Kevin Surace is a CEO, futurist and disruptive innovation speaker, creator of the first smartphone and digital assistant, and innovator of the decade. Surace has disrupted every industry he has entered from communications to A.I. to building materials. He’s been named Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year, CNBC’s Innovator of the Decade, and inducted into RIT’s Innovation Hall of Fame. While he has a deep technical background, he has been featured in over 15 TED talks and is a high-energy dynamic speaker and true entertainer who has excited, educated and energized 100’s of audiences to action with his personal brand of “Edutainment.”
Before there was iPhone or Siri, Surace disrupted the communication and A.I. industries with AirCommunicator and Mary (Portico). AirCommunicator was the first smartphone to transmit data over cellular and Mary was the first AI digital assistant. The technology for all digital assistants has been based on the many patents from Surace’s work.
Why Kevin Surace?
Kevin Surace is one of the leading innovators in Silicon Valley. He brings his unique hands-on experience to the stage with high energy presentations in the style of “Edutainment.”
In the construction and energy industries, he helped develop soundproof drywall (QuietRock) and materials with lower carbon footprints (like EcoRock) and ultra-energy-efficient windows, which his company used to completely retrofit the Empire State Building in record time and under budget and the New York Stock Exchange. He was the co-inventor of web-based multivariate reverse auctions, improving B2B commerce, and has now turned his attention back to AI. As CEO of Appvance.ai, Surace’s company is now disrupting the software testing industry by reducing the need for human testers by 80% and improving software quality.
Even the companies where he serves as board member are disruptive, such as Coyuchi, which is delivering disruptive retail and e-tail models featuring organic linens and providing the world’s first lifetime subscription for sheets and towels: “Coyuchi for Life.”
When not disrupting industries or “edutaining” TED audiences, Surace is a true renaissance man as a music director, producer, arranger, and percussionist. In his latest project “Big, Bold, and, Brassy,” Surace serves as conductor for a 28-piece orchestra featuring international jazz star Nicole Henry where they feature new high-power renditions of Broadway and pop tunes for corporate events. His 2AM at the Sands show, about a night in 1966 Vegas, just released a live album starring Andrew Samonsky.
Surace’s work and accomplishments have been featured in Businessweek, Time, Fortune, Forbes, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, and FOX News. He has keynoted hundreds of events, from INC5000 to TED to the US Congress, been awarded 83 worldwide patents, and sits on 5 boards.
Kevin’s most requested talks include
- Artificial Intelligence and Automation…Actionable Goals To Improve Your Organization Today
- The Future is Now, and Here is What You Need To Know!
- Bringing Silicon-Valley Disruptive Innovation to Your Organization
Kevin always customizes his talks for each client, delivering exactly the messages the client requires for success. From 18 minutes to 75 minutes, he will always leave audiences wanting more. He is also available to expertly moderate conversations and interview luminaries and executives as well as host workshops and events.
