TEDNext

TEDNext is an annual TED conference focused on fueling its participants’ professional and personal growth and well-being and encouraging them to unlock new possibilities for their future.

TED Conferences is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that focuses on hosting conferences and making talks on a wide range of topics available online for free under the slogan “ideas worth spreading”.

TED Conferences was founded in 1984 as a tech conference; the acronym TED originally stands for “technology, entertainment, design”. The inaugural conference featured demonstrations of the recently developed compact disc and the Apple Macintosh computer. After the first conference, TED went on a six-year hiatus due to financial struggles and returned in 1990.

During the 1990s, TED expanded beyond its original fields of expertise (technology, entertainment and design) and started to feature presenters from many different spheres. In the early 2000s, the company updated its platform to provide TAD Talks online for free.

Every year, TED hosts conferences and other special events. They include the flagship TED Conference, TEDSummit, TEDGlobal, TEDMed, and, most recently, TEDNext. TEDNext has evolved from TEDWomen, an annual conference about the power of women to change the world. Primarily focused on women-oriented themes such as gender equality and reproductive health, TEDWomen was launched in 2010 to amplify the ideas and work of women worldwide.

After the 2023 edition of TEDWomen, the organizers announced that the conference would evolve into a brand new event named TEDNext. The new conference was presented as an expansion of the TEDWomen mission beyond gender that would make it possible to embrace fresh voices from various communities, see new perspective, and inspire a new generation of change makers who will work together to create a more equitable world.

But what makes TEDNext different from other TED events? According to the TED team, other events put an emphasis on exploring the collective future of society, while TEDNext invites participants to consider their unique role as an active participant in shaping the shared future of humanity.

Like all TED events, TEDNext features several dozen speakers, including leaders from various sectors, community and social justice activists, STEM entrepreneurs, game developers, artists, filmmakers, designers, architects, scientists and researchers, climate advocates, health and wellness specialists, professional athletes, actors and performers, journalists, authors, content creators, and other speakers who are eager to share their experience, perspectives, and ideas to inspire others.

In addition to TED Talk sessions, the program of TEDNext includes speaker meetups that allow participants to connect with speakers directly, hands-on workshops (Discovery Sessions), networking events, immersive experiences, parties, receptions, group meals, and other exciting events and activities.

It should be noted that while the flagship TED Conference is held in Vancouver, Canada, TEDNext takes place in Atlanta, United States.