Grit keynotes for Berlin’s start-ups and trade fairs
Berlin is Germany’s start-up capital and home to ITB Berlin, one of the world’s leading travel trade shows. Paris, who has hosted UN Tourism, fits both.
Start-ups, tourism and the marathon
Messe Berlin hosts ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest tourism trade fairs. Paris spoke at the opening of the UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh and at the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum.
Berlin is one of Europe’s leading start-up hubs, and its marathon is known for world-record times, so it is a city that respects both risk and endurance.
The Grit Code gives founders and corporate teams a framework for keeping going when the plan breaks.
Who Paris speaks to in Berlin
Tourism
Keynotes for travel and tourism audiences.
Start-ups and VC
Talks for founders and investors.
Corporate
Conferences for international teams.
Sport
Endurance stories for running and sport brands.
Where Berlin meets
Messe Berlin hosts ITB Berlin and many international trade fairs each year.
- Messe Berlin – the exhibition grounds by the Funkturm
- CityCube and hotel venues – across the city
Ways to book Paris in Berlin
Choose the flagship Grit Code keynote (45–60 min), a Grit Deconstruction workshop (90 min to half day), a 30–45 min virtual keynote, or Paris as host and MC for the day. Compare formats →
Tested at sea, on the ice and on stage
7 marathons, 7 continents
Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and Miami in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
Rowed the Pacific
4,800 km in 2023, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Read Paris’s tourism recaps. UN Tourism General Assembly · Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum
Speaking in Berlin, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in Berlin, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book speakers about three months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
Paris presents in English. Organisers can arrange an interpreter if the audience would benefit.
See also keynote speaker in Europe, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
Berlin’s economy and who the talk is for
Berlin has a population of about 3,700,577 (2025 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Businesses with their headquarters in Berlin include Charité (health service), VARTA AG (battery industry), KfW (financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding), De Gruyter (publishing), Zalando (clothing industry) and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (passenger transport).
Energy and resources (VARTA AG and Knorr-Bremse). Energy teams live with long project cycles, price shocks and safety-critical work. The Grit Code gives operations and project leaders a shared language for staying steady when a plan meets reality, which is the same discipline that kept four rowers moving across 4,800 km of the Pacific.
Media and entertainment (De Gruyter and Springer Nature). Media and entertainment audiences get a speaker who works in their world. Paris created and hosted Guy in Dubai, which has 22 million views, and his shows have been distributed in 123 countries.
Healthcare and life sciences (Charité). Healthcare and life-sciences teams deal with high stakes and long hours. Paris’s talk on endurance, teamwork and purpose suits clinical leadership events and staff recognition days.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of Berlin’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Frederick William University Berlin. Paris’s talks for students and graduates focus on grit as a skill that can be learned, using his own expeditions as evidence.
Typical formats include welcome weeks, graduation events, entrepreneurship programmes and alumni dinners. University keynote speaker →
Other large venues in Berlin
Beyond the main conference halls, Berlin also has large venues for major events, including Uber Arena, Kriminalgericht Moabit and Arena Berlin.
Paris is comfortable on any stage, from an arena to a boardroom, and can also host the main stage as MC. Event host and MC →
How a Grit Code session works
- Each booking begins with a call about the audience and what success looks like after the event.
- The talk turns the 7-marathon challenge and the Pacific row into habits teams can use on Monday morning.
- A virtual version of 30–45 minutes is available for distributed teams.
The content is shaped around Berlin organisations and their goals, so the room hears examples that match its own challenges. Paris presents as an adventurer and CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, not as a theorist.
Where the talk fits in Berlin
These are typical Berlin events for The Grit Code:
- Annual company conferences and town halls.
- Change and transformation programmes, including AI adoption.
- Safety, wellbeing and performance days for operations teams.
- Charity dinners and community events, which Paris knows well as an ambassador for Gulf for Good.
Credentials at a glance
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
- He ran 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in Berlin?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in Berlin, in person or virtually.
Has Paris spoken at tourism events?
Yes. He spoke at the opening of the UN Tourism General Assembly and at SITTF.
Does Paris present in German?
He presents in English. Organisers can arrange an interpreter if needed.
How far ahead should we book?
About three months ahead is typical.
Which Berlin industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In Berlin it suits energy and resources, media and entertainment and healthcare and life sciences audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in Berlin?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Frederick William University Berlin, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in Berlin?
Yes. The Grit Deconstruction workshop runs from 90 minutes to half a day and turns the keynote’s ideas into team habits and actions.
Can the keynote be delivered online for teams in Berlin?
Yes. A 30–45 minute virtual version is available for remote or hybrid audiences, delivered in your local time zone.
Who has Paris spoken for?
Past clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact