Felten discusses how to deal with failure and embrace it as necessary and inevitable on the path to innovation. She shares stories and lessons from her own failures and successes at Google, and and her startup, and how they shaped her mindset and approach to leadership.
In this speech the audience will learn:
Many organizations yearn for innovation, yet often struggle to truly unlock its potential. They hire diverse individuals, but fail to create the environment where they can truly thrive. Obi Felten is a seasoned leader who has spent her career building high-performing teams in the face of uncertainty. Felten’s secret weapon? Embracing disruptive ideas and nurturing diverse talent.
With a career in leading teams through uncertainty, Felten credits her success to embracing disruptive ideas and diverse talent. She’ll share actionable insights from her experiences at startups and innovative companies on fostering teams that excel amidst uncertainty:
Key Takeaways:
Obi Felten led teams at Google X that employed “moon shot thinking”- the framework that led to the creation of some of the world’s most radical breakthrough technologies.
In this speech, Felten introduces the audience to the principles of moonshot thinking and how to implement it in their organization:
Obi Felten’s AI journey started in the 1990s at Oxford University, studying the link between minds and machines. She later joined Google, contributing to AI advancements in areas like machine translation and search optimization. At Google X, her projects spanned climate change to healthcare applications. Currently, her mental health startup leverages AI to enhance human well-being.
Felten shares how AI is becoming a powerful tool poised to revolutionize every aspect of our lives with the advent of large language models, including the way we do business and even write our holiday cards.
She will start by debunking some myths about AI and addressing the elephant in the room – the fear and skepticism that often surrounds this technology:
In the second part, Felten will help you dive into the exciting possibilities that AI holds for your business. She will guide you through practical steps you can take to leverage AI and gain a competitive edge:
Imagine a healthcare system with 99% accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and accessible mental health support for all. This isn’t science fiction, but the future powered by AI and big data. Leading this charge is Obi Felten. Through her work at Google X (applying machine learning to mental health assessments), board roles at healthcare companies, and founding Flourish Labs (a mental health startup using AI to scale support), Obi exemplifies the passion and expertise driving the digital health revolution.
Key Takeaways Include:
Obi Felten is an entrepreneur and innovator who is behind some of the most transformative technologies of our time. At Google X, Alphabet’s ‘moonshot factory’, Obi helped to turn the seemingly impossible into reality: Waymo self-driving cars, drone delivery, internet from balloons, computational agriculture and energy storage using molten salt.
As Director of Consumer Marketing for Google in Europe, Middle East and Africa, she was responsible for launching and growing Google Maps, Chrome and Android from zero to a billion users. She has worked on practical applications of AI for nearly 15 years. Obi began her career in the early days of online banking and ecommerce during the first dot com era, so she is no stranger to downturns as well as good times.
Currently, Obi is founder and CEO at Flourish Labs, a healthcare company on a mission to scale professional mental health peer support with technology to address the youth mental health crisis. She also serves as a board director of Springer Nature, a global academic and educational publisher, and of Marathon Health, a provider of primary care clinics for employers, and various mental health advisory boards.
Obi Felten has been honored for her innovation work with the German Innovation Prize “Future Thinker” award, was named by the Financial Times as a Woman Changemaker and by Boston Consulting Group among the top 100 influential women in technology. She is a WBL Fellow and a Leaders in Tech Fellow.
She has spoken at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit, Wired UK, Milken Institute’s Global Conference and Health Summit, Skoll World Forum, Falling Walls, Lesbians Who Tech, London Tech Week, numerous academic and private exec gatherings. She delivered the opening keynote at Chautauqua Institution, where previous speakers included Hillary Clinton and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
She is a regular guest lecturer at Stanford University, INSEAD, Northeastern University and UC Berkeley. She was on the cover of Vogue Germany’s business edition and has been interviewed by the Financial Times, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Wired, BBC, NBC News, and by economist Steve Levitt on his Freakonomics podcast.
Obi grew up in Berlin and saw the wall come down. She has a BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Oxford University. She now lives in California with her husband and two children. She loves yoga, biking, paddleboarding, skiing (which she learnt at age 40), traveling, cooking, eating, and her family.
Speaker fees can vary depending on factors such as expertise, demand, and event specifics. While some speakers may charge a flat fee for their services, others may have hourly rates. It’s best to discuss fee structures directly with the speaker or their representative to understand the pricing model.
Keynote speeches typically range from 30 to 90 minutes, with the duration determined by the speaker’s expertise, the event’s agenda, and audience preferences. Keynote speeches often include a combination of inspirational stories, practical insights, and actionable advice tailored to the event’s theme or objectives.
The scale of the event and audience size can indeed impact a speaker’s fee. Larger events with a broader reach or higher attendance may command higher fees due to increased exposure and demand. Conversely, smaller events or niche audiences may offer opportunities for more flexible pricing arrangements.
Travel expenses such as transportation, accommodation, and meals are typically negotiated separately from the speaker’s fee. These costs vary depending on the speaker’s location, travel distance, and event duration. It’s important to clarify travel arrangements and expenses during the booking process to avoid misunderstandings.
Many speakers require a deposit to secure a booking, with the remaining balance due closer to the event date. Deposits are often non-refundable and serve as a commitment from both parties. It’s advisable to discuss deposit requirements and payment terms with the speaker or their representative when finalizing the booking.
Ready to find the perfect speaker for your event? Use our advanced search feature or contact us to get started today!
In order to view the below you must be logged in.
Notoriously recognized as “Obama’s DJ,” DJ Mel is one of Texas’ most well-rounded and high profiled DJs. Based in Austin with past performances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Bonnaroo, Voodoo Festival, 2015-2019 NFL Draft, 57th Presidential Inauguration for Barack Obama, 2012 Democratic National Convention, Election Night 2012 at Obama HQ, Obama Farewell Address, […]
Dr. Kate Darling stands at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field of Robot Ethics, wielding her expertise as a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. With a keen focus on human-robot interaction, she delves into the intricate dynamics of social robotics, unraveling the complexities of our emotional connection with […]
Dag Kittlaus is a leading authority in artificial intelligence and an entrepreneurial powerhouse in the tech industry. As the co-founder and CEO of Siri, the groundbreaking digital assistant acquired by Apple, and later Viv, an advanced AI platform acquired by Samsung, Kittlaus has been at the forefront of AI innovation for over a decade. His […]
Déborah Berebichez is the first Mexican woman to obtain a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University. Her passion is to empower young people to learn science and to improve the state of STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) in the world. Her education and background help her to make science accessible to a wide range […]
Paralympic gold medalist and former world record holder Nate Tucker delivers powerful keynote speeches that inspire lasting transformation. After surviving a traumatic brain injury at age 10 that left him partially paralyzed, Nate defied the odds to become one of the most dominant middle-distance runners in Paralympic history. His keynotes explore the mindset of a […]
Piers Kowalski stands as a beacon of advocacy, leadership, and inspiration in the realm of LGBTQ rights and inclusive corporate environments. With a fervent dedication to fostering positive change and championing diversity, Piers has carved a remarkable path as a professional speaker, consultant, and advocate. His journey is one characterized by a relentless pursuit of […]
A 6-time award-winning keynote speaker Meredith Breitstein tours the world encouraging leaders to step into their destiny, walk through fear, and SHINE by finding their courage. She specializes in helping teams, and her audiences speak up, stand out, and command a room with their presence. After coaching thousands of leaders she has learned there are 5 steps all […]
Jenna Banks is a dynamic force in the world of motivational speaking and personal development. As a best-selling author, professionally trained keynote speaker, event moderator, and facilitator, Jenna has dedicated her life to inspiring and empowering individuals and organizations to reach their highest potential. Her unique brand of inspiration, coupled with her engaging presentation style, […]
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.
All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.
Our Mission:
© All rights reserved 2025. Designed using Voxel
