Paolo Gaudiano

With advanced degrees in aerospace engineering and neuroscience, Paolo Gaudiano likes to joke that he had already done rocket science and brain surgery before turning to a really complex problem: proving to business leaders that they can make more money by creating inclusive organizations and treating employees better.

Paolo is founder of Aleria, a technology company that helps organizations become more successful by measuring inclusion and merit, and ARC, a research nonprofit. A former tenured professor at Boston University, Paolo has also taught at Tufts, CUNY and NYU. Prior to founding Aleria and ARC, Paolo was President and Chief Scientist of Icosystem, a company that solved complex business and societal problems for leading corporations, foundations, and government agencies.

A sought-after public speaker who has given hundreds of presentations, including two TEDx talks, Paolo is the author of the 2024 award-winning book Measuring Inclusion and the forthcoming Meritocracy (2026). He is a frequent contributor to leading publications. He is the recipient of numerous awards including a Moonshot House Fellowship from the Kravis Center for Social Impact (2019), a Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (1996), and a Neuroscience Fellowship from the Sloan Foundation (1992).