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Joseph Coughlin          

Founder & Director of AgeLab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Joe Coughlin leads the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab. Researcher, teacher & advisor - his work explores how global demographics, technology and changing behaviors are transforming business & society. He teaches in MIT's Department of Urban Studies & Planning. Coughlin advises major companies worldwide and has served on advisory committees for the White House, the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development and economic development authorities worldwide.

He was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as inventing the future of retirement, named as one of '100 Most Creative in Business' by Fast Company Magazine, and one of Investment News 2019 'Icons & Innovators.' Coughlin is a Senior Contributor to Forbes and writes for the Wall Street Journal as well as other leading business outlets. Author of over 100 academic publications, his book "The Longevity Economy: Unlocking the World's Fastest Growing, Most Misunderstood Market" was named a CEO READS Best Seller.

Speech Topics


If Demography is Destiny, What Is the Future of Real Estate?

Demography is destiny. Unlike economic and technology forecasting that are most often based upon selected and changeable assumptions, demographics are based upon the people that are already here. Demographic transition, evolving lifestyles as well as related technology trends are rapidly changing. These trends are likely to have a transformative impact on real estate touching residential and commercial property as well as fuel the growth of specialized emerging developments.

Among these factors are the aging of the population, high divorce rates, smaller household composition, a three- or even four-generation workplace and the drastic reduction of fertility rates across the nation. This new demographic reality combined with the emergence of the sharing economy—a world where you can have it all, but own none of it—is changing our ideas about the future of community, home, retail and work. This engaging and entertaining presentation will explore the disruptive demographics of tomorrow and weave a story of how demography, along with next-gen technologies, will shape the future of communities, where we choose to live and housing.

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