Imagine a bare sheet of 10¢ copy paper. With just one fold, you can reimagine the paper as what it has the potential to become - a plane, a flower, a fortune teller.

In 1984, Richard Wurman and Harry Marks had the idea to host a conference for a small audience in California. Monetarily, the event fell flat, but the two men pushed forward. Forty years later, TED is a household name.

Our lives are marked by defining moments – personal epiphanies, chance encounters, and pivotal milestones. But what sets us apart are the choices we make in light of these occasions. It’s in these initial steps that our resilience, adaptability, and authentic selves are revealed. With that in mind, TEDxFoggyBottom is proud to announce our 2024 conference theme: The First Fold.

In honor of TED’s 40th anniversary, TEDxFoggyBottom seeks to share “ideas worth spreading” by celebrating stories from a panel of diverse speakers of various backgrounds who encapsulate The First Fold.

Saturday, April 27th, 2024