TED Fellows celebrate at a TED event. The program will support the next generation of leaders with support from the Ballmer Group.
At TED we strive for big ideas and systems change. To create the generational impact we want to support in our communities, we cannot do this alone. Over the past 15 years, the TED fellows program is committed to finding and supporting the next generation of emerging talent who are pushing the boundaries in their fields and working to solve the biggest challenges in their communities.
From criminal justice reformers to education entrepreneurs, conservationists to maternal health innovators, TED provides these emerging leaders with transformational support in the form of communications training, network building, professional coaching, and amplification of their ideas and influence. To date, Fellows’ TED Talks have been viewed more than 450 million times. TED then nurtures this community of more than 500 Fellows from more than 100 countries, connecting and supporting these changemakers throughout their careers, with the goal of this collective braintrust creating systemic change and lasting impact. Fellows directly serve more than 200 million people worldwide every year with their work.
Through their Community Impact vertical, Ballmer Group is committed to building leadership pipelines that help communities tackle complex problems and create measurable and lasting change. Announcing a $3 million commitment to fund the TED Fellows program, Ballmer Group Director of Community Impact Eshauna Smith said: “Our investment in this effort reflects our belief that advancing economic mobility requires investment at scale in the core support and platforms needed to grow. the innovations brought forth by the diverse group of talented leaders the TED Fellows program supports.” She added, “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to learning from and with past and future Fellows.”
Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows Program, said: “This meaningful investment from Ballmer Group will help TED Fellows develop and grow in new and exciting ways over the next three years. As we face the most pressing issues of our time – climate change, wealth inequality, social justice and disinformation – TED is more committed than ever to supporting these talented innovators who are pushing boundaries in their fields to create a more informed, creative and create a just future. .”
Ballmer Group’s $3 million investment will strengthen the TED Fellows program by:
- Increasing investments in community and network building among Fellows, with the aim of greater collaboration and impact
- Providing enhanced support to Fellows looking to broaden their audiences and expand their networks
- Evolving Fellows content through new formats, distribution models and partnerships – not only to gain greater visibility for the work of these innovators, but also to inspire the next generation of emerging changemakers worldwide
- Commit to field building through innovative partnerships and meetings, to collectively address pressing issues
Ballmer Group funding supports the TED Fellows program to continue identifying and supporting 10 new Fellows and 500+ alumni Fellows each year. These Fellows include innovators such as:
- Shivani Siroyaentrepreneur in financial inclusion and founder of Tala, a tool that allows anyone with a mobile phone to build a financial track record
- Jeffery Gibsonmultidisciplinary artist who creates paintings, sculptures, installations and performances celebrating queer and indigenous communities
- Larry Irvineducational innovator and the CEO of Brothers Empowered to Teach, which provides pathways to careers in education for Black men
- Brittany Youngsocio-economic engineer, disrupting the prison pipeline by creating opportunities in STEM and motorsports
For more information about the TED Fellows, visit program fellows.ted.com and follow further Instagram or LinkedIn.
