Daniel Cronin lives innovation, startup, entrepreneurship and digitalisation and has been sharing his passion for it on international stages for more than 15 years.
Daniel Cronin, serial founder, consultant, university lecturer and investor, knows the facets and challenges that change processes bring with them like no other, as he has already experienced every perspective. As such, he is equally adept at communicating the very specific challenges that change and change processes bring in a language that is characterised by humour and expertise.
He is convinced that the greatest ideas lie dormant in our heads and that every innovation begins to become reality the moment it is said. Daniel knows that ideas are only worth something if they are not only expressed, but also implemented – and that this requires not only the idea itself, but above all people who believe in these ideas.
Daniel Cronin Lecture Topics
- Moonshot Thinking – The Art of Thinking Boldly
How to free great ideas from your mind
Every groundbreaking innovation begins with an idea – but most ideas remain hidden because people don’t dare to talk about them. In this keynote speech, Daniel Cronin shows why it is so important to talk about ideas early on and how to develop the courage to do so.
Using John F. Kennedy’s famous moonshot speech as an example, he makes it clear that great visions do not arise in silence and that it is only by speaking them aloud that they become feasible. Daniel shares proven methods from over 15 years of start-up experience that help to structure ideas, deal with criticism and persevere despite negative feedback.
Particularly important: even if you are already an expert, it is worth taking a step back to gain new perspectives. With seven simple and entertaining steps, Daniel Cronin helps his audience to think outside the box and finally bring their ideas to life.
Target audience:
– Companies that want to take their team to the next level
– Employees who need more self-confidence
– Anyone who has had an idea in mind for a long time but has never dared to implement it
- The Art of Pitching – How to win people over to your idea
More than 10,000 pitches, 500 training sessions and the two golden rules of pitching
A good pitch determines whether an idea is heard or gets lost in the crowd. But pitching is not about saying everything – it’s about gaining time and building trust.
In this keynote speech, Daniel Cronin explains step by step how to present an idea in such a way that people really listen. It’s not just about techniques, but also about the right mindset: he explains the psychology and neurological effects behind a successful pitch and shows how to reach your audience emotionally.
A special highlight: he recounts how he himself went from being someone with severe stage fright to a professional speaker and shares strategies that anyone can use to overcome their fear. And how he became the first person to pitch in free fall. By the end of the keynote, everyone will not only want to talk about their idea, but also be able to inspire others with it.
Target audience:
– Actually, everyone. Because everyone needs persuasiveness.
– Managers who need to present their ideas convincingly.
– People who want to take their pitching skills to the next level
- AI & Thinking – How artificial intelligence gives us more time
Why AI is not a job killer, but the key to greater creativity
Artificial intelligence will take over many tasks – but does that mean we will think less? No, quite the opposite! This keynote speech shows why AI does not replace us, but gives us time for what is essential: truly deep thinking. And why this is an enormous opportunity for our culture.
Daniel Cronin explains in an easy-to-understand way how AI works and why it is essential to consciously take time for reflection. After all, AI can only optimise what we have thought through beforehand. And can implement afterwards. After this keynote speech, everyone will understand how to use AI for themselves – not as a threat, but as an opportunity to work more creatively, strategically and visionarily.
Target audience:
– People who have not yet dealt with AI but are curious about it
– Managers and decision-makers who want to prepare their team for the future
– Companies that want to use AI (should be relevant for everyone)
- From spark to community – how networks bring ideas to life
The campfire principle: How an idea grows into a strong community
An idea alone is not enough – it needs people to spread it. In this keynote speech, Daniel shows how to build a community that makes an idea big.
Using the image of a campfire, he explains how an idea is initially just a small spark that needs oxygen, fuel and care to become a flame. And when this flame shines, it attracts more and more people who work together to keep it burning.
Daniel Cronin shares his experiences from over ten years as the founder of Austrian Startups, Austria’s largest start-up community, and gives practical tips on how to build a strong community that will sustain an idea.
Target audience:
– Start-ups and entrepreneurs who want to build a network
– Companies that want to strengthen the network between their employees
– People who want to learn how to create a community and inspire long-term enthusiasm
- Storytelling – How information becomes meaning
Why stories decide what sticks
We live in a world full of information, but only a fraction of it stays in our minds. Our brains don’t store data, they store meaning. And meaning is created through stories. Storytelling is therefore not a ‘nice-to-have’, but an evolutionary mechanism that humans have used for thousands of years to pass on knowledge, values and decisions.
In this keynote speech, Daniel Cronin shows why storytelling beats traditional reporting: trust is established before arguments take effect. Using neuroscientific findings, tangible examples and
personal experiences, he explains why people remember facts less well than how they made them feel – and why this is not about manipulation, but about clarity, authenticity and structure.
Daniel makes storytelling a tangible, learnable skill and shows how good stories are structured and how to gain attention, earn time and create conviction. By the end, participants will understand why storytelling is the most effective lever for communication – and why those who tell stories that stick are the ones who are heard.
Target audience:
– Managers who really want to reach people
– Companies that need to communicate complex content in an understandable way
– Speakers, founders and experts who want to be remembered
– Organisations that want to build trust – both internally and externally
The graduate in business administration and trained actor is, among other things, co-founder of AustrianStartups (Austria’s largest startup platform and think tank for innovative entrepreneurship).
Daniel Cronin has received the honorary title of “The Pitch Professor” from the Vienna University of Technology and is co-host of the tech podcast Future Weekly (top 5% on Spotify). In 2018, he was accepted into the Future Leaders Programme of the 15th Science & Technology in Society forum (STS forum) in Kyoto. Born in Ireland to a German mother, he grew up bilingual and therefore hosts and speaks in both English and German.