Whatever your business conundrum, there’s a TED Talk for that. Host Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School presents the most surprising, powerful ideas that illuminate the business world.

October 2023 - "Democracy is the most compelling vision we have for self-governance," says freedom advocate Yordanos Eyoel. Taking a stand against predatory and opportunist authoritarian forces, she shares how to reimagine, accelerate and protect the pro-democracy movement — to build societies that are both functional and inclusive.T

Aug 4, 2023 - In this engaging and interactive talk, Jim Rechtin will take you on a journey to identify the greatest rap artist of all time. Can this exercise be a lesson on ranked choice voting? You'll find out in this amazing talk from the TEDxNewRiver stage.

May 31, 2023 - In a practical, playful talk, leadership visionary Anne Morriss reinvents the playbook for how to lead through change -- with a radical, one-week plan to build trust and fix problems by following a step per day.

Feb 28, 2022 - Businesses need to stop cutting labor costs and start investing in people, says social impact investor Warren Valdmanis. In this perspective-shifting talk, he breaks down the essential ingredients of a "good" job -- which is more than just the size of a paycheck -- and shares why they're key to building great companies.

Apr 14, 2021 - From hours-long lines and limited polling locations to confusing and discriminatory registration policies, why is it so hard to vote in the US? Voting rights expert Amber McReynolds offers a proven alternative: a new process, already happening in parts of the country, that could bring accountability, transparency and equity to the outdated and sputtering system that American democracy currently relies on.

Apr 20, 2021 - The "broken" US political system is actually working exactly as designed, says business leader and activist Katherine Gehl. Examining the system Postthrough a nonpartisan lens, she makes the case for voting innovations, already implemented in parts of the country, that give citizens more choice and incentivize politicians to work towards progress and solutions instead of just reelection.

Jun 14, 2021 - Dr. Bill Weihl shares his perspective on how companies can change the game on climate by advocating for stronger public policy. Through his non-profit initiative, ClimateVoice, Dr. Weihl aims to mobilize the workforce to encourage companies to go "all in" on climate -- especially by using their voice and influence to support public policy, everywhere they operate.

Jan 8, 2020 - Do you feel frustrated or overwhelmed by the current state of politics? Are you unsure about what you can do to strengthen our democracy? In this talk, Yordanos Eyoel, an Ethiopian-American, offers practical solutions, based on her life experiences and research, on how we can use our day-to-day actions to unleash our civic power and transform our democracy and our country.

Feb 10, 2020 - In a world of endless reviews and options, it's easy to become paralyzed by indecision. Investor and writer Patrick McGinnis shares the dangers of "FOBO" -- the fear of better options -- and how to overcome it.

May 28, 2020 - How should companies navigate a world of rapid change? Rich Lesser, CEO of Boston Consulting Group, and head of TED Chris Anderson discuss a three-phased approach: flatten, fight, future. In the wake of so much uncertainty, Lesser shares how he's advising business leaders to plan around these phases -- to keep employees safe while continuing to build strong businesses.

April 2020 - As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political theorist Danielle Allen describes how we can ethically and democratically address both problems by scaling up "smart testing," which would track positive cases with peer-to-peer software on people's cell phones -- so we can end the pandemic and get back to work.

Nov 11, 2020 - "Business is screwed if we don't fix climate change," says economist Rebecca Henderson. In this bold talk, she describes how unchecked capitalism destabilizes the environment and harms human health — and makes the case for companies to step up and help fix the climate crisis they're causing. Hear what a reimagined capitalism, in which companies pay for the climate damage they cause, could look like.

Sep 9, 2019 - As the executive vice president of Tetra Tech, Nilmini Rubin discusses the importance of global initiatives to strengthen our foreign aid in Africa including her contribution to the United States' Power Africa initiative.

January 2018 - Jeffrey Walker takes a note from Thomas Jefferson, who held countless dinners that resulted in country-changing policies. Jeffrey invites us to host our own Jeffersonian Dinner, like he has for years. He gives us the recipe to create lively, innovation-sparking and solution-oriented dinner conversations that help people come together and make real change happen.

May 25, 2018 - Trust is the foundation for everything we do. But what do we do when it's broken? In an eye-opening talk, Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei gives a crash course in trust: how to build it, maintain it and rebuild it -- something she worked on during a recent stint at Uber. "If we can learn to trust one another more, we can have unprecedented human progress," Frei says.

Jan 26, 2016 - Liam Kerr talks about his experience mobilizing community support to keep the Olympics out of Boston. He talks about the research he did, the knowledge he shared, and how he learned about what the community cares about. Whether it's David and Goliath, or the Emperor's new clothes, Liam's story falls in with a heroic quest to do what was best for his city.

Dec 23, 2016 - Large scale social impact requires linking innovative social entrepreneurs with a new type of social change agent, the System Entrepreneur. The System Entrepreneur unites data, research, innovation and policy change through a new model that uses collaborative glue and managed egos. Using examples from the music and health fields, Jeffrey Walker describes this framework for population level system change.

Jul 2, 2015 - In 2011, the US Armed Forces still had a ban on women in combat — but in that year, a Special Operations team of women was sent to Afghanistan to serve on the front lines, to build rapport with locals and try to help bring an end to the war. Reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon tells the story of this "band of sisters," an extraordinary group of women warriors who broke a long-standing barrier to serve.

Apr 29, 2014 - Jake Harriman served as a Special Operations Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps where he led four operational deployments and was awarded the Bronze Star for actions in combat. From his experiences, Jake came to believe that the "War on Terror" won't be won on the battlefield alone: the contributing causes of terrorism -- disenfranchisement, lack of education, and extreme poverty -- must also be eradicated. Jake left his military career and enrolled at the Stanford Graduate School of Business to build an organization focused on tackling extreme poverty.

May 20, 2014 - Anat R. Admati holds a bachelor's degree from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a doctorate from Yale University, and is a professor of finance and economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Dec 22, 2014 - Our feverish appreciation of the virtual economy is tempered only with our concerns about privacy. If it’s so easy to spend money online…how hard could it be to breach security?

Mar 8, 2013 - Race. Racism. Politics. Critical race theory. Constitutional law. Professor Ian Haney-López is the John H. Boalt Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, where he teaches in the areas of race and constitutional law. He has a BA, an MA (Washington University), an MPA, (Princeton), and a law degree (Harvard.)

May 4, 2013 - Sterling Speirn is president and CEO of the W.K.Kellogg Foundation. Since joining the foundation, he has refined the mission, focusing on propelling vulnerable children to success through an approach focused on education and learning, food, health and well-being, and family economic security along with a commitment to promoting racial equity and community and civic engagement.

Oct 7, 2013 - Why do we turn to nonprofits, NGOs and governments to solve society's biggest problems? Michael Porter admits he's biased, as a business school professor, but he wants you to hear his case for letting business try to solve massive problems like climate change and access to water. Why? Because when business solves a problem, it makes a profit -- which lets that solution grow.

May 26, 2011 - Gisel Kordestani is the director of New Business Development at Google for Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. She joined Google in 2003, and played an early role in developing the company's global commercial systems, strategies and partnerships.

Jan 27, 2012 - Women aren't micro--so why do they only get micro-loans? At TEDxWomen reporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon argues that women running all types of firms-- from home businesses to major factories-- are the overlooked key to economic development.

2010 - In this fascinating talk, marketer Lisa Witter presents some intriguing data about the relationship between gender and philanthropy. Through surveys and data provided by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Witter reveals the startling trends among men and women in regards to supporting charities.