Ronaldo Lemos
Jurist, thinker, professor and researcher.
Dedicated to understanding the interplay between technology, law, society and their impact on human life.
Jurist, thinker, professor and researcher.
Dedicated to understanding the interplay between technology, law, society and their impact on human life.
About
Ronaldo Lemos is a jurist, thinker, professor, researcher, writer, columnist, TV host and curator. Born in Araguari, Minas Gerais, he has dedicated his career to understanding the transformations that technology imposes on law, culture and institutions.
He practices tennis and fencing — competing in the epee and sabre categories.
Career
Partner heading the technology practice at Rennó Penteado Sampaio Advogados in Rio de Janeiro. Listed among Brazil's most admired lawyers by Análise Advocacia and ranked by Chambers and Partners for Brazil and Latin America.
FGV Rio — One of the founders of the Law School. Full Professor of Intellectual Property. Created the Center for Technology and Society (CTS) in 2003, directing it until 2013.
UERJ — Professor of Information Technology Law.
CopyrightX — Affiliated professor of the Harvard course in partnership with ITS Rio and UERJ.
Columbia University in New York (SIPA) — Professor of Technology and Public Policy at the School of International and Public Affairs.
Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing — Full Professor of Technology (2020–2023), teaching "Technology Policy in the Developing World".
Co-founder and Chief Scientist of the Institute for Technology and Society of Rio de Janeiro, founded in 2013. ITS Rio is dedicated to studying the impact of technology on society and strengthening Brazil's voice in international debates on digital governance. Coordinated the public consultation for Brazil's first comprehensive artificial intelligence legislation in the state of Goiás in 2025.
Legislative Contributions
Media
Expresso Futuro
Documentary series about technology, innovation and society. Produced by Producing Partners / FUTRA. Directed by Guto Barra, Tatiana Issa, Paulo Testolini and Anna Penteado.
Where to watch: Globoplay · Apple TV · YouTube (Canal Futura) · FuturaPlay
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Artificial Intelligence | How AI will change our lives |
| 2 | Smart Cities | Technology revolutionizing public services and mobility |
| 3 | Relationships in the Age of Hyperconnection | Technology and human relationships |
| 4 | The Future of Work | Evolution of internet-based work |
| 5 | Virtual Currencies, the Future of Finance | Bitcoin, blockchain and financial innovation |
| 6 | Democracy and Technology | Can the internet improve democracy? |
| 7 | Virtual Reality | Uses of virtual reality worldwide |
| 8 | Internet Activism | How the internet changed forms of protest |
| 9 | Art and Technology | Impact of technology on art |
| 10 | Brazilian Innovators Abroad | Brazilians who became global references |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Privacy | Myths and truths about privacy and personal data |
| 2 | Digital Identities | E-citizenship in Estonia; digital identities |
| 3 | Hyperconnected Culture | Changes in cultural consumption |
| 4 | Smart Contracts | Blockchain beyond bitcoin |
| 5 | Biotech and the Future of Health | Biotechnology outside the lab |
| 6 | Government and Technology | Technology for public services |
| 7 | Fake News and Manipulation | Fighting the fake news epidemic |
| 8 | Cybersecurity | Risks of hyperconnection |
| 9 | Internet of Things | Everything connected to the internet; National IoT Plan |
| 10 | The Need to Disconnect | The importance of disconnecting; effects on children |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Digital Payments Revolution | The digital payments revolution |
| 2 | Transportation Revolution — Bullet Trains and Electric Cars | Bullet trains and electric vehicles |
| 3 | Social Media, Influencers and Live Streaming | Live streaming and influencers |
| 4 | The Future of Connected Cities | Smart city infrastructure |
| 5 | The Factory of the Future Is in Shenzhen | Shenzhen as the factory of the future |
| 6 | Super Apps and the Sharing Economy | Super apps and sharing economy |
| 7 | The Future of Digital Public Services | Digital public services |
| 8 | Urbanism and Megacities | Urbanism and megacities |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology and Inequality | Technology and inequality |
| 2 | The Role of Culture in Building the Future | Culture and building the future |
| 3 | Remote Work and the Future of Work | Remote work and the future of work |
| 4 | China and the Future of Globalization | China and globalization |
| 5 | A New Education | New education |
| 6 | Reinventing Life in Cities | Reinventing urban life |
| 7 | What to Expect from Science and the Environment | Science and the environment |
| 8 | The Society That Awaits Us | The society that awaits us |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Araguari | Ronaldo revisits his hometown |
| 2 | Education Entrepreneurship | Educational entrepreneurship |
| 3 | High-Tech Altruism | Altruism and technology |
| 4 | Environment | Environment |
| 5 | Urbanism and Artificial Intelligence | Urbanism and AI |
| 6 | Investing in Technology | Technology investments |
| 7 | Beyond Bitcoin | Beyond bitcoin |
| 8 | Knowledge Economy for All | Knowledge economy |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afropresentism: Changing the Narrative About Africa | Nairobi; challenging narratives about Africa |
| 2 | Mozambique: Running a Marathon to Innovate | Gorongosa; conservation and innovation |
| 3 | Mozambique: Nature and Technology | Scientific research by Mozambican women |
| 4 | The Silicon Savanna | Kenya's startup ecosystem |
| 5 | Afrofuturism | African tradition and contemporary technology |
| 6 | Technological and Social Innovation | Language barriers and cultural divides |
| 7 | Fintechs and Financial Innovation | E-commerce, digital transactions, crypto |
| 8 | Does Wakanda Exist? | Smart cities and connected youth |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rivers and Networks | Connectivity in remote communities |
| 2 | Amazons of the 21st Century | Selected for the Science Film Festival 2024 |
| 3 | The Challenge and Opportunities of Green | Environmental challenges and opportunities |
| 4 | Amazonian Pop Goes Global | Amazonian pop culture worldwide |
| 5 | The Amazon That Teaches Us to Live | Amazonian wisdom |
| 6 | Amazonian Technologies | Technologies developed in the region |
| # | Title | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitalia: The City That Wants to Live Forever | Life extension technologies |
| 2 | Network States: Inventing a Networked State | Bioscience, business models, philosophy |
| 3 | Reinventing Yourself to Live Forever | Personal reinvention and longevity |
| 4 | Próspera: The Autonomous Zone Accelerating Innovation | Autonomous zone and innovation |
| # | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundation | 29:25 |
| 2 | Preparation | 29:55 |
| 3 | Presence | 32:07 |
| 4 | Creation | 25:35 |
| 5 | Danger | 29:37 |
| 6 | Silence | 30:38 |
Recognition
Tim Festival (2005–2008) — music festival curator for five editions. C6 Fest — curator (current).
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World Economic Forum — Young Global Leader (2015), participant and contributor in Davos. COP30 (2025) — Coordinator of the High-Level Council on Technology, Innovation and Climate. SXSW — speaker (2012, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026). Fronteiras do Pensamento — invited thinker. FWD50 and RightsCon — participant and speaker.
"Access to Knowledge in Brazil" (2008, Yale Law School) · "Building a National IoT Plan: Policy Recommendations and the Case of Brazil" (SSRN, 2019) · "Notes on the creation and impacts of Brazil's Internet Bill of Rights" (ITS Rio)
Launched on March 6, 2006, Overmundo was a collaborative digital culture website co-founded by Ronaldo Lemos. Winner of the Golden Nica at the Prix Ars Electronica (2007) in Austria.
In 2004, he led the introduction of Creative Commons in Brazil, translating and adapting version 2.0 of the licenses to Brazilian law — Brazil was the third country in the world to adopt the CC model. In 2010, he translated and formalized version 3.0 of the licenses, launched at Campus Party. Served as director of Creative Commons Brazil.
