Since its start in 1984, TED has grown from a one-day conference showcasing the compact disc into a global platform that continues to shape how we think, innovate, and communicate.
Over the last four decades, TED’s stage has introduced ideas and conversations that were ahead of their time, often before they entered public discourse.
In 2005, a young Jack Dorsey began developing what would become Twitter after his team secured funding through TED connections. A year later, Al Gore brought attention to climate change in a talk that helped drive global awareness.
TED in 2010 saw Sheryl Sandberg spark workplace conversations with “Lean In,” while in 2015, Bill Gates warned we weren’t prepared for the next pandemic, five years before COVID-19. That same year, a new digital currency, Bitcoin, was quietly included in the conference gift bag.
TED has consistently been where conversations begin ones that go on to influence policy, technology, business, and culture.
As TED completes 40 years, it’s not just a milestone in storytelling – but also a reminder of how moments on stage can shift global narratives.
