Delivered under the TEDx theme Ex-Nihilo — Latin for “from nothing” — 15 year old change advocate Adam El Rafey shares how curiosity, courage, and a single step can lead to extraordinary outcomes. From a deep dive into space tech at age 9, to exploring brain-computer interfaces at age 10, to being named a Future 25 Under 25 global changemaker at 11, Adam’s story is a powerful example of what happens when we stop waiting — and start doing.Now, in his second TEDx appearance, Adam unpacks the idea that transformed his life, his mantra #AbilityNot Age.With humility, honesty, and his signature humour, Adam reveals the mindset shifts that fuelled his journey, the age-based barriers he’s broken through, and his bold call to reimagine education for the next generation. Whether you're a parent, teacher, student, or trailblazer, this talk will challenge your assumptions, ignite your passion, and spark your own Ex-Nihilo moment — from nothing… to everything!#TEDx #AbilityNotAge #YouthSpeaker #TeenLeadership #FutureOfEducation #Innovation #Inspiration #youth #AdamElRafeyAdam El Rafey is a 15-year-old change advocate, youth innovator, university student, and public speaker who’s redefining what people can achieve. At just 12, Adam became the youngest university student in the UAE, and at 8, he gave his first TEDx talk, making him one of the youngest TEDx speakers in the world. Powered by his curiosity, he has since spoken at dozens of global conferences and podcasts, shattering many age barriers in the process. He is also the youngest alum of the 3 human accelerators: The Knowledge Society, School of Humanity and awecademy. Adam El Rafey is a 15-year-old change advocate, youth innovator, university student, and public speaker who’s redefining what people can achieve. At just 12, Adam became the youngest university student in the UAE, and at 8, he gave his first TEDx talk, making him one of the youngest TEDx speakers in the world. Powered by his curiosity, he has since spoken at dozens of global conferences and podcasts, shattering many age barriers in the process. He is also the youngest alum of the 3 human accelerators: The Knowledge Society, School of Humanity and awecademy. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 24:37Leading with Purpose:Transforming Education for a Changing India | Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal | TEDxBBAUIn this visionary TEDx talk, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal, Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), addresses the urgent need to transform India's educational framework in a time of rapid social, economic, and technological change.With decades of academic leadership, Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal highlights how purpose-driven education must go beyond degrees — empowering youth to become ethical, innovative, and resilient contributors to national growth. He calls for a system that nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence — equipping students not just for jobs, but for leadership in a dynamic world.This talk is a must-watch for educators, students, policymakers, and all those who believe in the power of purposeful learning to build a better India.TEDxBBAU is organised by Lakhan Varshney (Organiser) , Aditya Kumar Bharti (Co-Organiser) and Divyanshi Vishwakarma (Production), the core team members behind TEDxBBAU 2025.Lakhan's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lakhanvarshneyAditya's Profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/adityakumarbharti Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal is the Vice Chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, with over 35 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. He holds a Ph.D., M.Phil., M.A. (Economics), MBA, and B.Com., and has previously served as Vice Chancellor at Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, and Maharishi Valmiki Sanskrit University.He has held senior academic roles at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, including Professor, Dean, and Director-Development. Prof. Mittal has published 120+ research papers, supervised 21 Ph.D. scholars, and guided 150+ MBA students.Awarded the IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award and Best Teacher Award, his interests include entrepreneurship, NEP-2020, and promoting Indian knowledge systems in education. He has completed five major research projects and participated in academic visits to the USA, Japan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:30Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión | Marco Pérez | TEDxAnahuacUniversityMarco Antonio Pérez toma el escenario de las TEDx Anáhuac University organizadas por Vértice, el Programa de Excelencia Anáhuac y nos invita a ver la vida como una historia significativa, en la que cada caída puede ser parte de un renacer. Al aceptar nuestras sombras, formar a otros y actuar con propósito, podemos construir un legado auténtico y convertirnos en héroes de nuestra propia historia. Asesor de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo. Él nos dice "Planea con estrategia, actúa con propósito, inspira con pasión". This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
