Spark everyday innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and creative resilience with proven frameworks from tech entrepreneur and keynote speaker Josh Linkner.
Key trends and opportunities that Josh helps leaders navigate
From writing code on an Atari 800 in the early ’80s to founding, building, and selling five tech companies, Josh has lived the entrepreneurial journey from the inside. He’s advised and helped lead transformation efforts for some of the largest tech companies in the world, including Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Oracle, SAP, AT&T, Intel, and HP. Today, Josh runs a venture capital firm and innovation studio (Mudita Venture Partners) focused on the next generation of AI-driven disruption. He offers a seasoned practitioner’s perspective on building cultures of innovation that give tech companies of all sizes a durable competitive edge.
Building Trust in the Age of AI
The companies that build trustworthy AI are applying creative problem-solving to design systems that earn confidence from users, regulators, and stakeholders alike.
Sustainable Technology as Strategic Advantage
Tech companies that embrace sustainable practices are positioning themselves for the future. This alignment of innovation and ecological stewardship reflects the kind of creative, forward-looking leadership that separates industry shapers from industry followers.
The AI-Powered Engineering Team
The most productive engineering teams are pairing AI with human creativity—the kind of inventive thinking that identifies the right problems to solve, architects elegant solutions, and pushes past the obvious. The synergy between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence is the defining competitive edge in modern software development.
Agentic AI and Intelligent Applications
For tech leaders, this shift demands a new kind of organizational creativity. Building and deploying agentic applications requires entrepreneurial thinking—the willingness to experiment, iterate quickly, and reimagine how software interacts with the world. The companies that embed this mindset across their teams will define the next era of technology.
Machine Customers and Autonomous Commerce
This blurring of boundaries between technology and commerce is opening entirely new business models and revenue streams. Creative problem-solving and entrepreneurial thinking need to live everywhere in the organization. The companies that anticipate and design for machine customers today will capture markets that don’t yet fully exist.
We very much enjoyed your talk and workshop.
Josh Linkner is a singularly thoughtful entrepreneur who understands how to illuminate a vision of the possible, and describes the tools required to make it happen."
Sajeena Warrier
Managing Director, Intel Security
You created just the right finish and exclamation point in our program.
The feedback from our team— amazing, energizing messages, entertaining and humorous, actionable learnings, things people can do right away."
Don Katz
CEO and Founder, Audible
I just wanted to drop you an email to say a big thanks again for today.
The feedback I have heard has been incredibly positive, and I think it really contributed to the strong outcomes for the real work we went on to do over the day. It was definitely the first time I’ve heard someone from Sony Japan give feedback to a room as Yoda! I also really appreciated how you tailored your message to the audience from the discussions in the weeks prior to the program."
Andrew Caldwell
Vice President of Business Innovation, Sony
Josh’s presentation was filled with great energy and new ways of thinking.
It created a buzz throughout our team. I cannot even count how many commented how great it was and that they really needed to hear this type of content."
Debra Florence
Head of Marketing Programs, North America, NOKIA
Josh Linkner delivers a clear path for renewal and resilience that is compelling, insightful, and practical.
He presents a blueprint for leaders to follow so they are able to not just stay in the game, but to stay ahead of it."
Brian Owens
Head Of Global Brand Strategy, eBay Inc.
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.
From writing code on an Atari 800 in the early 80’s to becoming a prolific tech innovator over the last 30+ years, Josh has a deep understanding of technology and its implications on business. He’s advised, collaborated with, and helped lead transformation efforts for some of the largest tech companies in the world including Cicso, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Oracle, SAP, and AT&T, Intel, and HP.
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 Tech & Entrepreneurship Meeting Professionals
Frequently Asked Questions
About Josh
From writing code on an Atari 800 in the early 80’s to becoming a prolific tech innovator over the last 30+ years, Josh has a deep understanding of technology and its implications on business. He’s advised, collaborated with, and helped lead transformation efforts for some of the largest tech companies in the world including Cicso, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Oracle, SAP, and AT&T, Intel, and HP.
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.