Grit keynotes for Silicon Valley teams
San Jose is the largest city in Silicon Valley. Paris brings The Grit Code and Grit Deconstruction workshops to its tech companies.
Persistence ships products
San Jose is the largest city in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area’s most populous city, home to tech companies large and small.
Paris hosted the Founders Dubai fireside chat on AI and works with start-up audiences.
He rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific and ran 7 marathons on 7 continents.
Who Paris speaks to in San Jose
Tech companies
Keynotes for engineering and product teams.
Founders
Grit for founders.
Hardware
Resilience for long programmes.
Universities
Talks for students.
Where San Jose meets
The San Jose McEnery Convention Center hosts technology conferences downtown.
- San Jose McEnery Convention Center – downtown San Jose
- Corporate campuses – across Silicon Valley
Ways to book Paris in San Jose
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 →
Endurance you can measure
A marathon on every continent
7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes, from Antarctica to Miami via Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid and Fortaleza.
4,800 km of open ocean
The 2023 Pacific row, which raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
Read the Founders Dubai AI recap. Founders Dubai AI fireside chat · Keynote speaker San Francisco
Speaking in San Jose, in person or virtually
Available for in-person events in San Jose, or virtually in your local time zone.
Organisers typically book US speakers three to five months ahead, so get in touch early to secure your date.
See also keynote speaker in the USA, or browse all keynote speaker locations.
An adventurer with American chapters
Paris Norriss's biggest adventure ended in the United States. With the Brothers N Oars crew he rowed 4,800 km from California to Hawaii in 39 days, 4 hours and 28 minutes, as part of a self-supported, unassisted team in the World's Toughest Row. The row raised more than £150,000 for marine conservation, and Paris went on to live in Hawaii for three months.
In 2025 he delivered his keynote to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, and he has spoken at Surfbreak in Honolulu. Miami was one of the stops when he ran seven marathons on seven continents in 5 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes.
For San Jose conferences, sales kick-offs and leadership offsites, The Grit Code turns those experiences into practical habits: purpose, vision, challenging limiting beliefs, adapting the plan and keeping a clear head under pressure. Organisers in the US typically book speakers three to five months ahead, and Paris also delivers 30 to 45-minute virtual keynotes in your time zone.
San Jose’s economy and who the talk is for
San Jose has a population of about 1,013,240 (2020 figure, Wikidata), which makes it a substantial market for conferences, leadership events and company gatherings.
Companies headquartered in San Jose include eBay (e-commerce), Adobe (artificial intelligence), Cisco (infrastructure platform), Western Digital (computer storage media), Zoom Communications (video conference) and McAfee, LLC (antivirus software).
Technology and software (eBay, Adobe and Western Digital). Technology teams ship, fail, learn and ship again. Paris connects that loop to life on an ocean rowing boat, where a broken plan is normal and the crew that adapts fastest wins. It suits engineering all-hands, product kick-offs and AI transformation programmes.
Telecoms (Cisco). Telecoms businesses run networks that can never stop. Paris has spoken for Nokia, and his message on steady, disciplined effort under pressure suits network, sales and customer teams alike.
Students, graduates and faculty
Higher education is part of San Jose’s talent pipeline, with institutions such as International Technological University, Silicon Valley University and Pacific Oaks College. 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 San Jose
Beyond the main conference halls, San Jose also has large venues for major events, including SAP Center and Provident Credit Union Event Center.
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 San Jose 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 San Jose
In San Jose, the most common bookings fall into a few groups:
- Leadership offsites and strategy days, where senior teams need energy for a hard year ahead.
- Sales kick-offs and annual conferences, where the talk resets ambition and stamina.
- Awards nights and staff celebrations, where Paris can speak or host.
- Graduation, alumni and entrepreneurship events.
Credentials at a glance
- His TV shows have been distributed in 123 countries, and Guy in Dubai has 22 million views.
- In 2023 he rowed 4,800 km across the Pacific with three teammates, raising more than £150,000 for marine conservation.
- Past speaking clients include Nokia, DHL, Kraft Heinz, IHG, Dubai Airports, Expo 2020, COP28 and the UN Tourism General Assembly.
- He is the CEO of Blazing Sand Studios, an AI video production company.
FAQ
Can I book Paris Norriss as a keynote speaker in San Jose?
Yes. Paris speaks at conferences, company events and leadership programmes in San Jose, in person or virtually.
Can Paris run a workshop for our team?
Yes. Grit Deconstruction workshops run from 90 minutes to half a day.
Has Paris spoken in the United States?
Yes. He delivered his keynote to the US Army at Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, in 2025 and has spoken at Surfbreak in Honolulu.
How far ahead should US events book Paris?
Organisers in the US typically book speakers three to five months ahead. Virtual keynotes can often be arranged at shorter notice.
Which San Jose industries is The Grit Code suited to?
The keynote is tailored to each sector. In San Jose it suits technology and software and telecoms audiences in particular, along with leadership teams, sales kick-offs and all-hands meetings in any industry.
Does Paris speak at universities in San Jose?
Yes. He speaks to students, graduates and staff, for example at institutions such as International Technological University and Silicon Valley University, on grit as a learnable skill.
Is there a workshop option for teams in San Jose?
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 San Jose?
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.
Bring grit to your next San Jose event
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More about Paris: About · The Grit Code · TV shows · Contact