
TED is owned by a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages.
The main TED conference is held annually in Canada at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The speakers are given a maximum of 18 minutes to present their ideas in the most innovative and engaging ways they can. Past speakers include Bill Clinton, Stephen Hawking, Jane Goodall, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Bill Gates and many others.
TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. As there is a strong belief in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world, TED’s agenda is to make great ideas accessible and spark conversation.
In fact, TED’s mission is driven by this goal: How to promote ideas worth spreading?
You can find more information in TED’s official website.