Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED): Ideas Worth Spreading

At the centre of TED is an annual 4-day conference held in California (the United States) which features 50 speakers who are challenged to give an 18-minute talk to the 1,000-plus people in attendance. The content has expanded to include science, business, the arts, and global issues. There are no breakout groups; everyone shares the same experience. TEDGlobal is a sister conference held every other year, and in a different country on each occasion. The first conference was held in Oxford, England, in 2005; the second, in June 2007, was held in Arusha, Tanzania; the 2009 event will return to Oxford. The themes of the global conference are slightly more focused on development issues, but the basic TED format is maintained.

The TED website makes selected talks and performances from each year's conference available to the public, for free. As of January 2009, more than 350 "TedTalks" have been posted online, with more added each week. These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration, the TED website also involves a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other - through blogs, a Facebook group, Twitter feeds, the Big Questions widget, and other interactive tools.

The TED Prize is designed to leverage the TED community's array of talent and resources. It is awarded annually to 3 exceptional individuals who each receive US$100,000 and the granting of "One Wish to Change the World." After several months of preparation, they unveil their wish at an award ceremony held during the TED Conference. According to organisers, "[t]hese wishes have led to collaborative initiatives with far-reaching impact."

Technology.

TED is owned by The Sapling Foundation, a private nonprofit foundation established in 1996. The goal of the foundation is to "provide a platform for the world's smartest thinkers, greatest visionaries and most-inspiring teachers, so that millions of people can gain a better understanding of the biggest issues faced by the world, and a desire to help create a better future. Core to this goal is a belief that there is no greater force for changing the world than a powerful idea. Many factors can amplify the power of ideas: mass media, technology and market forces, to name three. In the past Sapling has supported projects that use these tools to leverage every dollar spent and create sustainable change in areas such as global public health, poverty alleviation, and biodiversity."