About

What is TED?

TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment, and Design topics converged. Yet today, it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts, and global issues as a platform allowing everyone and anyone an opportunity to present in front of a community of witnesses and talk openly about big ideas. Today, TED is a nonprofit dedicated to discovering and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding, and drive meaningful change. The organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder, and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. TED welcomes people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others and invites everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in their community. To learn more about TED visit their website here.

What is TEDx?

The rambunctious baby sibling of TED, TEDx is a localized, grassroots initiative, created in the spirit of TED’s overall mission to research and discover “ideas worth spreading.” TEDx programs bring the spirit of TED to local communities around the globe through their own TEDx events. These events are organized by passionate individuals who seek to uncover new ideas and share the latest research in their local areas that spark conversations in their communities. TEDx events include live speakers and recorded TED Talks, and are organized independently under a free license granted by TED. TED does not control these events, but local event organizers agree to abide by the required format and are offered guidelines for curation, speaker coaching, event organizing, and more. More than 3000 events are now held annually across the globe and around the block.