TED Fellows

The TED Fellows program identifies remarkable emerging leaders from every discipline and every corner of the world, giving them the tools, visibility, and network to amplify their impact. Since its launch in 2009, the program has supported over 500 fellows from more than 100 countries, including scientists, artists, activists, technologists, doctors, journalists, and entrepreneurs working on some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Unlike traditional fellowships, the TED Fellows program does not provide direct financial support. Instead, it offers something many fellows describe as even more valuable: access to the TED platform. Fellows attend the annual TED conference, deliver a TED Talk that can reach millions of viewers worldwide, and receive extensive public speaking coaching from TED's team of experts. The resulting visibility has been transformative for many fellows, unlocking funding, partnerships, media coverage, and opportunities that would otherwise have taken years to develop.

The TED Fellows community is intentionally global and interdisciplinary. Fellows are selected not just for the quality of their work, but for their potential to benefit from and contribute to a diverse network. A marine biologist from the Philippines might collaborate with an AI researcher from Kenya and a street artist from Brazil. These connections — facilitated through annual retreats, an active online community, and ongoing programming — form a web of mutual support and cross-pollination that extends far beyond the formal fellowship period.