About Us

A brief history of TED, TEDx, and TEDxUCLA.

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.

The inaugural TEDxUCLA event took place on June 18, 2011, with the theme of Minding, Mining, Mending, Mapping.  More than 15 distinguished speakers, including the global collaboration Culturehub, took to the stage in front of a crowd of over 350 guests to share “ideas worth spreading.”  On October 27, 2012 the second TEDxUCLA explored the theme Open. A diverse slate of speakers from UCLA and beyond presented a range of engaging talks on everything from bicycle activism and sexual health advocacy to the relationships between medical and zoological health. On May 31st, 2014, the third TEDxUCLA took place at the Bridges Theatre at the Northern part of the UCLA Campus.  The theme was once again Open. On May 30th, 2015 we had our fourth event at Carnesale Commons at UCLA with a theme of “Beyond the Box”. On May 21st, 2016 we also had our event at Carnesale Commons and the theme was “Stretch”.

Stay posted about TEDxUCLA talks, speakers and events by following us on Twitter, Facebook YouTube and LinkedIn.

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.

Started as a four-day conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives.

At TED, the world’s leading thinkers and doers are asked to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.

Talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Two major TED events are held each year: The TED Conference takes place every spring in Long Beach, California (along with a parallel conference, TEDActive, in Palm Springs), and TEDGlobal is held each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily; the new TED Conversations, enabling broad conversations among TED fans; and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide.

TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to host local, self-organized events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

For information about TED’s upcoming conferences see here.

Follow TED on Twitter or on Facebook.