptors. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and a Post Doctorate from MIT.