Our story
It started in a New York co-working space
Stand Up For Passion began in 2014 in a small co-working space in New York. Arnaud Collery wanted an evening where people would tell the true story behind what drives them, not a polished pitch. Seven speakers, seven minutes each, then everyone stays to talk. Ten years later, in 2024, the anniversary edition welcomed astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
The stories have come from entrepreneurs, authors, artists, a competitive ambulance driver and refugees. What they share is a choice: to find what they care about and follow it. Schools in several countries now use SUFP talks in their programs.
The founder
Arnaud Collery
Arnaud Collery is a speaker and coach, and co-founder and CEO of Humanava. A former stand-up comedian and filmmaker, he curates every event and coaches each speaker personally. That coaching is what makes a SUFP talk different.
The team
Janet Nakano
Producer. Co-founder and COO of Humanava. A Los Angeles native and documentary filmmaker, she spent nearly 10 years as a senior video producer and director at IBM in New York.