Cathy Hackl

Speaker Bio

Cathy Hackl - Godmother of the Metaverse

Tech & Gaming Executive - CEO of Future Dynamics & Co-Founder of Journey Serial Entrepreneur, Author, Keynote Speaker, Tech Futurist, and Podcast Host External Roles: Nokia’s Futurist in Residence & External Advisor SME to BCG’s Frontier Tech Group (AI, Quantum, Spatial XR, Web3, and Space)

Professional Biography

Cathy Hackl (@cathyhackl), widely known in tech circles as the Godmother of the Metaverse, is a globally recognized futurist, tech and gaming executive, serial entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker shaping what comes next at the intersection of AI, spatial computing, gaming, and human connection.

She is the Founder & CEO of Future Dynamics, a foresight and exploration lab advising Fortune 500 companies, governments, and global brands on emerging technology, innovation strategy, and the future of human–computer interaction, and the Co-Founder of Journey, an experience agency with deep roots across the GCC that has worked on The Sphere, KSA’s pavilion at the World Expo, Qiddiya City, Zayed National Musuem, and more. Cathy also serves as Futurist-in-Residence at Nokia and an External Advisor to BCG’s Frontier Tech Group, spanning AI, quantum, spatial XR, Web3, and space technologies.

Living and working between Washington, D.C. and Dubai/the GCC, Cathy brings a unique, real-time vantage point on how technology, policy, culture, and capital converge across the U.S., Middle East, and global markets—making her a trusted voice for leaders across the global navigating the post-LLM era.

Over the last decade, Cathy has held roles at Amazon Web Services, Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE, and has advised iconic brands including Nike, Walmart, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and Clinique on AI, immersive media, gaming, and next-generation

consumer experiences. Her work includes building virtual worlds on Roblox and Fortnite (including Walmartland), producing large-scale virtual concerts, and inventing the world’s first holographic press release.

Frequently cited as one of the most accurate predictors of future tech and consumer behavior, Cathy has been named Newsweek’s Top 25 AI Visionaries, featured on the cover of Forbes LatAm’s 100 Most Powerful Women, recognized as one of Ad Age’s Leading Women, and included on Vogue Business’ inaugural 100 Innovators list. She is also one of the most influential technology voices on LinkedIn.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Cathy has spoken at Harvard Business School, MIT, SXSW, CES, MWC, Comic-Con, the World Economic Forum in Davos, and Vogue’s Forces of Fashion, among many others. She is the host of Adweek’s award-winning TechMagic podcast, a contributor to Forbes and Harvard Business Review, and has appeared across major global media including CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, 60 Minutes, Time, The Economist, and Good Morning America. In 2022, she became the first human to ring the NASDAQ opening bell simultaneously in physical and avatar form on live television.

Cathy has taught at IE Business School and SDA Bocconi, and is the author of five books, including Spatial Computing: An AI-Driven Business Revolution, Into the Metaverse, and The Augmented Workforce: How AI, AR, and 5G Will Impact Every Dollar You Make. Her current research focuses on Gen Alpha, embodied and physical AI, world models, neural interfaces, space commerce, and the post-smartphone future. She is currently building two stealth startups—one in embodied physical AI, and another in spatial agentic AI and world models for brands and media organizations.