The Mindset That Builds Breakthrough Companies | Steve Papa | TEDxBoston
Steve Papa shares a grounded, behind-the-scenes look at how real innovation is built—not through hype or luck, but through curiosity, endurance, and commitment. From walking out of Harvard Business School to build with MIT’s earliest internet pioneers, to scaling Endeca into a foundational data platform acquired by Oracle, he reveals the lessons learned from decades of building ahead of demand. Looking forward, Steve argues that AI is transforming not just software, but the very mindset of creation—and that the future belongs to builders who stay deeply engaged with reality. Steve Papa is a technology founder, investor, and builder known for creating category-defining companies at the intersection of software, data, and communications infrastructure.Previously, Steve founded Endeca in 1999 and served as its CEO until its acquisition by Oracle in 2011 for a reported $1.1 billion—Oracle’s sixth-largest acquisition at the time. Endeca pioneered Guided Navigation, one of the most influential search innovations of its era, and its technology became foundational across ecommerce, enterprise analytics, and national security. Prior to acquisition, Endeca reached $750 million in cumulative revenue, served 700 customers globally, and built a team of over 500 based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.Earlier in his career, Steve was part of the original MIT $50K team that helped create Akamai, worked on the early infrastructure business at Inktomi, and held roles at Teradata and Venrock, the Rockefeller family’s venture capital firm. He holds a BS in Operations Research and Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.Today, Steve is an active founder, investor, board member, and mentor, supporting companies across software, mobile, and telecommunications. He also serves on advisory boards at Harvard’s Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Princeton’s Keller Center, continuing his commitment to building technologies—and teams—that endure.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
- 9:24Can silliness help us connect? | Abby Darin-Evans | TEDxAkronBreaking barriers socially is vital in a world that is making social isolation common. From making animal noises to being your authentic self, silliness allows you to break down walls to create authentic connections. Abby Darin-Evans (they/she) is a Staff Development Specialist at Oriana House, Inc. They train their fellow staff on a variety of topics, including new staff onboarding, emotional intelligence, CPR/First Aid, & Microsoft programs. Abby is also responsible for maintaining the agency's online LMS (Learning Management System).When they're not at work, you can usually find them deep in a book, watching movies with their cats & spouse Ken, frolicking through the Metroparks or camping with their friends. They also have a big knack for volunteering. Abby is on the Education Committee with Trans Joy Akron, the Volunteer Committee with Akron Pride Festival, the Akron Zoo PAW (Professionals Advocating for Wildlife) Committee, & is serving their first year on the Torchbearers Board of Directors.Abby is a New Hampshire native who moved to Ohio in the summer of 2015. They've been here ever since! 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
- 13:35Extremism to radical kindness | Angie Haze | TEDxAkronMaybe the extremism we see in the world today is exactly what is needed to inspire us to do something differently. Maybe we need to remember who and what we are. Angie Haze isn’t just a singer-songwriter; she’s a sonic architect, a storyteller who bends time and genre with her evocative sound. An award-winning, queer-fronted act, Haze crafts music for the survivor—giving voice to those who have endured childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence. Her songs are anthems of resilience, a call to the unheard, and a force for change. 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
- 12:59The practice of trying | Garth Bender | TEDxAkronThe transformative power of trying—whether in small, everyday acts or larger challenges—as a way to learn, connect with others, and better understand ourselves. As a personal practice, trying encourages embracing discomfort, failure, and uncertainty, with the true value lying not in outcomes but in the growth, empathy, and connections gained along the way. Garth Bender (he/him) was raised in Stow alongside his three older sisters and attended Holy Family, where his mother taught. His father served as the Director of the Cuyahoga Falls Library. After a year of post-high school travel, Garth attended Kent State University, earning a B.S. in Physical Anthropology.Following college and a brief career as a field archaeologist and ceramics analyst, he found a more permanent path in advertising—first in Columbus, OH, and later in Chicago, IL. There, he had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s top brands and formed lasting friendships with incredibly creative colleagues.Most importantly, it’s where he met his wife, Sara, and began building their family. In 2018, they returned to Akron to raise their growing family close to the rest of their loved ones.Garth is also the founder of Pie as Resistance, a grassroots project rooted in the simple, powerful act of turning strangers into neighbors—one pie at a time. Every Saturday, Garth delivers a pie to someone he’s never met, introducing himself and exchanging stories to build community and connection.Inspired by family traditions and a deep belief in neighborliness, Pie as Resistance is both a personal practice and a quiet challenge to the idea that we’re more divided than united. 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
- 18:29From Waste to Wealth: Reimagining a Zero-Waste, Self-Sufficient Society | Vivek Verma | TEDxNMFCMr Vivek Verma is the Managing Director of Spray Engineering Devices Limited (SED), with over three decades of experience in designing sustainable industrial systems across energy, water, agriculture, and biofuels.In this talk, he presents The Golden Evolution - a systems-based vision for transforming regions into self-sufficient, zero-waste ecosystems.Drawing from real-world industrial implementations, he explains how decentralised solar power, electric mobility, bio-refineries, and circular use of biomass and water can work together to eliminate waste while strengthening local economies.His perspective is grounded in large-scale engineering solutions already operating across industries, challenging the belief that sustainability requires compromise or slowdown. Mr. Vivek Verma, is the Founder & Managing Director of Spray Engineering Devices Ltd. (SED), established in 1992. A pioneer in energy-efficient thermal engineering, he developed world-first boiler-less sugarcane processing technology, eliminating biomass burning. His patented Low Temperature Evaporation (MVR) systems drive zero-carbon, low-energy industrial processes globally. He holds 56+ innovation and 60+ design patents, with SED operating in 40+ countries. 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
- 10:50Não existe o Brasil profundo | Eliakin Rufino | TEDxAmazôniaO poeta amazônida Eliakin Rufino lembra que o conceito de “Brasil profundo” não faz sentido nenhum para os brasileiros longe dos grandes centros urbanos. Segundo ele, o conceito vem sendo usado para narrativas de separação. Com poesia, ele faz o público cantar e lembra que todos somos parte de um todo muito maior — e que precisa ser apreciado e preservado. Com mais de 40 anos de carreira artística, Eliakin Rufino teve um papel fundamental na construção da identidade cultural roraimense. Nascido em Boa Vista, o poeta, compositor, filósofo e doutor honoris causa da Universidade Estadual de Roraima foi um dos precursores do movimento Roraimeira. Inspirado no Modernismo e na Tropicália, o grupo reuniu artistas locais com a missão de fortalecer e divulgar a produção cultural de Roraima. Desde o seu primeiro livro, Pássaros Ariscos, publicado em 1984, Eliakin vem transformando a natureza, os povos e a diversidade do extremo norte do Brasil em música e poesia. 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
- 28:53The Art of Success | Dr. Nezar Bahabri | TEDxAGS YouthIn a world that constantly defines success for us, how do we design our own? In this TEDxAGS talk, Dr. Nezar Bahabri reframes success as an evolving art—shaped by purpose, self-awareness, and resilience. He invites young minds to look beyond grades, titles, and expectations, and instead focus on intentional growth and meaningful impact. This talk challenges us to see success not as a destination, but as a lifelong journey Dr. Nezar Bahabri is a Canadian and American board-certified specialist in internal medicine and infectious disease. He serves as the Director of the Saudi Society of Microbiology and Infectious Disease in Jeddah, where he plays a key role in advancing clinical standards and community health awareness. Beyond his medical work, Dr. Bahabri is widely recognized as a public educator and influencer, using his platform to simplify healthcare, promote informed decision-making, and support a more health-literate community. 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
