The TED Conference

Some Past Speakers at TED


Bill Gates Philanthropist	Bill Clinton Former President	Richard Branson Virgin	Bono Musician/Activist	Larry Page & Sergey Brin Google

Jeff Skoll Ebay & Participant	Jeff Bezos Amazon	Seth Godin Marketing Guru	Louise Leakey Paleoanthropologist	Burt Rutan Airplane Designer

Frank Gehry Architect	Malcolm Gladwell Author	Peter Gabriel Musician/Activist	Bob Ballard Titanic Locator	Thomas Mayne Architect

Chris Anderson Wired Magazine	Jared Diamond Anthropologist	Isabelle Allende Author	John Doerr Venture Capitalist	Gordon Brown UK Prime Minster

TED is an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share their passions. “TED” stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design — three broad subject areas that are collectively shaping our future. And in fact, the event is broader still, showcasing ideas that matter in any discipline. Attendees have called it “the ultimate brain spa” and “a four-day journey into the future.” The diverse audience — CEOs, scientists, creatives, philanthropists — is as extraordinary as the speakers, who have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Frank Gehry, Sir Richard Branson, Philippe Starck and Bono.

TED was first held in Monterey, California, in 1984. In 2001, Chris Anderson’s Sapling Foundation acquired TED from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. In recent years, TED has expanded to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; and the TED Prize. TED2010, “What the World Needs Now,” was held Feb 9-13, 2010, in Long Beach, California, with a simulcast event in Palm Springs, California.

About TEDx, x = Independently Organized Event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)