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David Roberts Keynote Speaker on technology disruption and exponential leadership

David Roberts

Former VP, Singularity University | Board Member, 1QBit | Former U.S. Air Force Officer & Special Agent

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From building satellite and drone programs as a decorated Special Agent to co-founding Silicon Valley ventures and leading Singularity University's flagship program, David Roberts has seen disruption from every side. Trained in AI at MIT and with a Harvard MBA, he shows leaders how exponential technologies are reshaping their industries and why great leadership is the world's scarcest resource.

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    David Roberts biography

    Innovation speaker David Roberts is a leading authority on technology disruption and exponential leadership. A former Vice President of Singularity University, where he twice directed the Graduate Studies Program and is a distinguished faculty member, he helps leaders understand how fast-moving technologies are reshaping industries and how to lead with courage and clarity through that change.

    Roberts began his career in public service as a U.S. Air Force officer and decorated Special Agent. He led development work across national agencies on space-based satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles, and intelligence fusion centers, and received a personal citation from the Director of the FBI. He then moved to Silicon Valley, where he co-founded and served as President of the technology ventures FireDrop and Zaplet, backed by investors including Kleiner Perkins, Vinod Khosla, Cisco, Oracle, Accenture, and In-Q-Tel. Zaplet was later acquired by MetricStream.

    From Special Agent to Silicon Valley and Singularity University

    Roberts earned a degree in computer science and engineering from MIT, where he studied artificial intelligence under Joseph Weizenbaum, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. His leadership and decision-making have been used as case studies at the Harvard, Stanford, and Berkeley business schools, and his insights have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and USA Today.

    Today he serves on the board of 1QBit, a quantum computing software company, and leads Exponential Leadership and GEDI, programs that develop leaders who combine high performance with courage, compassion, and integrity. He has spoken to business, government, and military audiences around the world.

    As a speaker, David Roberts brings an unusual mix of perspectives from intelligence work, Silicon Valley, and Singularity University. He explains how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other exponential technologies are disrupting established industries, how to tell whether a new technology is truly disruptive, and why the world’s scarcest resource is great leadership. Executives leave with a sharper sense of where disruption is coming from and practical ways to lead their organizations through it.

    David Roberts Speaking Videos

    SU Global Summit 2019 | Leading Organizations | David Roberts
    David Roberts #GSummit2018

    David Roberts Speaking Topics

    Technology is advancing exponentially, but leadership often is not. Roberts argues that great leadership is the world’s scarcest resource and explains what it takes to lead when change is constant and the stakes are global. Drawing on his experience in government, Silicon Valley, and Singularity University, he shows how courage, compassion, and integrity translate into better decisions and higher performance.

    Not every new technology is a threat, and not every threat looks like one at first. Roberts gives leaders a practical framework for judging whether an innovation is truly disruptive, how disruption plays out in stable industries such as banking and energy, and how established organizations can respond before it is too late.

    An MIT-trained AI specialist who studied under one of the field’s pioneers, Roberts explains why AI represents a fundamentally different kind of change. He covers where AI is heading, what it means for jobs, business models, and national competitiveness, and how leaders can prepare their organizations to benefit rather than fall behind.

    From quantum computing to cryptocurrency and biotechnology, Roberts maps the technologies that are converging to transform the world. He explores how they could help solve humanity’s biggest problems, what new risks they create, and how countries and companies can leapfrog ahead by adopting them wisely.

    Explore related topics

    Innovation SpeakersAI SpeakersFuturist SpeakersKeynote Speakers

    FAQs on Booking David Roberts

    Booking David Roberts brings a rare combination of experience to your event: a former U.S. Air Force officer and decorated Special Agent, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur backed by top investors, and a former Vice President of Singularity University. Trained in artificial intelligence at MIT and holding a Harvard MBA, he explains technology disruption and exponential change with clarity and conviction, making him a strong choice for innovation summits, leadership programs, and government and military audiences. To book David Roberts, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau and one of our founders will respond within 24 hours.

    Exponential Leadership is David Roberts’ approach to leading in a world of rapid technological change and global challenges. It focuses on developing leaders who combine high performance with courage, compassion, and integrity, so they can make better decisions, unlock their teams’ potential, and use technology to create positive impact at scale.

    David Roberts served as Vice President of Singularity University and twice directed its Graduate Studies Program, the institution’s flagship program for future leaders working on global challenges with exponential technologies. He remains a distinguished faculty member.

    David Roberts speaks on exponential leadership, technology disruption, disruptive innovation theory, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cryptocurrency, the future of education, and how countries and organizations can leapfrog forward. He tailors his talks for business, government, and military audiences, and also offers multi-day workshops. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to check his availability for your event.

    Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book David Roberts as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about David Roberts'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 Roberts or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.

    David Roberts 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 Roberts 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 Roberts.

    We only work with David Roberts on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking David Roberts and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having David Roberts 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 Roberts for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.

    Yes, David Roberts is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book David Roberts for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.