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).

Admiralspalast Berlin
Friedrichstrasse 101
Berlin, Berlin, 10117
Germany

Amánda Argot Efthimiou

Amánda Argot Efthimiou explores the intersection of culture, consciousness, and psychedelics to regenerate self and society. She architects personal transformation by bridging traditional knowledge with scientific insights. She holds an MSc in Neuroscience with a focus on the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicines. Amánda talks about how integrating altered-states of consciousness into daily life is a catalyst for authentic leadership and purposeful living.

BÄM !

In September 2014, the first Berlin Drumline School was opened! Supported by Peter Fox (Seeed), Bryan Little and Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH in Kreuzberg. BÄM teaches the type of show drumming, which is hardly common in Germany, and to train one or more drum groups based on American models in Berlin with the aim of performing on street parades, sporting events and on their own stage shows.

Bel Trew

Bel is The Independent’s award-winning Chief International Correspondent, documentary filmmaker and photojournalist. Born and raised in the Gulf, Bel has covered the MENA region since the 2011 uprisings reporting on conflicts from Libya to Yemen. Bel, who also grew up in the Baltic States, widened her focus to Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reporting from the frontlines where she directed her first documentary “The Body in the Woods”. She has covered the war in Gaza since the start, the fourth war in the region Bel has reported from. Bel was named international journalist of the year at the UK Press Awards. She lived seven years in Cairo, then Jerusalem, Beirut and is now in Berlin.

Bilal Alnemr

Bilal Alnemr was born in Damascus in 1996. He discovered the violin thanks to a small toy violin given to him by his father and he continued to learn alone using only a DVD. Bilal won the Syrian national violin competition in 2007 and the Solhi Alwadi competition, and has since given concerts across India, Russia, Qatar, Jordan and Lebanon. Following his participation in the Mediterranean cultural exchange ECUME, he joined the conservatory of Aix-en-Provence in the class of Sophie Baduel and moved to Paris in 2012 to study with Suzanne Gessner at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris. Four years later, he graduated from the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) where he studied with Roland Daugareil and Olivier Charlier. He then joined the Barenboïm-Saïd Academy in Berlin to perfect his skills with Michael & Daniel Barenboïm.

Bryan William Jones

Dr. Bryan William Jones is a neuroscientist and photographer. His neuroscience focuses upon understanding the retina and how neurons in the visual system are wired together in a complex topology that allows the computation of visual information. Understanding what the evolution of neural circuitry can teach us about how retinas process visual information can teach us principles of information processing not just in neural systems, but potentially also in biologically inspired computing. The work is funded through the study of retinal degenerative diseases to understand how neural structure, organization and circuitry changes in neurodegenerative disease. Bryan’s photographic work is a tacit personal reminder of why he works in retinal and visual sciences. Understanding how we perceive the world through neural circuits involved in vision is compelling enough. But understanding how neural circuits are altered in diseases like retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis drives the work. He has been published or his work discussed internationally and has appeared in museums, have been used in documentary films, and numerous books on various topics.

Gabe Zichermann

Gabe Zichermann is a renowned educator, entrepreneur and change agent whose work in behavioral design has helped transform workplaces, processes and products across industries and continents.

Giusy Amoroso

Giusy Amoroso is an Italian digital artist and creative technologist based in Berlin, Germany. Her background is dynamic, having studied sociology, product and public design. Later, she obtained a master's in computer graphics, focusing on CGI and VFX for film post-production. Her research centers on exploring organic shapes and alternative representations of reality, drawing inspiration from the intricate structures and forms found in nature. Giusy's creations emerge from the realm of biological mutation, seamlessly intertwining the essence of nature with the limitless potential of science and technology. Giusy's ultimate goal is to challenge perception and raise awareness about the potential of technology, inspiring individuals to see the beauty and wonder beneath the surface of the world.

Irena Arslanova

Irena is a postdoctoral researcher in cognitive neuroscience at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is interested in how we experience time - why it can sometimes pass with a dizzying speed, yet other times take painstakingly long? Irena examines how our internal bodily signals, like the beating of the heart, cause the time to distort. She designs experiments to link perception to physiology (see: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.034) and use EEG (electroencephalography) to reveal the underlying neural mechanisms. She is starting a Leverhulme early-career fellowship in March 2024.

Jeanne Adili Ndatirwa

Jeanne Adili Ndatirwa, the wife of the Rwandan Ambassador to Berlin, is a financial expert with a background in accounting and finance. Formerly the Interim Dean for the MBA program at Touro Berlin College, she held roles in academia and finance, including Head of the Department of Accounting and Finance at Campus St Jean, U of Alberta, and Account Manager for Ford Credit Canada. Currently, Jeanne is actively involved in not-for-profit organizations and serves as the president of the group of spouses of African Ambassadors. She holds a business degree, has received academic recognition, and enjoys reading, traveling, and flying single-engine propeller planes.

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg

2002-2011: German policy maker (Minister of Defense, Minister of Economics & Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany, Member of German Parliament and the Council of Europe) 2011-2023: Investor, author, advisor, filmmaker Co-producer and host/moderator of several media formats (e.g., a tv documentary series on „power“) Chairman, Spitzberg Partners LLC, New York Managing Director, Guttenberg Ventures, Munich Distinguished Statesman, Center for Strategic and Security Studies, Washington, DC Board member and advisory board member in several international companies and NGOs Author: latest book „3 Sekunden“ (Herder, Freiburg 2023). Numerous contributions in international media outlets (NYT, FT, WSJ et al.) and TV channels (CNN, BBC, CNBC, Fox, MSNBC et al.) Podcaster (top 5 German news podcast „Gysi gegen Guttenberg) Ex-doctor, law degree (University of Bayreuth), PhD (Finance, University of Southampton).

Lawrence Lessig

Lawrence Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. Prior to rejoining the Harvard faculty, Lessig was a professor at Stanford Law School, where he founded the school’s Center for Internet and Society, and at the University of Chicago. He clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Antonin Scalia on the United States Supreme Court. Lessig serves on the Board of the AXA Research Fund, and on the advisory boards of Creative Commons and the Sunlight Foundation. He is a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Association, and has received numerous awards, including the Free Software Foundation’s Freedom Award, Fastcase 50 Award and being named one of Scientific American’s Top 50 Visionaries. Lessig holds a BA in economics and a BS in management from the University of Pennsylvania, an MA in philosophy from Cambridge, and a JD from Yale.

Luanne Calvert

C-Suite veteran Luanne Calvert, a trailblazer in transitioning global brands to digital experiences, envisions cultivating a new generation of executives, particularly from underprivileged backgrounds like her own. Despite facing challenges, she forged a career breaking into exclusive realms, holding leadership roles at Google, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, LVMH, Yahoo!, Walmart, and founding MixedMarketing with clients like Netflix, eBay, and Calvin Klein. Her board positions include UMPQUA Bank, SMULE, and various non-profits. Recognized in books and publications, she received awards such as Fast Company's "Most Innovative Marketers" and Brandweek’s “Marketer of the Year.” Notably, her TED-recognized Virgin America Safety Video transformed a routine message into entertainment. Holding a BS in Marketing, she's guest lectured at prestigious universities.

Marcus Schögel

Prof. Dr. Marcus Schögel, Institute of Marketing and Customer Insight at the University of St. Gallen (IMC-HSG), Switzerland, is focusing in interaction and exchange-based strategies for superior customer experiences. With a background in business administration, he earned his PhD in 1997 and habilitated in 2004, focusing on multichannel management and relational capabilities in marketing. Since 2009, he has been a senior lecturer at the university, also serving as the academic director of the Master in Marketing Management program and leading the competence center for Customer Centricity in Asia at the Singapore Institute for Management (SGI-HSG). He has published over 130 papers, articles, and books on marketing topics, including a textbook on "Distribution Management." Schögel is an active member of prestigious marketing associations and holds leadership roles in various academic and entrepreneurial initiatives, including co-founding companies like Marketing-Auditorium St. Gallen and FIELD 33, an AI-based venture. His newest book, "The Customer Experience Navigator," focuses on successful customer journey management and touchpoint innovations for corporations and their customers.

Martin Gutmann

Martin Gutmann is a speaker, author, and researcher interested in how the past can shed new light on contemporary issues. He is a professor at the Lucerne School of Business, Switzerland. His most recent book is The Unseen Leader: How History Can Help Us Rethink Leadership: www.martingutmann.com/unseen Martin has a Ph.D. in history from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, USA, an eMBA from IE Business School, Spain, and higher education teacher’s training from Harvard University, USA and ETH Zurich, Switzerland.

Michael Barenboim

Meet Michael Barenboim, a dazzling violinist. After an enchanting performance of Schönberg's Violin Concerto in Cologne Philharmonie under Pierre Boulez, Michael's journey took flight. Debuting with the Vienna Philharmonic, he graced global stages, from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the Berlin Philharmonic. His repertoire includes iconic venues like Elbphilharmonie, Sydney Opera House, Wigmore Hall, and Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. As a Boulez Ensemble member and professor at the Barenboim-Said Academy, Michael is a dean since 2020. Co-founding the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble in 2020, they toured the USA pre-pandemic. Notable debuts include Berg's Violin Concerto and Mozart's Violin Concerto in B flat major. His diverse discography, including Boulez' Anthèmes and collaborations with Deutsche Grammophon, showcases his musical brilliance.

Sawsan Chebli

Sawsan Chebli was born in Berlin in 1978 as the twelfth child of a Palestinian family who had fled Palestine in 1948. Her and her family lived stateless in the German capital for 15 years before they were granted German citizenship. Chebli studied political science. After holding various positions in the German Bundestag, she became a policy advisor for intercultural affairs at the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport in 2010, where she was primarily dedicated to Jewish-Muslim-Christian dialogue among young people and launched projects that were awarded several times. In January 2014, then Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appointed her to the Federal Foreign Office as deputy spokesperson. She was the first German-Palestinian to hold this position. From 2016 to 2021, she was the State of Berlin's Plenipotentiary to the Federal Government and State Secretary for Civic Engagement and International Affairs. She has over 130,000 followers on Twitter and contributes to the political debate with her posts there and on other platforms and as a columnist for the Tagesspiegel. Sawsan Chebli lives in Berlin, is married, and has a son.

Sing dela Sing

At Sing dela Sing everyone sings along – even passionate shower singers. The subtitle “Everyone sings – all night long” says it all: from the first moment to the last note, hundreds of people in the audience sing current pop songs together – from ABBA to Avicii, from Peter Gabriel to Peter Fox, from “7 Seconds” to “7 Years”, from “1999” to “2002”. Three pop music professionals accompany the whole thing, the lyrics are lovingly prepared via video projection and within a few minutes, singing together makes everyone infinitely happy.

Stephan Balzer

In 2009, Stephan Balzer made a landmark contribution to Germany’s intellectual and visionary landscape by introducing the TEDx conference format. This move not only established a platform for groundbreaking ideas and innovations in the country, but also laid the foundation for a thriving TEDx community that continues to flourish. In tandem with bringing the Singularity University Summit to Berlin, Balzer played a pivotal role in deepening the conversation on digitalization and the challenges posed by technological disruption. A sought-after keynote speaker and event moderator, Balzer frequently discusses future-forward business subjects like digital transformation, disruptive innovation, new leadership, and cultural change. His speeches resonate with his unique perspective on exponential thinking and the essential evolution of executive mindsets for the coming era. Over his career, Stephan has anchored around 80 conferences and has delivered numerous illuminating talks on stage.

Valentin Hammoudi

With a focus on plant biology, Dr. Valentin Hammoudi's journey from childhood fascination to earning a Ph.D. at Universiteit van Amsterdam has been remarkable. After having worked at Freie Universität Berlin as a researcher in plant molecular biology, his exploration extends to biotechnologies, as well as impactful projects bridging scientific discoveries to the public, including engaging TED-Ed animations and a groundbreaking popular science book: “le pouvoir des plants” (available only in French for now).

Ven. Hyon Gak Sunim

Hyon Gak Sunim was born Paul J. Muenzen in 1964 to a family of devout Catholics in New Jersey, U.S.A. A graduate of Yale College ('87) and comparative religions at Harvard Divinity School (MTS, '92), Sunim was ordained as a Buddhist monk in China by the legendary Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn, in 1992. He has completed some 45 of the 3-month intensive traditional silent meditation retreats in various remote mountain places in Korea, including 3 intensive 100-day solo meditation retreats. He received inka(formal approval of enlightenment, and certification of teaching authorization) from Zen Master Seung Sahn in 2001.