Longevity is rewriting every chapter of the human story, yet we’re still living by an old script. It’s time to lay the infrastructure of a new longevity society—with stories that inspire and guide us, systems of education, work, and markets that adapt to longer lives, and physical spaces and places that engage and connect us at every age. Joseph F. Coughlin, PhD, is the founding director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab. A researcher, teacher, and advisor, his work explores how global demographics, technology, and evolving social trends are transforming business and society. Dr. Coughlin teaches in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies & Planning and frequently speaks to Fortune 500 boardrooms as well as to convention halls around the world, delivering his unique style of insight and humor.
Dr. Coughlin advises major companies across various industries on a diverse range of topics shaped by demographic and socio-technical change. He has served on advisory committees for British Telecom, Daimler, Fidelity Investments, and Sanofi-Aventis, as well as for the White House, the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development, and the World Economic Forum.
The Wall Street Journal recognized Dr. Coughlin as a pioneer in reimagining the future of retirement, and Fast Company Magazine named him one of the “100 Most Creative in Business.” He is also a member of World Minds, a Zurich-based community of global leaders in science, arts, and business. Investment News named him one of the financial industry’s leading “Icons & Innovators.” In 2024, he received the Investment & Wealth Institute’s Impact Award for his development of longevity planning.
Dr. Coughlin, an author of over 250 academic publications, is a Senior Contributor to Forbes and regularly writes for MarketWatch. His bestselling book, The Longevity Economy: Unlocking the World’s Fastest Growing, Most Misunderstood Market (Public Affairs, 2017), has been translated into multiple languages and is essential reading for leadership teams across various industries. His new book, co-authored with MIT AgeLab’s Luke Yoquinto, is Longevity Hubs: Regional Innovation for Global Aging (MIT Press, 2024). This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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