How much do TED Talk speakers get paid?

  How much do TED Talk speakers get paid?

TED does not pay speakers. Of course, we cover travel costs and provide excellent hotel accommodation – as well as a coveted ticket to all five days of TED. Most speakers will stay throughout the conference, soaking up the conversations and connecting with other attendees.

He speaks at TED

If you know someone who belongs on the TED stage, or if you belong there yourself, we want to hear from you! Please use our speaker nomination form.

If you would like to suggest a speaker for a local, independent TEDx event that is accepting nominations, please contact the organizer directly through the TEDx event's own website or social media.

About our speakers

At TED, we are looking for speakers all year round who will inform and inspire, surprise and delight. Our presenters run the world's most admired companies and design their most popular products; they invent world-changing devices and create breakthrough media. TED also seeks out emerging artists, scientists and thinkers and introduces them to the TED community long before they reach the mainstream.

TED speakers have collectively won every major award for excellence, including the Nobel, Pritzker, Fields, Pulitzer, Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and MacArthur "genius" grants.

These notable people include primatologist Jane Goodall, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, legal expert Bryan Stevenson, roboticist Simone Giertz, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, artificial intelligence pioneer Kai-Fu Lee, mental health activist Dixon Chabanda, biologist E.O. Wilson, photojournalist James Nachtwey, astronaut Mae Jemison, Nobel laureates including Daniel Kahneman, Murray Gell-Man, Jodie Williams and Leymah Gbowee, designer Phillipe Starck, theorist Zeynep Tufekci, filmmaker JJ Abrams, Segway inventor Dean Kamen, writers including Ngozi Chimamanda and Elif Shafak, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, educator Rita Pierson ... Browse all TED speakers

Design a speaker

If you know someone who belongs on our list, or if you belong there yourself, we want to hear from you! Please use our speaker nomination form and tell us why this person would be a good fit for the TED stage.

Multiple nominations for the same person will not affect the speaker selection team in any way. We check every nomination that comes in and one is enough.

FAQ: TED talk

TED is not your typical conference. TED audiences have high expectations of speakers; a team of TED speakers works with speakers well in advance of the conference to help create a presentation that will succeed on the TED stage. TED is a place where you can talk about your life.

How do I design a speaker?

Use our speaker nomination form and fill in as much information as possible. This form goes directly to our speaker selection team.

Can I refer someone I don't know personally? You are asking for their email address and I don't know it.

Please do it! Let us know how you heard about this person and why you think they should speak at TED.

Can I nominate someone I work for or a client of mine?

Yes.

Can I propose myself as a speaker?

Yes.

Can I speak at TED by becoming a sponsor?

No. Read more about the partnership with TED. There are many benefits to sponsoring TED, but a guaranteed speaking space is not one of them.

Will it help if I submit multiple nominations or my friends nominate me multiple times?

No. It really only takes one suggestion.

Is there a deadline for proposing a speaker?

We accept nominations all the time. It is best to get your proposals in as soon as possible so that we can carefully review them and make the best decisions about the speaker list.

I want to speak at TED, but my usual talk is 50 minutes long. Can I get a longer slot?

We strictly follow the hours for all speakers. TED is the place to condense your ideas into a compelling 18-minute talk that communicates your best ideas. We've found that a carefully prepared presentation of this length can have a stunning impact.

Do you have keynotes or panels?

At TED, everyone hears every presentation; there are no breakout sessions or tracks, no keynotes and very rarely panels (although we have had debates).

How do you pay for speakers?

TED does not pay speakers. Of course, we cover travel costs and provide excellent hotel accommodation – as well as a coveted ticket to all five days of TED. Most speakers will stay throughout the conference, soaking up the conversations and connecting with other attendees. Additional benefits include pre-conference coaching and training, special networking events, a gift bag, and a web archive of the entire conference. We are committed to creating an experience that is immensely fulfilling and rewarding on all sides.

Another benefit of speaking at TED is that your presentation can become a TED Talk, part of our beautifully produced broadcast-quality video series. Not all TED Talks will automatically become TED Talks Online, but we hope most will.