Bertrand Piccard

Bertrand Piccard: A Legacy of Exploration

Born in 1958 in Lausanne, Switzerland, Bertrand Piccard comes from a distinguished family of explorers. His grandfather, Auguste Piccard, was a pioneer of stratospheric flight and high-altitude ballooning, while his father, Jacques Piccard, set deep-sea diving records by reaching the deepest part of the ocean. This extraordinary legacy inspired Bertrand’s lifelong passion for pushing the limits of human exploration and innovation.

Pioneering Aeronautical Achievements

In 1999, Bertrand, together with co-pilot Brian Jones, completed the first non-stop balloon flight around the world aboard the Breitling Orbiter 3. The flight covered 45,755 kilometers in 19 days, 21 hours, and 47 minutes, setting multiple aviation records.

Building on this achievement, Piccard launched the Solar Impulse project to prove that renewable energy can power long-distance flight. In 2016, he and co-pilot André Borschberg successfully completed the first circumnavigation of the globe in a solar-powered aircraft, demonstrating the viability of clean technologies in aviation and beyond.

He has just launched Climat Impulse: the first-ever zero-emission, non-stop flight around the world, powered by liquid hydrogen. As always with Bertrand, this is far more than a technical achievement — it’s a powerful symbol and call to action, showing how innovation and pioneering spirit can drive the ecological transition.

Advocacy for Sustainable Solutions

Beyond his pioneering work in aviation, Bertrand is deeply committed to environmental sustainability. He founded the Solar Impulse Foundation, which has identified and awarded the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label to over 1,000 profitable and clean technologies aimed at protecting the environment. Through this initiative, Piccard works closely with governments, businesses, and institutions to accelerate the shift toward a low-carbon, sustainable economy.

Recognition and Influence

Piccard’s groundbreaking contributions have earned him numerous honors, including the United Nations Champion of the Earth award. As a sought-after speaker, he inspires global audiences with his visionary approach to aligning ecological responsibility with economic opportunity. His work exemplifies how innovation and sustainability can drive both meaningful impact and profitable change.

Keynote Topics

Piccard’s speeches blend captivating storytelling with deep insight into human resilience, environmental strategy, and the future of innovation. His most recent experiences have added fresh themes to his already powerful repertoire:

• How to Achieve the Impossible – Lessons from record-breaking missions that defied limits.
• Pioneering Spirit for Inventing the Future – Why daring thinking is key to solving modern challenges.
• Change Altitude in the Winds of Life – Using ballooning metaphors to explore adaptability and purpose.
• Run Your Business Like a Balloon Flight – Strategic parallels between entrepreneurship and exploration.
• Crisis Management – How to navigate turbulence and uncertainty with clarity.
• Failure and Success: Two Sides of the Same Coin – Embracing setbacks as stepping stones to breakthroughs.
• Economic Profitability of the Ecological Transition – Demonstrating that sustainability is good business.

Book Bertrand Piccard

Piccard captivates audiences with a rare blend of vision, scientific insight, and real-world action. Whether speaking to CEOs, policymakers, or global institutions, he delivers practical, thought-provoking ideas rooted in his extraordinary journey. For those seeking a speaker who embodies the spirit of innovation and delivers a timely, impactful message, Bertrand Piccard is an exceptional choice.