TED Announces the Global Launch of the TEDx Anchor Program

Bengaluru/Chandigarh, February 17, 2016: TED, the organization devoted to “ideas worth spreading,” has announced the launch of the TEDx Anchor Program, a dynamic cultural ideas exchange, designed to celebrate TEDx events around the world. Through a strategic partnership with Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, the program will kick off with a two-year, 14-city pilot in India.

TEDx is a program of local, independently organized events that inspire communities to discuss big ideas on a wide range of subjects – education, health, science, design, technology, entertainment and more. Since its launch in 2009, there have been more than 15,000 TEDx events in 170 countries, with a further billion people engaged online.

The TEDx Anchor Program works closely with local TEDx events and their organizers to provide personalized support, foster civic engagement at the local level and ultimately help to build stronger, more connected communities. “We’re excited to partner with Infosys to deepen our commitment to the TEDx community with the launch of the TEDx Anchor Program. More than just offering TED’s support, this initiative is an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with our organizers, and to share local ideas with the world,” said Jay Herratti, TEDx Executive Director. “India is an ideal place to launch this new program because it has such a strong network of 700+ TEDx events with so much potential for further expansion and growth – it is a big country with a lot of great ideas we are keen to discover and help spread.”

Through the strategic partnership with Infosys, TED will provide dedicated mentorship, scholarships and training to TEDx organizers in cities across India, including: Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mangalore, Mumbai, Mysore, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. This includes:
? Annual scholarships for TEDx organizers to attend a TED Conference
? Training and education sessions with TED Staff
? Scholarship to participate in a TEDx Anchor India Workshop hosted at Infosys’s Mysore campus in March 2016
? Tools and resources to assist in producing high quality talks, events, marketing and audience experiences at the local TEDx events
? Opportunity to host local TEDx events at Infosys campuses in India
? Marketing and communications support, including the creation of a documentary about the program to create awareness of the key issues and showcase the latest ideas coming out of India
“Infosys deeply relates to and supports TED’s mission to spread ideas. By sponsoring the TEDx Anchor Program in India, Infosys is keen to accelerate the sharing of ideas that matter in India. We firmly believe that India can strengthen its position amongst the global economies, led by the power of ideas, the power of creativity and the resulting potential of entrepreneurship,” said Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer, Infosys. “Exploring new, unprecedented ideas is the only way that we will be able to find the challenges of our time and in turn the solutions that will lead to peaceful societies, improved health and better ways of living for us all.”

Upcoming Events
? Following a major TEDx Anchor Program workshop scheduled at the Infosys campus in Mysore on March 24, 2016, Infosys is inviting TEDx organizers from across the country to attend a weekend of training and workshops with TED staff, March 25-27, 2016
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? The first TEDx Anchor event will take place at the Infosys Bangalore campus in collaboration with TEDxBangalore.