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Technology keynote · Booking 2027
Technology keynote speaker for teams that ship under pressure
Your experts cover the roadmap. Three-time Olympian Devon Harris covers the people who have to deliver it: how engineering, product and sales teams stay aligned, own the problem and reset fast when the plan changes.
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The most well-prepared keynote speaker I have ever had the pleasure of working with for a user conference.Crownpeak, user conference
Tech conferences and kickoffs
Reach out 3 to 6 months before your event. For dates inside 60 days, email speaker@devonharris.com.
Check your dateWhy tech companies book Devon
A technology speaker for the people side of tech
Most tech keynote speakers talk about the tools. Devon talks about the people who have to build, ship and sell them when the deadline moves, a release slips or the strategy changes overnight.
He learned to perform under pressure twice. First as an officer: he graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and served as a Captain in the Jamaica Defence Force. Then on the ice, as an original member of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team. A bobsled run is decided in the push start, when four athletes have to move as one before the sled races down the track at speeds in excess of 80 mph. In Calgary the team crashed in front of the world and walked the sled across the finish line. Devon came back to two more Winter Games as captain.
That is what he brings to tech conferences, engineering all-hands and sales kickoffs: a clear, practical way to stay aligned, own the problem and reset fast when something breaks. Your people leave with a shared language for ownership, setbacks and resets they can use in standups, retrospectives and planning.
- Alignment across product, engineering and sales
- Ownership when production breaks or a release slips
- Composure through reorgs, migrations and AI-driven change
- Momentum after a lost deal or a missed quarter
What happened at Adobe
“The team was in the middle of rocky transition and frankly, the morale was down across all 7 of our Digital Sales teams. Devon brought a lot of positive energy with amazing stories that the whole team could relate with. We came out of the keynote speech with a ton of positive energy, and sense of pride that WE ARE THE TEAM to take Adobe to new highs. We ended the quarter hitting 119% during a historically slow Q3.”
Keynotes for tech teams
Four keynotes technology teams bookOne story, built around your event
Every keynote starts with the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team and ends with something your people can use on Monday. Devon recommends one after a short call, or combines two.
01
New tools, new roles, same people
The Human Advantage
Leading people through AI-driven change. How leaders keep trust, ownership and momentum while the tools and roles around their teams keep moving.
02
Product, engineering and sales in sync
Push Together, Win Together
A four-man bobsled crew has seconds to get in sync and load the sled together. How cross-functional teams line up behind one goal and move as one.
03
When the release slips or production breaks
Keep On Pushing™
The 3R System (Responsibility, Reframe, Reset) for owning the problem, seeing it clearly and getting back to work fast. Resilience keynote
04
For sales teams at technology companies
The Sales Reset
The 3R System applied to a sales year: own the number, turn a lost deal into information and win the next run. Sales kickoff keynote
Not sure which one fits? Tell us about your audience and Devon will recommend a keynote.
Check Devon's availabilityMade for tech teams
Watch Devon for tech teams
1 minute. Why tech leaders bring Devon in: alignment, trust and resilience across the whole team, from Kingston to Sandhurst to three Olympic Games. To see him on stage, . For sales teams, there is also a .
Read all client reviewsFilmed after Devon left the stage
Where Devon fits
Built into your tech event agenda
Every format starts with Devon's pre-event survey and a prep call with your team, so your product, your theme and your language are part of the talk.
Tech conference
User or customer conference keynote
An opening or closing keynote that your customers rate, built around your conference theme. See opening and closing keynotes.
Engineering and product
All-hands or offsite keynote
One message for engineering, product and design teams before a big release year, a reorg or a platform change.
Sales and go-to-market
Sales kickoff keynote
The Sales Reset for account executives, sales engineers and customer success teams starting a new year.
Leaders
Leadership meeting
For CTOs, VPs and managers who carry the message into the year. See the leadership keynote.
Virtual and hybrid
Live on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and similar platforms for distributed and remote-first teams across time zones.
Related keynotes
Corporate keynotes, Olympic motivational speaker and all of Devon's keynote topics.
Length and fee
Keynotes run 45 to 60 minutes, with Q&A, adjusted to your agenda. Fees are quoted for your date, location and format. Ask for Devon's fee
What tech companies say
Trusted at technology conferences and company meetings
“Devon Harris was the most well-prepared keynote speaker I have ever had the pleasure of working with for a user conference. He truly took the time to understand what our business and event were about, and he included many relevant details from our prep call into his highly engaging talk. His keynote was the perfect ending to our busy conference, and he kept everyone laughing. In addition, our customers rated his keynote as excellent across the board in our post-event survey.”
“Your presentation was exciting, motivating, captivating and your delivery was flawless. It set the stage for the rest of the day; enabling an open environment to discuss, to plan and to strategize together as one team.”
“Good speakers come and inspire – GREAT speakers understand the objective of the meeting and personalize their message to fit.”
“Devon’s program was one of the highest rated presentations from this year’s conference. Devon has an incredible story to tell and our attendees really enjoyed it.”
Planning questions
Technology keynote speaker FAQ
What tech event teams ask before they book. Anything else, ask Devon's team.
About Devon Harris
Raised in Olympic Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. Graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and a former Captain in the Jamaica Defence Force. Original member of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team that inspired Cool Runnings, and captain in 1992 and 1998. Author of Keep On Pushing: Hot Lessons From Cool Runnings.
What does a technology keynote speaker do?
A technology keynote speaker sets the tone for a tech conference, an engineering all-hands or a sales kickoff at a technology company. Some speak about trends and tools. Devon speaks about the people side: how teams stay aligned, own the problem and reset fast when the plan changes, using his story from the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team and his 3R System (Responsibility, Reframe, Reset).
Is Devon a technology expert?
No, and he does not present himself as one. Devon does not cover your roadmap, your AI strategy or your architecture. He speaks about performance under pressure, teamwork and change, which is why technology companies often book him alongside their own product and technical sessions.
Which technology companies has Devon spoken for?
His client list includes Microsoft, IBM, Adobe, PayPal, Gartner, VMware, Vodafone, NTT DATA, Tech Data and Crownpeak, among 22 technology and telecom organizations.
Can Devon tailor the keynote to our product, team or conference theme?
Yes. Every keynote starts with Devon's pre-event survey and a prep call with your team, so your product, your theme and your language are part of the talk. Crownpeak wrote that he included many relevant details from their prep call, and IBM's Information on Demand team noted that he customized his story to fit their conference theme.
Does Devon speak at virtual or hybrid tech events?
Yes. Devon delivers live virtual and hybrid keynotes on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and similar platforms, which works well for distributed and remote-first teams across time zones.
How much does it cost to book Devon for a tech conference?
Fees depend on the date, the location and the format, such as a keynote alone or a keynote with a leadership session. Send your event details through the form on this page and Devon's team will reply with fee and availability.
How far ahead should we book?
Reach out 3 to 6 months before your conference or kickoff. For events inside 60 days, email speaker@devonharris.com to check short-notice availability.
Check availability
Planning a tech conference or kickoff? Check Devon's dates.
Tell us your date, location and audience, from engineering to sales. Devon's team will come back to you with availability, fees and format options.
- Send your event detailsDate, location, audience size and what your teams are facing this year.
- Talk with Devon's teamAgree on the keynote, the format and your goals for the event.
- Get a keynote built for your teamsThe pre-event survey and prep call shape the keynote around your product, your theme and your people.
Prefer to talk now? Call 844-853-3766 or email speaker@devonharris.com.