Zarah Bruhn is one of the most inspiring voices for social innovation and social change in Germany.
As a founder, social entrepreneur, supervisory board member and political influencer, she combines entrepreneurial thinking with the clear aim of bringing about positive change in society. Through her start-up socialbee, she has made it easier for thousands of refugees to access the labour market, whilst demonstrating how integration, securing a skilled workforce and economic success can work together.
Today, at the intersection of innovation, government and entrepreneurship, she is driving forward new solutions to societal challenges. Zarah Bruhn embodies courage, a zest for the future and the conviction that change is possible.
Interview with Zarah Bruhn
1. What are the core subjects of your keynote speeches?
My keynotes are all about boldness and the adventure of new beginnings. My goal is to inspire the audience to embrace risk, take responsibility, and boldly explore new paths. The audience experiences a shift in perspective that shows: everyone can make a difference – in their own job, their own team, and their own company. Everyone can keep on learning, and innovation & change is what brings us forward – a fun and exciting adventure. Those who leave the room feel excited about the future.
Topics:
New beginnings, courage & the positive unknown
The world in leaps: innovation as the greatest opportunity
Why it has never been easier to change the world
Global inspiration – from Nobel Peace Prize winners to super hackers
Entrepreneurship, impact & inspiration
Radical thinking as the key to the future
The role of corporates and each and every one of us (Who, if not us?)
Improving the world through entrepreneurship & action
Social innovation, technology & the state
How technology solves societal problems
AI in education, democracy & the welfare state
Moonshots for society – the craziest innovations of the future
The craziest innovations of the future
Courage to take risks, willingness to take responsibility, and a passion for innovation
2. Which audiance or which branch do you reach with your speech?
I speak to a cross-industry audience. My work is aimed at companies that want to empower their people — to embrace change, get excited about the future, and stay open to new developments, technology and disruption.
My talks are especially suited for organisations going through transformation that want to inspire their teams. It’s not just about pulling people out of their day-to-day routines — it’s about showing them bold, tangible examples from around the world and taking them on a journey through the wildest innovations shaping our future.
A core element is the question of how AI and technological disruption are fundamentally reshaping the way we live and how our societies work — and why they represent the greatest opportunity we have to solve the defining challenges of our time. The goal is to spark excitement for technology, for the future, and for innovation — while building confidence that people all over the world are already working on solutions to the big problems.
My topic cuts across industries and is most powerful when companies want to give their people inspiration and orientation:
- Recognising the significance of their own impact
- Understanding their personal role — and their company’s role — in the broader societal and European context
- Discovering how every single person can make a difference and contribute to positive change
- Building optimism and enthusiasm for technological progress and innovation
- Understanding why innovation is one of the greatest opportunities of our time
At its core, everything I talk about comes down to the courage to innovate, transformation, and inspiration — empowering people not just to accept change, but to actively and positively shape it.
3. Are you a PREMIUM SPEAKER? Where do you get your insights from?
I’ve been speaking regularly for over ten years — starting with the founding of my social enterprise socialbee, through my role as Germany’s first Commissioner for Social Innovations at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, to building the social leapfrog innovations division at SPRIND, Germany’s Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation.
That journey has taken me deep into the world of start-ups, technology and societal innovation — and onto international stages, including alongside figures like Barack Obama and Bill Gates.
My work has received several recognitions, among them the Ashoka Fellowship — one of the world’s most prestigious awards for social entrepreneurship —, LinkedIn Top Voice for Tech & Innovation, Top 40 under 40, and the Bavarian State Medal for outstanding social contribution.
Speaking engagements include Bits & Pretzels, DLD, OMR, re:publica, Hinterland of Things and TEDx, as well as corporate keynotes for companies like Daimler and Sony. My topics are regularly featured in the Handelsblatt, FAZ and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
On stage, I bring ten years of experience, a perspective that bridges business and society, and a firm belief that talks work best when they don’t just inform but spark energy and confidence. My style is direct, radical, humorous and to the point — with societal depth and an entrepreneurial lens.
4. What will be in the future? Does «time» play an important role in your work?
The future brings adventure. And honestly — that’s exactly what makes it exciting. Constantly reinventing yourself, learning, thinking differently — that’s the best part of all of this.
The world changes in leaps, not linearly. And precisely because everything is uncertain anyway — we might as well enjoy the ride. Looking back and clinging to the status quo is doomed to fail.
If we look at progress in pictures — transport, medicine, communication — it gets better with every generation. We’re actually in pretty good shape. Yes, the future brings risks. But it’s not a straight-line projection of what exists today. And that’s exactly where the opportunity lies.
I believe in what I call the Positive Unknown: the solutions to our greatest challenges don’t arrive incrementally — they arrive in leaps. More electric cars, more charging stations — we’re just chasing missed climate targets, pension targets, economic targets. Why not go straight for the next S-curve? Bold innovation is our greatest opportunity. Full speed ahead.
The Positive Unknown is not a matter of hope — it’s a matter of priorities. And change can be fun. In my work, I see people, ideas and technologies every day that are tiny seedlings today and will change the world tomorrow. The bow wave hasn’t hit yet. Much of what will reshape the future is already in the making.
So: less consistency, more courage. Radically All in — and forward.
5. Tell us your life motto? What do you want to give your listeners to take with them?
“Who, if not us?”
Borrowing from Pippi Longstocking: We’ll make the world just the way we like it. It sounds like a children’s book — but at its core, it’s the most radical attitude there is. Because the world isn’t changed by those who sit on their hands or dwell in worry. It’s shaped by those who step up and act, who have a vision for a positive future.
In my work, I see every day how many people are already doing exactly that. All over the world. That brings joy, that builds courage — and my mission is to make visible just how many are already working on the big answers to the challenges of our time. It’s only a question of “when” and “how many” before we crack the toughest nuts. So — who, if not us?
Thank you very much for the fascinating interview!
Book Zarah Bruhn as a speaker: 1 (704) 804 1054 or zarah.bruhn@premium-speakers.com