Do you have an idea worth spreading?

If you do, consider taking it to the stage at TEDxGeorgiaCollege.

 

TED’s secret to great public speaking.

There's no single formula for a great talk, but there is a secret ingredient that all the best ones have in common. TED Curator Chris Anderson shares this secret — along with four ways to make it work for you. Do you have what it takes to share an idea worth spreading?

 
 

Chris Anderson, TED Curator

How does our theme inspire you?

Spark

Within Georgia College pulses the transformative power of a spark. That initial flash—brief yet brilliant—can ignite possibilities and illuminate new ways of thinking. A spark can leap from a revolutionary idea or smolder quietly before kindling personal transformation. When minds connect in our community, electric currents of conversation challenge assumptions, disrupting comfortable patterns and generating unexpected innovation. We spark curiosity, fan the flames of creativity, and tend to the embers of nascent ideas until they blaze into purposeful action. Join us for TEDxGeorgia College as we spark imagination, spark change, and spark ideas that reach far beyond our community.

Submit Your Idea

TEDx is a grassroots initiative, created in the spirit of TED’s overall mission to research and discover “ideas worth spreading.” TEDx brings the spirit of TED to local communities around the globe through TEDx events. These events are organized by passionate individuals who seek to uncover new ideas and to share the latest research in their local areas that spark conversations in their communities.

FAQs

  • State your idea. Tell us your idea quickly, clearly, and compellingly. Tell us your idea up front, at the beginning of your talk. Make sure that anyone listening to or reading your talk could easily repeat your idea in just a sentence or two.

    Show your expertise. You are an expert on your idea, but remember: your audience won't be. The best talks are accessible to the audience (and to our Board of Curators, reviewing your proposal). Make what is complex plain, and make the abstract real. Tell stories and use examples to help us connect with your idea.

    Remember your audience. The TEDxGeorgiaCollege audience is diverse; we represent a broad cross-section of your friends and neighbors. But we all have something in common: the desire to expand our minds with new ideas. Don't just wow us with your new idea; help us understand the implications and why it matters.

    Follow the rules. Promotion, commerce, and endorsements are not part of TEDxGeorgiaCollege. Please don't mention any company or product names--not even non-profits.

    Tell us: "Why Now?" Why does this idea need to be heard by this audience at this moment?

    Tell us: "Why You?" Why are you the person who should deliver the idea?

  • Please submit your idea by July 7, 2025.

  • Unfortunately, with the large number of submissions to TEDxGeorgiaCollege, we are not able to offer assistance before submission of your idea. To support our applicants, however, please review our online resources, including TED Curator Chris Anderson’s “TED’s Secret to Great Public Speaking.” Successful submissions should meet each of three requirements:

    • The idea is important.

    • The idea is interesting.

    • The idea is unique.

  • You should expect to receive a response from our Board of Curators in the month of July.

  • You don't need to be a professional speaker to take your idea to the stage at TEDxGeorgiaCollege. Our professional speakers and coaches will work with you to make your talk come alive. But you can do a few things to prepare.

    Watch TED talks. We encourage you to watch TED and TEDx talks—whether by attending a TED or TEDx event or watching talks online. Get the spirit of TED and learn what makes for a compelling idea to be shared from the TEDx stage.

    Read TED transcripts. Every talk begins with a good written draft. Beyond watching TED talks, read the online transcripts (typically displayed below the video).

  • TEDxGeorgiaCollege adheres to TED’s official TEDx Content Guidelines. In short, no commercial agendas, political agendas, inflammatory rhetoric, religious agendas, or bad science. Additionally, we do not seek ideas that are primarily inspirational, motivational, or self-promotional in nature.

  • No, our Board of Curators reviews each individual idea only once.

  • No. Partnering with TEDxGeorgiaCollege offers many advantages and benefits, but our partners are not allowed to take the stage.

  • TEDxGeorgiaCollege speakers should have a deep and abiding commitment to the idea they will bring to the TEDx stage. They will take part in a rigorous two-month period of coaching, including talk-design, delivery, and performance. The average time commitment will involve about 3-4 hours per week between June and October.

  • No. At TEDxGeorgiaCollege, every guest hears every talk. There are not keynote presentations or panel discussions.

  • No. TEDxGeorgiaCollege does not pay speakers. We do provide our speakers with extensive professional coaching and training.