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Keynote speaker

Deborah Nas

Deborah Nas is a highly sought-after keynote speaker in the field of technological innovation. She operates at the intersection of technology, business, and human behavior, making technological developments understandable and relevant for everyone. Through concrete and inspiring examples, she demonstrates what profound digitization, AI, robotics, and quantum technology mean for our lives and work. She combines scientific insights, practical experience, and personal anecdotes into a narrative that both inspires and motivates. Her lectures encourage both thought and action, appealing to a wide audience, from policymakers to executives and (young) professionals. Deborah Nas is available for booking as a speaker, panel member, and moderator at the Sprekershuys.

Subthemes

Available for booking as

  • Speaker
  • ConversationLeader
  • Panelist

Languages

  • Dutch
  • English

Rate indication

  • € 3,500 - € 4,999

About Deborah Nas

With more than 25 years of experience in innovation projects at startups, corporates, and governments, Deborah Nas is regarded as one of the Netherlands’ most experienced innovation experts. As a part-time professor at Delft University of Technology, she focuses on future scenarios and the impact of new technologies on our work and lives. As innovation manager at the Centre for Quantum & Society, she explores the impact of quantum technology, the disruptive technology set to follow AI. In addition, she is a member of the investment committee of InnovationQuarter, a supervisory board member at Hardt Hyperloop, and a board member of the social enterprise Cre8. In her work, she combines strategic insight with social engagement and technological expertise. Through personal anecdotes, Deborah explains in a refreshing way why not everyone immediately embraces new technologies—and why that is, in fact, very human. Operating at the intersection of technology, business, and psychology, she knows how to connect the individual, organizations, and society. In doing so, she helps people see trends and developments from a broader perspective. Deborah Nas as keynote speaker Deborah Nas is a highly sought-after speaker in the field of technology and innovation. Her lectures are content-rich, clearly structured, and always tailored to the audience. She answers questions such as: “How does technology change the way we live and work? Why are some organizations able to innovate while others are not? What do organizations need to successfully innovate? What can you do to accelerate digital transformation? And what role does human behavior play in the implementation of new technologies?” Her talks are characterized by a surprising mix of technology, business, and psychology. Always customized, with attention to the purpose of the event and the composition of the audience. Deborah knows how to make complex material understandable and captivate any audience. Author of Design Things That Make Sense In her book Design Things That Make Sense, Deborah shares her insights into the success and failure factors of contemporary technological innovations. Using current examples and concrete strategies, she shows how new technologies can be used effectively and meaningfully. The book is written for anyone involved in innovation and offers practical tools to turn ideas into successful innovations. She is currently working on a new book about the role AI will play in our personal and professional lives. Versatile innovation expert In addition to her work as a speaker, author, and scientist, Deborah is active as a strategic advisor and supervisory board member. She guides organizations in sharpening their innovation vision and acts as a sparring partner at the executive level. She also works at the Centre for Quantum & Society, where she develops future scenarios and tools to assess the societal impact of quantum technology. With her broad expertise, Deborah builds bridges between technology and society, between ambition and reality.

Sessions

The Netherlands is one of the global leaders in quantum technology, a disruptive technology that will fundamentally change our world. In this keynote, Deborah Nas introduces the basic principles of quantum technology in a clear and accessible manner. She discusses the rise of quantum computers, networks, and sensors, and shows how this technology offers opportunities for sustainability, but also introduces risks for our cybersecurity. With inspiring examples, strategic insights, and societal context, Deborah explores the impact of this disruptive technology and outlines the rapidly growing quantum ecosystem of companies and startups. This presentation is particularly suitable for events focused on ICT and/or cybersecurity.

In this future-oriented keynote, Deborah Nas takes the audience into the world of smart, sustainable, and innovative mobility. Through four future scenarios, she demonstrates how technology can contribute to an inclusive, reliable, and affordable mobility system and what role the government should play to make this possible. Using striking examples and promising startups, from AI-driven traffic management to autonomous vehicles and hyperloops, she shows where the opportunities lie for organizations, policymakers, and travelers.

Do you want to not only understand AI but also start working with it directly within your organization? In this one-day workshop, moderator Deborah Nas guides a team of 10-25 people in developing a concrete AI roadmap for your organization. After an inspiring introduction about the latest AI developments – tailored to your sector – the participants will brainstorm and evaluate relevant AI applications for your organization. The most promising ideas will be elaborated into a clear roadmap and action plan, so that you can take the first steps towards successful AI implementation immediately after the workshop. A practical, interactive workshop with impact at both strategic and operational levels.

In this inspiring keynote, Deborah Nas sheds a clear and thought-provoking light on artificial intelligence and generative AI. She explains in simple terms what AI is and demonstrates how AI applications are profoundly changing our work, organizations, and daily lives, now and in the future. With compelling examples and practical applications, she clarifies what AI can already do today, what opportunities it offers, and what ethical and societal questions arise. This keynote encourages reflection and action.

How do organizations remain agile and relevant in a world full of technological change? In this keynote, Deborah Nas provides insight into the biggest barriers to innovation within established companies and how these can be overcome. She refreshingly explains why startups can innovate rapidly, how traditional companies can become more innovative, the role leadership plays in this, and how to create an innovative culture. A powerful keynote for executives, managers, and innovation professionals who want to move forward, with practical tools and relevant insights.

Technology offers opportunities for improving our healthcare. In this session, Deborah Nas provides an inspiring overview of the latest developments that contribute to accessible, high-quality, and affordable care. She extensively discusses the opportunities and risks of AI in drug development, diagnostics, and treatment, and demonstrates which innovations strengthen self-care and prevention. She also clarifies why the adoption of new technologies often proceeds slowly and what is needed to accelerate that process. With examples of promising startups and clear explanations of trends, this presentation offers both an overview and perspective.

How can digital innovations help address urgent educational issues such as the teacher shortage, inequality of opportunity, and declining basic skills? How do we prepare students for a rapidly changing world? In this presentation, Deborah Nas insightfully explains why technology is slowly making its way into education and what is already happening in other countries. She also shows the possibilities and dilemmas of AI and generative AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom, for both teachers and students. A session full of inspiration, realism, and concrete tools.

Tools like ChatGPT may seem very simple and usable for everyone, but not everyone achieves the same results with them. The basic rule is: "the better the input, the better the output." To provide the right input, it is important to understand how generative AI works, what it can and cannot do, how to write a good 'prompt', how to reduce hallucinations, which models to use for what, and which tools can save you a lot of time. In this training, Deborah Nas will take participants into the world of generative AI, full of inspiration and hands-on exercises. The training can be offered in various lengths, ranging from two hours to a whole day. Ideal as a break-out session during an event or as an intensive in-company training.

Diversity and inclusivity remain a challenge in 'Tech', both in technical departments within regular organizations and in tech companies, but did you know that this hasn't always been the case? In this presentation, Deborah Nas takes you on a journey through time and illustrates how cultural changes and popular media have had a huge impact on the attractiveness of the ICT sector for women. Using funny and sometimes shocking examples of non-inclusive innovations, she shows the effect of non-inclusive development teams. Additionally, she shares her ideas on what we can do to create a more inclusive culture. A refreshing perspective on diversity and inclusivity, with a clear call-to-action!

For a content-rich and lively panel discussion on technological innovation and digital transformation, Deborah Nas is the right person. As a moderator, she brings structure, sharpness, and depth to the conversation. Thanks to her broad knowledge and experience, she asks the right probing questions and connects different perspectives at the table. Deborah prepares thoroughly, aligns the content in advance with the panel members, and creates a safe setting that allows for spontaneity and surprising insights. Additionally, she actively engages the audience, which leads to an energetic and interactive discussion that resonates with both the audience and the panel members.

Technology is rapidly changing how we work, what we do, and what skills are needed. Yet, the digital transformation in most organizations is slow. Through funny anecdotes and inspiring examples, Deborah Nas provides insight in this presentation into the human behavior that slows down digital transformation and shares practical tips on how to effectively deal with it. She also shows which professions are most affected by AI and how AI will transform our work in the coming years. With inspiring examples from tech startups and insights from the psychology behind technology adoption, Deborah offers a future perspective full of opportunities and concrete insights for organizations and professionals.

The construction and real estate sector is on the brink of a technological transformation. In this session, Deborah Nas provides insight into the trends that are making the sector more efficient, sustainable, and customer-oriented. She highlights the role of Artificial Intelligence in optimizing processes and improving customer experience, and shares examples of promising startups that are shaking up the market. She also demonstrates how traditional companies can enhance their innovation capacity, using concrete strategies and inspiring examples. A session that inspires and offers practical tools to get started right away.

Videos

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