Born into a legendary family of explorers who have conquered the stratosphere and the abyss, Bertrand Piccard made history by achieving two aeronautical firsts: a non-stop round-the-world balloon flight and then in a solar-powered aircraft without any fuel. A pioneer in considering ecology from the angle of economic growth, he has been promoting renewable energies and clean technologies since the early 2000s. His dual identity as psychiatrist and explorer allows him to serve as an inspirational speaker and a recognised interlocutor for major institutions, sharing his vision of "qualitative economy" that reconciles ecology and the economy. With his Solar Impulse Foundation, he has achieved his objective of identifying more than 1,500 "Efficient Solutions", which he is now endeavoring to bring to the attention of political and industrial decision-makers to enable them to achieve their climate objectives. A humanist, this former United Nations ambassador for the environment uses his reputation to promote progress, sustainability, and quality of life, three themes that are reflected in his efforts to unite the forces at work and encourage non-partisan political action to modernise the legal framework.

The new hydrogen-powered airplane project, Climate Impulse, is part of this passion to explore new ways of doing and thinking.