James Bessen

James Bessen

Keynote Speaker: Author, Technologist & Economist; Lecturer at Boston University School of Law; Expert of Intersection Between Technology & Society

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    Live Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
    Virtual Event Fee: $10,000 - $20,000
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James Bessen Biography

James Bessen, an economist and technologist, serves as Executive Director of the Technology & Policy Research Initiative at Boston University. He has also been a successful innovator and CEO of a software company. Bessen writes and researches about technology and society, past, present & future. His latest book is "The New Goliaths: How Corporations Use Software to Dominate Industries, Kill Innovation, and Undermine Regulation."

Bessen studies the major economic impacts of technology on society (see New York Times profile), writing academic papers, magazine articles, and books. His latest book, The New Goliaths (Yale 2022), argues that major firms’ investments in proprietary software systems have allowed them to increase their dominance of industries, slowing aggregate innovation and raising income inequality.

Earlier work with Michael Meurer on patents identified the social costs of poorly defined property rights (see Patent Failure, Princeton 2008), including the first evidence of damage from patent trolls. Bessen’s work on automation (see Learning by Doing, Yale 2015), both historical and current, provides a distinct analysis of effects on employment, skills, and wage inequality.

Bessen’s work has been widely cited in the press as well as by the US White House and Supreme Court, the European Parliament, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on James Bessen and other top speakers and celebrities.

James Bessen Videos

GeoInno2024 James Bessen
James Bessen - The New Goliaths: How corporations use software
A discussion with James Bessen about his book "The New Goliaths"

How do I book James Bessen to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like James Bessen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for James Bessen, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for James Bessen or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book James Bessen for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for James Bessen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book James Bessen are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire James Bessen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does James Bessen speak about?

James Bessen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Authors, Government, Law, Innovation, Economy, Finance, Technology and Social Sciences.

Where does James Bessen travel from?

James Bessen generally travels from Harpswell, ME, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for James Bessen?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like James Bessen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book James Bessen for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host James Bessen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


James Bessen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Authors, Government and Law. The estimated speaking fee range to book James Bessen for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. James Bessen generally travels from Harpswell, ME, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. Bill Conerly, Jason Schenker and Andrew Busch. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James Bessen for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 31/03/2025.

James Bessen Videos

GeoInno2024 James Bessen
James Bessen - The New Goliaths: How corporations use software
A discussion with James Bessen about his book "The New Goliaths"
The Future of Software Patents - YouTube
  • How do I book James Bessen to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like James Bessen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for James Bessen, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for James Bessen or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book James Bessen for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for James Bessen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book James Bessen are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire James Bessen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does James Bessen speak about?

    James Bessen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Authors, Government, Law, Innovation, Economy, Finance, Technology and Social Sciences.
  • Where does James Bessen travel from?

    James Bessen generally travels from Harpswell, ME, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for James Bessen?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like James Bessen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book James Bessen for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host James Bessen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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