Speakers 

Event Timeline

Speakers submissions for TEDxDuluth 2026 ARE CLOSED. 

The speaker candidate submission form for TEDxDuluth 2027 will be announced.

Candidate Considerations

• Submissions can be submitted throughout the year. However, only those submitted within the timeline above will be considered for the upcoming event.

• Potential speakers MUST reside in Minnesota.

• Speaker candidates can submit for themselves or for someone else.

Curation Team Review

The curation team reviews and selects speakers January through March. During this review period, the team may reach out to you to learn more about your talk. Given the number of submissions, we will not be able to respond to all inquiries.

What’s Expected of TEDxDuluth Speakers?

• You’re required to be responsive and provide talk outlines, slides, and other information we ask for. You’ll be going through a 3 to 4 month coaching program that leads you through talk development.

• You’re expected to work with a speaker coach to modify your talk to optimize impact according and at the pace you agree on with them.

• You must be present the entire event, for the dress rehearsal, and preferably also at after party gathering.

• We also emphasize that you are available for interaction with attendees after your talk at the day of the event.

What Makes a Great TEDx Talk Submission?

Our mission is to elevate ideas that change everything from Duluth, Minnesota. An idea that is fit for TEDxDuluth is new, unique, and can offer an impactful insight or a new way of thinking to a widely diverse audience. 

This is a licensed TEDx event of TED which is required to follow TED’s Curation Guidelines and supports the following curation values: Curiosity, Reason, Imagination, Inclusion, Generosity, Debate, and Impact.

TED Talks are highly focused on a topic and an idea. A topic is generally the direction you want to take your talk, for example, “We need to be resilient against climate change.” An idea is a specific thread from that topic, a unique message, solution, or insight that only you can share. For example, “For our cities to be resilient, we must invest in a new form of architecture that we learned from other parts of the world, and I have studied and implemented this architecture for many years with powerful results.”

A few guidelines up front:

• Speakers and performers cannot be paid for their talk on the TEDxDuluth stage.

• Speakers average 1 to 2 hours per week to devote to TEDxDuluth between selection and the event date.

• You are required to work with the TEDxDuluth organizers to complete speaker coaching.

• Only complete and well-developed speaker submissions will be considered.

What Makes a GREAT Idea Worth Spreading?

• New inventions, scientific or economic theories that will change the way we live, work or play. Keyword: NEW, NOVEL, AND ORIGINAL - our audience must be learning something new and original that they’ve never heard before.

• Universal and unique insights gained through unusual or unexpected personal experiences, and/or extensive experience or research.

• The nominee presenting a crystal-clear, singular idea that will likely fit a final talk duration of 7 to15 minutes.

• A unique perspective on important and timely issues given by subject matter experts. This means that you are uniquely positioned and the best one to give this talk. Speakers must demonstrate expertise, and where relevant, credentials in the field they are speaking about. You will be fact checked and claims reviewed.

• An idea that addresses a topic of acute interest to our audience or a pressing challenge in our community. Remember you are sharing an IDEA not an ISSUE.

• We are looking for ideas that are from Duluth/Minnesota and for the world. We only work with candidates from Minnesota.

• The idea was founded in proven data/evidence or experience and have broader application than just to the speaker’s life or situation. Generally, research must be publicly available and peer reviewed.

• One of the most important aspects of creating a great talk is to show a willingness to be vulnerable and be coachable.

• View the TEDx content guidelines.

What To Avoid for a TEDx Talk?

• “How to be more successful” presentations.

• Motivational talks.

• Personal narratives or those that wish to speak about a very personal experience or a personal philosophy.

• Canned talks that have been given in another conference or event.

• Speakers and performers may not promote themselves, their company, or a product from a TEDx stage.

• Fundraising asks for a cause or company.

• As outlined in the TEDx content guidelines, we avoid political agendas, religion, commercial agendas, and unproven/minimally research-supported science (aka “pseudo science”).