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Chris Barton

Chris Barton is the visionary founder and creator of Shazam, an entrepreneur, inventor, and tech investor.

Chris wanted a way to identify songs anywhere he heard them using a mobile phone. There wasn’t one – so he invented the application called Shazam, a creation that is nothing short of pure magic.

When he first had the idea in 1999, no technology existed to achieve his goal. He was told by professors at MIT and Stanford that it was impossible. He then embarked on a journey to make it possible. This was seven years before the invention of the iPhone and eight years before anyone had heard of an App Store.

Shazam first worked by calling 2580 and holding the mobile phone to the music. The database would recognise the song and send an SMS with the details.

In 2018, Shazam was acquired by Apple for a reported $400 million, making it Apple’s 6th largest acquisition of all-time. Shazam has been downloaded over 2 billion times and is used each month by over 300 million people, making it one of the world’s most popular apps.

Holding 12 patents, Chris has made significant contributions to the tech industry. He is currently involved in a third startup company, Guard, an artificial intelligence system that detects drowning in swimming pools – a never-before accomplished effort. He also advises and invests in early stage companies that are changing the world.

Chris Barton is an inspirational speaker who is full of enthusiasm and energy, as well as valuable insights on innovation, creativity, resilience and adaptability and achieving the impossible. He is a sought-after keynote speaker who has spoken across five continents with a range of organisations and businesses. Past clients include L’Oréal, Accenture, American Express, YMCA, Coca-Cola and Verizon.

Contact Great British Speakers today to book creator and founder of Shazam, tech inventor and tech investor Chris Barton for your next event.

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Testimonials

“We recently had Chris Barton speak at our 40th anniversary celebration. He delivered what was by far the best one hour keynote that our clients and staff had ever seen. Chris was insightful, energetic, and entertaining speaker with thought-provoking ideas.”
– CEO, Costa Rica, Porter Novelli

“Chris Barton customized a powerful keynote that delivered significant value for Coca-Cola. His messages sparked action among our executives and inspired our bottler partners toward our goals. Chris’s energy and enthusiasm really stands out. He is an inspiration with truly eye-opening insights and stories.”
– VP Customer & Commercial Leadership, Coca-Cola

“You were the hit of the whole event. Really, it was a pleasure to host you and hope we meet again. You are a true inspiration. People asked me if you were as nice as you seemed on stage – oh boy, that was easy. You are a true gentleman and it was an honor to meet you.”
– CEO, Info-Tech Research Group

“Chris embodies inspiration from head to toe. We loved his stories and insights on the core mindsets that lead to game-changing innovation. His delivery was fun, genuine and honest, both during his speech and as our “guest star” at my leadership team’s offsite dinner.”
– CEO, Mexico, L’Oréal

“Chris Burton delivered a truly inspiring talk to almost 2000 King employees during our flagship event. It’s among the best we’ve ever had! We appreciate how Chris tailored the message for us, tied it to King’s mission of Making the World Playful, and left Kingsters feeling inspired and encouraged to truly believe in our ideas, seeking out ways to take them to the next level.”
Global Associate Director of Events, King, creator/owner of Candy Crush

“What a message, Chris! We were eagerly anticipating your talk at our Boston conference and you absolutely delivered. You have such an engaging stage manner and your message was perfect for this audience, which puts a premium on actionable insights from real people who’ve accomplished unreal things! The magical Shazam app certainly falls in that category. Thank you for inspiring our people to look tough challenges in the eye and hit them head on.”
Senior Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives, American Montessori Society

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