Speaking in 2025

The TEDxAkron team doesn’t yet have a firm plan for how speakers for 2025 will be assembled. TEDx leaders are allowed to take a highly curatorial approach and hand-select speakers, or we can open up opportunities for open solicitation and live-pitch events — and anything in-between. In the months ahead, we will be releasing some details on our plans and how someone might be able to speak at a future event. In the meantime, please follow our socials and check back here frequently.

While you may reach out directly to one of the leaders in the meantime, we may not respond to every request and solicitation until we have plans for how 2025 will be structured.

We encourage you to please read all of the details below about what is a TEDx talk, what is allowed, what isn’t, and what’s changed since the pandemic with the TED and TEDx Global Leadership rules and regulations refresh.

What is a TEDx event?

Imagine a day filled with brilliant speakers, thought-provoking conversations, and new connections. By organizing a TEDx event, you can create a unique gathering in your community that will unleash new ideas with the potential to inspire and inform. A TEDx event is a local gathering where live TED-like talks and performances are shared with the community. TEDx events are fully planned and coordinated independently, on a community-by-community basis. TEDx events are truly volunteer endeavors - no one from the organizing team may be paid and speakers may never pay, or be paid, to share their ideas at a TEDx event. The content and design of each TEDx event are unique and developed by each organizing team but all events share these common features:

  • TEDx format - A suite of short, carefully prepared talks, demonstrations, and performances that are idea-focused and cover a wide range of subjects to foster learning, inspiration, and wonder – and provoke conversations that matter.

  • Diversity of topics - All TEDx events present multiple issues and a diversity of voices from many disciplines. After all, what’s the fun without a little variety?

  • Community-driven and bias-free content - A TEDx event is organized by volunteers from the local community, and just like TED events, it lacks any commercial, religious, or political agenda. Its goal is to spark conversation, connection, and community.

What a TEDx event is NOT:

  • A TEDx event isn’t an industry or marketing conference. It isn’t limited to one topic or field. It isn’t used to sell something.

  • A TEDx event is not organized by or for special-interest political, religious or commercial groups.

  • A TEDx event cannot be used to raise money for a charity.

  • A TEDx event cannot partner with another conference or event.

  • A TEDx event can’t be co-branded with an institution except under specific license types – available to a college or university, or for internal events (for the employees of an organization).

  • A TEDx event is not a platform for professional or circuit speakers, such as motivational speakers and professional life coaches. Its purpose is to give a platform to those who often do not have one.

  • A TEDx event is not focused solely on entrepreneurship, business, or technology. Diversity of topics is key!

Do you want to speak at a future TEDxAkron event?

TEDx events are not typical. The best TED talks are about sharing BIG IDEAS. Sharing a big idea is about informing and inspiring an audience. It’s about creating surprise and delight. Your idea should be unique and have the potential to spark conversations and make a positive impact. TED’s mission is to “Discover and spread ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding, and drive meaningful change.” This is about crafting something innovative, a new take on a concept many people already understand, a fresh or time-tested perspective on something that is known, or something completely innovative.

With this in mind, TEDxAkron is seeking amazing ideas, not necessarily the most “amazing” speakers. We will work with you to command the stage if you’re not someone who might already. But what we’re really excited about is your best ideas or innovation. This is a great way to decipher between a TEDx speaker, and an interesting or entertaining person with just an “okay” idea. What will the audience walk away knowing? What will make people think and become inspired or enlightened? This means…

  • We’re asking you for new ideas that originate in your community but are widely relatable.

  • We’re often seeking speakers with an idea the TED world hasn't heard before - in other words, please don’t try and copy a TED Talk you like, but maybe use it for inspiration and bring your ideas to the table.

  • We’re hoping for ideas that change perceptions, challenge ideas, and inspire others to think, feel, and change or progress.

As a TEDxAkron speaker, you should inspire the audience to think big or take action, whether it's to make a change in their own lives or to contribute to a larger cause. This can be achieved by providing practical advice, sharing inspiring stories, or highlighting important issues that need to be addressed. When it’s a call to action, think about a big idea that’s clear and specific, making it easy for the audience to take action. When you’re sharing a big idea that challenges the norm or inspires someone to think differently, you want to embody your talk with stories, visuals, sounds, and experiences that are convincing and engaging. A great way to consider a good idea: can you describe the basic idea in about 6 words? If not, it might be hard to accomplish in 8-14 minutes on stage.

The TED and TEDx audience has high expectations of the speakers, but don’t worry, the TEDxAkron Speaker Team will work with you at all stages of your speech planning to help shape a presentation that will succeed on the TEDx stage. Because TEDxAkron is the place to give the talk of your life! No one just “takes the stage” with a microphone on the day of an event. You are given guidance, coaching, advice, and a wealth of other support to deliver your TEDx Talk.

TEDxAkron Requirements + Limitations for Speaking

In line with TED and TEDx rules and regulations, there are some key requirements and limitations for speaking at TEDxAkron. In fact, during the pandemic, TED and TEDx Global Leadership made some significant changes to many longtime and well-known rules and opportunities that have changed for potential speakers:

  • You must be a current Summit County resident and/or employed by an Akron company or organization to speak at a TEDxAkron event. There are no exceptions to this requirement. TEDxAkron—like all TEDx organizations—is now required to pull from their identified geography, ours being Summit County residents and Akron residents/employees.

  • If you have spoken at a TED or TEDx event before, you can no longer speak at TEDxAkron. As of 2023, TEDx organizations are no longer welcome to entertain repeat TED and TEDx speakers. We know this is a big change, and that many people work hard and pride themselves on being repeat TEDx speakers, but that is no longer allowed to ensure the TEDx stage is focused on bringing new, fresh voices to the community year after year.

  • You cannot be a professional speaker by trade and speak at a TEDxAkron event. As of 2023, a TEDx event is no longer a platform for professional or circuit speakers, such as motivational speakers, professional life coaches, keynote speakers, and traditionally paid speakers/presenters. Therefore, if you have a speakers reel, get paid for speaking with any frequency, or it’s a core part of your company or business, TEDx is no longer a viable outlet. Again, we know this is a massive change in how TED and TEDx were understood, seen, and leveraged in the past. The purpose of this rule change is to give a stage and platform to those who often do not have one. And while speaking at TEDxAkron might be the launch of a new career in speaking, it is a one-and-done experience.

Being a TEDx organizer is an extraordinary experience and responsibility. Representing the TED and TEDx brand is something we are proud of and take seriously. But we know you might still have questions or other needs. Please know we’re here to help you become ready to take the TEDx leap and do something amazing on the TEDxAkron stage!

 
 
 
 
 

Looking to Volunteer?

The TEDxAkron team is always looking for volunteer leadership support. From fundraising to event management, marketing to speaker support, and beyond - we would love to hear from you if you are interested in volunteering with TEDxAkron.

Please know that volunteerism isn’t a direct pathway to speakership. In fact, we prohibit volunteers from becoming TEDxAkron speakers within the year of their volunteerism in order to not blur the lines between organizational support and organizational opportunity.

But if you are looking for a great, rewarding opportunity to work with a growing organization that impacts the Summit County and Akron community, we’d love to hear about your interest in volunteering with us!