There is a power in believing in each other - especially the underdogs, the folks who don’t draw attention to themselves and are largely overlooked. A real life example played out at a coffee shop I worked at in the early 2000s. There was a group of us who all went on to chase our seemingly far-fetched dreams and, having leaned on one another as well as strangers, gained the confidence to do so. Our small group of baristas included folks who would go on to be the lead singer of The Fray, an in-demand hair and make-up stylist for some of Hollywood’s biggest names, a screenwriter who would write critically acclaimed scripts for The Handmaid’s Tale as well as her own feature films, an award-winning chef, entrepreneur, and on-air personality, and finally a professional athlete and filmmaker. We cultivated a positive community all while slinging coffee and dreaming big. Originally from the badlands of North Dakota, Kelly is an EMMY-nominated cinematographer and critically-acclaimed filmmaker specializing in music and sports documentaries. He is also a former professional cyclist - which was just training for chasing his young twin boys around in Denver, where he and his award-winning journalist wife, Rachel, call home. 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

AI-driven techniques help boost agricultural productivity by increasing yields, reducing losses and cutting down input costs. However, these techniques have seen sparse adoption owing to high costs of manual data collection and limited connectivity solutions. In this talk we will describe our innovations that leverage Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Edge Compute in the Farm and Space, to help develop affordable digital agriculture solutions. Ranveer Chandra is the Vice President of Copilot Tuning in M365 Copilot, and the CTO of Agri-Food at Microsoft. Previously he was the Chief Scientist of Azure Global, Managing Director of Research for Industry, and Head of Networking Research at Microsoft. Ranveer’s research has shipped in multiple Microsoft products, including the design of the XBOX One Wireless Controller. Ranveer is the inventor of Microsoft FarmBeats – Big Data, AI, Cloud & Edge for Agriculture, which is a Microsoft product, and was featured by Bill Gates on GatesNotes. Ranveer has published over 150 research papers and has over 100 patents granted by the USPTO. He is an IEEE Fellow, and an ACM Fellow, and has won several awards, including the MIT Technology Review’s Top Innovators Under 35, and Newsweek Magazine’s Top 50 Disruptive Innovators in the United States. Ranveer has an undergraduate degree from IIT Kharagpur, India, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University. 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

Progress in healthcare starts when doctors dare to step beyond convention. Dr. Vivek Subramaniam shows how empowering clinicians to innovate can reshape systems and redefine impact. Change doesn’t begin in policy — it begins with those bold enough to imagine something better. Dr. Vivek Subramaniam is the co-founder of Disruptive Doctors, a global platform empowering physicians to connect, collaborate, and innovate. With a background in medicine and entrepreneurship, he has led initiatives that bridge healthcare, technology, and community building. Recognised for driving conversations on digital readiness and future-focused healthcare, Dr. Vivek champions doctors as leaders of change. His mission is simple yet bold: to impact healthcare differently and inspire innovation from within. 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

Every ripple of change begins with a single act of belief. Aishvarrya Lakshmi reminds us that nurturing confidence in students creates waves of compassion in communities. When we teach with empathy, we don’t just build careers — we build healers. Aishvarrya Lakshmi is a final-year Nursing student at IMU University and co-founder of Mediverse Edu, an AI-powered platform transforming nursing and medical education with simplified study guides, 3D anatomy, gamified quizzes, and personalized AI learning support. Guided by the vision “Where Compassion Meets Tech,” she strives to unite innovation with empathy to create a smarter, kinder healthcare workforce. Her groundbreaking work has earned the Silver Medal at E-Inovasi 2025, recognition from IMU leadership, and dual championship titles at IMU’s Pitch Perfect Challenge. As an IMU Student Ambassador, she has represented the university on national and global stages, including the Startup World Cup. Deeply committed to community service, she has championed health initiatives for underserved groups, from children’s oral hygiene to welfare outreach. With research and advocacy rooted in both technology and compassion, Aishvarrya is redefining the future of healthcare education. 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

Public art connects people, changes communities, and shapes minds. More than just art, public art is a civic practice. It encapsulates larger political processes, offering opportunities to create stronger social ties, improve communities, and cultivate a more productive politics. Tobias Zikmund is a painter and public artist living in Fargo, ND. As a Program Manager at the North Dakota Council on the Arts, he manages a statewide public art program focused on rural places. Tobias is interested in the social and civic functions of art and the significance of land and place. 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

In this heartfelt and insightful TED Talk, the speaker, at the age of 72, shares the valuable lessons learned over seven decades of life. From the importance of servant leadership to the power of selflessness in relationships, the talk delves into the principles that have shaped a fulfilling and meaningful life. The speaker emphasizes the significance of discipline, humility, vulnerability, and gratitude, illustrating how these virtues have guided their journey. With anecdotes from personal and professional experiences, the talk offers wisdom on building strong relationships, achieving financial independence, and embracing the joys of grandparenting. Ultimately, the speaker encourages the audience to invest in their relationships, health, and purpose, and to live a life rich with love and meaning. Vern Dosch, married to Lynne for 42 years, is a father of three and grandfather of eleven. A University of Mary graduate with degrees in Business, Accounting, and a master’s in management, he also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Leadership. Vern’s 45-year career in the Rural Electric and Telecommunication industries culminated as President and CEO of National Information Solutions Cooperative (NISC) from 2002 to 2020. Under his leadership, NISC and it’s 1,400 employees became a leading IT provider, delivering innovative software to over 960 cooperatives and providers across the U.S., American Samoa, Palau, and Canada. In 2022 Vern was honored as a member of the National Cooperative Hall of Fame. 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