Anousheh Ansari Travels from Los Angeles, USA

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Achievements
Entrepreneur
Female Speaker
Technology

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Anousheh Ansari brings more than two decades as a successful serial entrepreneur. Anousheh captured headlines around the world as the first female private space explorer. She earned a place in history as the fourth private explorer to visit space and the first astronaut of Iranian descent.

An active proponent of world-changing technologies, Anousheh has dreamed of space exploration since childhood. Her family provided the title sponsorship for the Ansari XPRIZE, a $10 million cash award for the first non-governmental organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks. This feat was accomplished in 2004 by legendary aerospace designer Burt Rutan.

Anousheh is a member of the XPRIZE Foundation's Vision Circle, as well as its Board of Directors. She has received multiple honours, including the Working Woman's National Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, George Mason University's Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, George Washington University's Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, and the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Southwest Region. While under her leadership, Telecom Technologies earned recognition as one of Inc. Magazine's 500 fastest-growing companies and Deloitte and Touche's Fast 500 technology companies.

In addition to her business achievements, Anousheh actively pursues ways to enable social entrepreneurs to bring about radical change globally. She has served on the boards of directors for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of North Texas and Collin County Children's Advocacy Center. She works with a number of other non-profit organizations, including the Ashoka Foundation in its support of social entrepreneurs.

A living example of the American dream, Anousheh emigrated to the United States as a teenager who did not speak English. She immersed herself in education, earning a bachelor's degree in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University, followed by a master's degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University. She is currently working toward a master's degree in astronomy from Swinburne University.

Keynote Titles

Reaching for the Stars & Getting There: Entrepreneurial Success as a Women
Reaching for the Stars & Getting There: Students, Be the Change You Want to See in the World
Reaching for the Stars & Getting There: Space Commercialization & Its Future

Testimonials

Anousheh Ansari was the first female space tourist. Now she's inspiring the next generation Ansari believes greater access to technology can inspire children to look up at the stars and achieve their dreams

James Temperton

When engineer and businesswoman Anousheh Ansari returned from space, something changed. Having achieved her childhood fantasy of seeing Earth from above, she was determined to help others achieve their dreams too.

Michael Newington Gray