Jeffrey C. Hall
2017 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Professor Emeritus of Biology, Brandeis University | Pioneer of Circadian Rhythm Science
David Gram
Former Senior Innovation Director & Head of Venturing, LEGO | Co-founder, Diplomatic Rebels & LXGO | Innovation Keynote Speaker
David Gram spent nearly a decade at LEGO as Senior Innovation Director in the Future Lab and Head of Venturing at LEGO Ventures, building the company's radical innovation capabilities from the ground up. Now Co-founder of Diplomatic Rebels, he helps organizations create conditions where bold ideas survive corporate reality and scale. On stage, he delivers actionable frameworks for intrapreneurship, experimentation, and driving change from within.
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David Gram biography
Innovation speaker David Gram is a Denmark-based innovation leader and keynote speaker with nearly two decades of experience building, scaling, and leading radical innovation inside large global organizations. A former Senior Innovation Director in LEGO’s renowned Future Lab and former Head of Venturing at LEGO Ventures, David has spent his career helping established companies move faster without losing strategic focus or operational discipline. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, culture, and execution – turning innovation from aspiration into a repeatable capability.
During his time at LEGO, David played a central role in shaping how the company explored future business models, digital products, and new ventures beyond the core. He led multidisciplinary teams across early research, concept development, incubation, and market launch, applying lean start-up principles, design thinking, and agile methods to reduce risk while accelerating learning. His experience spans both internal innovation units and external venture collaboration, giving him a rare, end-to-end view of how innovation actually survives inside complex organizations. David and his team were featured in Fast Company for their role in LEGO’s innovation and turnaround journey.
From LEGO’s Future Lab to Diplomatic Rebels
Today, David is Partner and Co-founder of Diplomatic Rebels, a boutique consultancy dedicated to empowering companies and intrapreneurs to become stronger, more effective innovators. His core idea is simple and practical: innovation does not fail because of a lack of ideas, but because organizations lack the conditions for ideas to grow. He uses the term Diplomatic Rebels to describe employees who combine the courage to challenge the status quo with the political intelligence needed to navigate corporate reality and drive change from within. David also co-founded LXGO, the LEGO Alumni network, and serves as Chairman of the Board at KROM Kendama.
As a speaker, David Gram is frequently booked for keynotes, masterclasses, and workshops that combine concrete cases with clear frameworks for leading innovation and transformation. With more than 250 international engagements, he is known for making complex change topics actionable for executives, innovation leaders, and intrapreneurs. He has spoken for global brands, public organizations, and governments, and delivered a keynote to 3,000 European executives as the warm-up speaker for President Bill Clinton at the Presidents’ Summit in Copenhagen.
David Gram Speaking Videos
Innovation from Within - David Gram speaking at the Presidents' Summit
Radical Innovation through Intrapreneurship - David Gram at Innov8rs Helsinki
David Gram Keynote Topics
How organizations create the structures, incentives, and psychological safety that let employees behave like entrepreneurs inside the company. David draws on his years inside LEGO's Future Lab to show what needs to change in governance, risk tolerance, and day-to-day ways of working so experimentation becomes normal, not exceptional. Audiences leave with a clear blueprint for embedding intrapreneurship into their own organizations.
A practical playbook for innovators who need to push bold ideas while keeping trust with colleagues, stakeholders, and leadership. David breaks down the behaviors that separate lone rebels who burn out from intrapreneurs who consistently get traction, funding, and organizational support. This session equips leaders with specific habits they can adopt immediately to increase their influence and impact.
Before launching big initiatives, companies need clarity on purpose, strategic boundaries, and where to focus exploration. David explains how to define opportunity spaces, avoid innovation theatre, and build the minimum infrastructure required to turn ideas into outcomes. He shares the frameworks he developed at LEGO for aligning innovation ambitions with corporate strategy, so resources go to the right experiments rather than scattered bets.
Why scale can become a brake on adaptability, and how leading organizations re-architect themselves as ecosystems instead of hierarchies. David explores platform thinking, collaboration with startups, and how to empower employees to build new ventures around the edges of the core business. Drawing on his experience launching LEGO Ventures, he shows how to balance the discipline of the core with the speed and flexibility of a startup.
What it takes to attract, retain, and lead millennial and Gen Z talent in roles that demand autonomy, meaning, and speed. David outlines a leadership shift from control to coaching, and how to measure performance when innovation is part of the job. He provides concrete tools for managers who want to channel the entrepreneurial energy of younger teams without losing alignment or accountability.
How to move from generic customer focus to disciplined co-creation that improves product decisions and builds lasting loyalty. David shares methods for building participation into the innovation process so customer insight becomes a continuous capability rather than a one-off research effort. He draws on real cases from LEGO and other leading brands to show how user involvement transforms not just products but the culture of the teams behind them.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking David Gram
Why David Gram?
Booking David Gram for your event is a strategic investment in practical innovation leadership. As the former Senior Innovation Director in LEGO's Future Lab and Head of Venturing at LEGO Ventures, David brings nearly a decade of hands-on experience driving radical innovation inside one of the world's most admired brands. He doesn't deal in abstract theory — his keynotes are built on real cases, hard lessons, and frameworks developed at the intersection of corporate strategy and startup speed. With more than 250 international engagements and a track record that includes warming up the stage for President Bill Clinton in front of 3,000 executives, David knows how to captivate senior audiences and leave them with tools they can use immediately. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to book David Gram for your next event.
What is a Diplomatic Rebel?
A Diplomatic Rebel is David Gram's term for an employee who combines the courage to challenge the status quo with the political intelligence to navigate corporate reality. Rather than pushing for disruption from the outside, Diplomatic Rebels drive change from within — understanding which rules to bend, how to build internal coalitions, and when to compromise without losing ambition. The concept grew out of David's work in LEGO's Future Lab and became the foundation for Diplomatic Rebels, the consultancy he co-founded to help organizations develop this mindset at scale.
Did David Gram work at LEGO?
Yes. David Gram spent nearly a decade at The LEGO Group, where he held two major innovation leadership roles. He first served as Senior Innovation Director in LEGO's Future Lab — the company's legendary unit focused on developing LEGO's future beyond the brick. He later became Head of Venturing at LEGO Ventures, the strategic venture arm of the LEGO Brand Group, where he was instrumental in building and launching the venture portfolio. David and his team were featured in Fast Company for their contribution to LEGO's innovation turnaround. He also co-founded LXGO, the official LEGO Alumni network.
What topics does innovation speaker David Gram cover?
David Gram covers a range of topics centered on corporate innovation, intrapreneurship, and organizational transformation. His most popular keynotes focus on building a culture of intrapreneurship, the habits of high-impact innovation leaders, creating strategic foundations for effective change, transitioning from corporate hierarchies to agile ecosystems, leading new generations as intrapreneurs, and disciplined customer co-creation. Each session blends real-world cases from LEGO and other global brands with actionable frameworks. David is available for keynotes, masterclasses, and interactive workshops. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau for availability and booking.
How to book David Gram as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book David Gram as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about David Gram's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for David Gram or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is David Gram speaking fee?
David Gram speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire David Gram to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book David Gram.
How can I contact David Gram?
We only work with David Gram on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking David Gram and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having David Gram speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact David Gram for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book David Gram for a virtual keynote?
Yes, David Gram is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book David Gram for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
