Speaker — Neptune Forum 2026
Bertrand Piccard
Initiator and President, Solar Impulse Foundation; President and Pilot, Climate Impulse
Co-founder and Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation
Solar Impulse Foundation
Bertrand Piccard is a Swiss explorer, psychiatrist, and environmental pioneer who promotes a pragmatic vision of sustainability grounded in economic opportunity. Convinced that ecological transition can only succeed if it is profitable, he advocates for energy efficiency and clean technologies as drivers of a “qualitative economy” that reconciles environmental protection with growth and competitiveness. Heir to a family of renowned explorers, Piccard made history by completing the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight and later piloting the first circumnavigation of the globe in a solar-powered airplane - demonstrating the potential of renewable energy. As founder and chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, he has led the identification of over 1,600 efficient and profitable solutions, proving that sustainability and economic performance can go hand in hand. Through his work, Piccard engages political and industrial leaders to modernize infrastructure and accelerate environmental action. His next challenge, Climate Impulse, aims to achieve the first non-stop, zero-emission flight around the world using green hydrogen. A passionate communicator, he shares a new narrative of climate action - one that emphasizes innovation, efficiency, and the creation of jobs and prosperity.
