Keynote speaker Josh Linkner helps manufacturing and automotive leaders turn everyday challenges into breakthrough opportunities — driving innovation and real-world results.
Key trends and opportunities that Josh helps leaders navigate
A lifetime Detroiter, Josh has deep roots in the automotive world. Growing up in the business (his grandfather was a lifetime General Motors engineer), he developed an early love of manufacturing innovation and design. Over his 30+ year career, he’s worked with senior leaders at some of the largest and most advanced manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics companies—helping them build cultures where innovation isn’t confined to the R&D lab but lives on every floor of the plant and in every box of the org chart. In an era of AI-driven disruption, electrification, and global supply chain complexity, Josh delivers practical frameworks for inventive thinking and creative problem-solving that drive real results.
Read Josh's latest insights on AI in Automotive.
When Green Meets Profitable
Smart factories leveraging AI-powered systems are cutting energy waste by 25% and maintenance costs by 30%, proving that sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. The key? A culture where front-line workers are empowered to spot inefficiencies and propose creative solutions—micro-innovations that compound into transformational impact over time.
AI-Powered Manufacturing and Intelligent Automation
The most advanced technology in the world still needs creative human leadership to reach its potential. The manufacturers winning the race are building cultures where every team member, from the line operator to the plant manager, thinks like an innovator.
Beyond Prototyping: The 3D Printing Revolution
The most transformative advances are coming from the accumulation of practical, creative improvements driven by people closest to the work.
Reimagining the Manufacturer-Customer Relationship
For leaders in this space, the challenge is fostering the creative mindset needed to reimagine every customer touchpoint. When innovation lives across the organization, manufacturers craft experiences that differentiate on something competitors can’t easily copy: culture.
Digital Twins and the Virtual Factory
These virtual replicas provide real-time monitoring and predictive analytics that reveal what’s about to happen—empowering leaders to make informed decisions before committing physical resources. Innovation that rewards creative thinking and bold experimentation, with far less risk than traditional trial-and-error. A perfect example of how de-risking progress fuels faster, smarter growth.
In today’s fiercely competitive global marketplace the most important resource any business has is the creative thinking of its people.
Josh Linkner lays out a road map that will guide individuals, teams, and companies to higher levels of creativity. It is a journey that will lead to better ideas and breakthrough thinking."
Bill Ford
Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company
Josh Linkner has laid out a comprehensive framework for reinvention and operational innovation.
He provides numerous inspirational examples and straight talk on what you can do to reinvent your company or team."
Tom Lasorda
Former CEO, Chrysler Group
Josh Linkner made a huge impact on our organization.
His message on creativity and innovation was spot-on and his work has had a lasting effect. His keynote was high-energy, interactive, and left us with specific tools and techniques to improve our creative output."
Juergen Rochert
CEO, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Australia
Josh, Thanks for a simply magnificent job yesterday with our Cox Automotive leadership team.
You hit it outta the park. Folks were still talking about you last night. This was dynamic for all."
Juergen Rochert
CEO, Cox Automotive
Hi, I'm Josh.
Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.
On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million.
He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies.
Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
A lifetime Detroiter, Josh has deep roots in the automotive world. Growing up in the business (his grandfather was a lifetime General Motors engineer), he developed an early love of manufacturing innovation and design. Over his 30+ year career, he’s worked with senior leaders at some of the largest and most advanced manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics companies to help build a culture of sustainable innovation and unlock front-line ingenuity to drive results.
While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. He’s been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world.
His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm.
Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.
Keynote Topics
+ Outcomes
Find A WayTM
Every problem can be solved, and every opportunity can be seized. Through a proven innovative framework, you'll discover new paths to explosive growth, competitive advantage, and sustainable results.
Expand organization-wide capability for creative problem-solving and inventive thinking.
Big Little BreakthroughsTM
Instead of high-risk moonshots, the most innovative leaders cultivate a high volume of ‘micro-innovations’ and build a culture of everyday innovation.
Gain the tools to become an everyday innovator.
The Music of Business
What business leaders can learn about agility, collaboration, creativity, and performance under pressure from the mysterious world of jazz.
Inject artistry and agility into your business through an unforgettable, interactive experience.
*Please note this topic requires additional talent + gear. Accordingly, additional costs apply.
The Innovative Leader
Become an unstoppable force by unlocking your and your team's ingenuity, gaining confidence, and boosting results in times of dramatic uncertainty and disruption.
Elevate your capacity to lead and win in volatile times.
Disciplined DreamingTM
A proven system for driving breakthrough creativity. Learn how to balance raw imagination with business rigor to achieve profound and predictable results.
Boost creativity and rigor simultaneously to achieve better outcomes.
Rethink. Reboot.
Reinvent.
The business you’ll be running in five years will be dramatically different than today. Unlock the definitive playbook on reinvention, relevancy, and sustainable success.
Gain the confidence to venture into the unknown and thrive, no matter what the future brings.
Innovation in the Age of AI
A modern framework to unlock sustained profitable growth at the intersection of technology and human creativity.
Josh shows you how the path forward involves integrating human creativity with artificial intelligence to thrive amidst uncertainty, rapid change, and disruption.
For Automotive and Manufacturing Meeting Professionals
Frequently Asked Questions
About Josh
A lifetime Detroiter, Josh has deep roots in the automotive world. Growing up in the business (his grandfather was a lifetime General Motors engineer), he developed an early love of manufacturing innovation and design. Over his 30+ year career, he’s worked with senior leaders at some of the largest and most advanced manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics companies to help build a culture of sustainable innovation and unlock front-line ingenuity to drive results.
Through live and virtual solutions, Josh helps organizations drive innovation, inventive-thinking, and creative problem-solving across every box of the org-chart. Formats include:
- Facilitated leadership sessions/fireside chats with executive leaders.
- Customized interactive team leader workshops to introduce and practice innovation mindsets & techniques.
- Customized In-Person & Virtual Consulting Solutions to help organizations drive a culture of innovation.
Recognizing the capacity for creativity in every human, Josh feels called to help unlock dormant creative capacity to elevate individuals, leaders, and organizations.
YES! One of Josh's most requested keynotes is the Business of Music keynote. It's a memorable experience with a fusion of a live musical performance and keynote presentation. The finale includes audience members "joining the band" to compose and perform a song in real-time to the audience's delight. Cameras will flash as the entire group is dazzled by their colleagues' improvisation and spontaneous invention.
About Josh's Keynotes
Absolutely! In fact, in the 1,300+ keynote he's delivered worldwide, Josh has never given the same keynote twice. Through a proven framework of pre-event calls, stakeholder interviews, and AI & human-powered industry research, Josh handcrafts every keynote for every organization— no "canned" talks.
Yes! Josh has extensive experience in curating the content and the format of keynotes to meet his client's needs.
After every keynote, audience members often walk up to Josh to share they're inspired to tap into their creative and innovative potential. Through live and virtual solutions, Josh helps organizations translate this inspiration into transformative results.
- Facilitated leadership sessions/fireside chats with executive leaders.
- Customized interactive team leader workshops to introduce and practice innovation mindsets & techniques.
- Customized In-Person & Virtual Consulting Solutions to help organizations drive a culture of innovation.
Booking Josh
Josh is always available for discovery calls to explore fit and customized programming options. Nothing is more important to Josh than finding the best fit for your event - even if it means a different speaker.
Yes! Josh has extensive experience in curating the content and the format of keynotes to meet his client’s needs.
Josh lives & practices his message of finding a way. Regardless of lead time, please fill out the Book Josh Form, and he'll do his best to make it work or help you find another speaker who'll be a great fit for your event.
5 Ways Josh Turns Your Event Up To "11"
Sparks a mindset & movement.
His authentic, relatable, research-backed content - with real-world case studies and a high-energy delivery - will inspire your audience to uncover and activate new opportunities every day.
Moves your team into action.
Your audience will not only be energized, motivated, and inspired, they’ll become better equipped with specific tools, frameworks, and techniques to drive meaningful results in the months and years ahead.
Handcrafted, not canned.
Josh takes the time to listen deeply before custom-building a keynote experience just for you. This ensures that every minute is on-point, relevant, and targeted to your unique challenges and opportunities.
Real and accessible.
Josh applies Find A Way™ principles in his everyday work as a leader, venture capitalist, musician, and author. Leaders inspired by his keynote often reach out to him for help finding a way in their everyday work.
Impact - 11, Drama - 0.
Coming from a place of humility and service, Josh believes that a great keynote is about the audience, not the speaker. Meeting professionals often call Josh one of the best keynote speakers to work with.