Alexa Clay is an American writer, public speaker, and researcher focused on subculture, the informal economy, and new economic thinking. Raised by two anthropologists, she developed an interest in alternative economies. Alexa earned her Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master of Science in Economic History from Oxford University.
Her research explores the informal economy and the innovative strategies of misfits and rebels, looking into various subcultures, including gangs, pirates, hackers, and slum dwellers. As a "Culture Hacker," she is a sought-after keynote speaker, sharing compelling stories about economic innovations among misfits at events like SXSW, re:publica, and Tech Open Air Berlin.
Alexa has worked at Ashoka, a global nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs, where she focused on scaling social innovation. She co-founded the League of Intrapreneurs to promote social intrapreneurship and co-authored "The Social Intrapreneur: A Field Guide for Corporate Changemakers," a report sponsored by the Skoll Foundation. In 2015, she co-authored "The Misfit Economy" with Kyra Maya Phillips, which examines the creative thinking of society's misfits and has received acclaim from major publications.
Additionally, Alexa served as a consulting producer for the NatGeo show "Underworld Inc," inspired by her book, and founded the Misfit Academy, where she teaches innovative thinking based on lessons from unconventional sources.
Currently, she leads the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce in the U.S., focusing on universal basic income, inclusive growth, and creativity in education. Alexa advocates for "inclusive innovation," exploring how entrepreneurs in the informal economy can access economic opportunities, highlighting the potential of misfits and rebels in driving innovation.
