24 / 25 October 2020
TEDxKassel
1st all-virtual TEDxKassel Conference for Future and Innovation
With TEDxKassel we aim to bring together visionaries from around the world, local and regional advocates for innovation and all of us who want to foster a mindset of opportunities and possibilities for the future of the region and the world. Thus, we aim to unite a diverse audience looking to attain a far-reaching impact across all areas of our society.
Despite not being able to meet in person, between talks and other program items, we will give you the opportunity to connect with each other, the team behind and our speakers virtually.
1Pose your own questions to bestselling author John Strelecky and follow the discussion about the role, effect, and challenges of social and cultural entrepreneurship.
3We'll give you the opportunity to actively particpate in diverse workshops. Topics will include: networking, startup-financing, sustainable living, and even songwriting.
2The TED Motto "Ideas worth spreading" stands strong in our TEDx conference. To show the great potential for innovation in North Hesse, we initiate an all-new startup-competition: Start Up! Kassel.
4It's time to rethink work!
Lasse is a media science expert. In 2017 he introduced the 5-hour working day at his company while honouring existing salaries and holiday entitlements. He believes that ‘work’ should neither be a question of location, nor can it really be measured in time; it’s the result that truly matters.
“I wish for a world which is greener, with less conflicts, more togetherness, with people being closer to each other and being less afraid of something new.”
How can modern technologies keep indigenous cultures alive?
Emmanuela believes her life has a purpose and her time on earth is a journey to pursue it. She sees the rights of her people being violated, so she stands up and advocates for them. She sees a young girl lose sight of her self-worth, she reaches out and convinces her that she is perfect the way she is. She sees forests being cut down and land wasted, she mobilizes a movement for climate action.
“Today never happened before and it will never happen again in the future. Make the most of every opportunity and never be ashamed of who you are because from the beginning of creation until the last dot written on earth there is only one you.”
Let's make social entrepreneurship the mainstream
Norbert Kunz is founder and managing director of Social Impact and a true authority in the field of social entrepreneurship. From the very beginning his professional activity has been characterized by the desire to bring about positive social change. He has received numerous awards for his work, including Ashoka Fellow, Social Entrepreneur of Europe, and the Federal Cross of Merit.
“We all bear the responsibility for social and ecological problems in this world and everyone can contribute to their solution. Stay true to your dreams.”
The humanistic approach to solving homelessness
Dan is a hardworking Social Entrepreneur from New Zealand living and working in London. He has built on his life experience to found the Buses 4 Homeless project which helps transform homeless people’s lives in a unique and effective way.
For Dan TEDx is a great platform allowing thought leaders and disrupters of their respective fields to come together and share their journeys, success stories and learnings in order to inspire a greater community.
“Being a Social Entrepreneur means you’re wired in a different way; concerned first and foremost with leaving people and the world in a better place; paying it forward to future generations.”
What was I thinking? Leaving the comfort zone
Eva is an American singer/songwriter who has lived in Germany for most of her life and who in more ways than one, through inspiration and passion for ideas and emotions, expresses her thoughts through songs and the support of meaningful projects. In the half century of her life, Eva has mastered to embrace an experience and to create an interesting story. Whether it be in song, a speech, or trying to save the planet, she is in it with her whole heart.
“So often our critical mind knocks us down before we let our true intentions and creative purpose out. It may take time and will surely not be a paved, easy road but rocky mountains offer the most beautiful views!“
Does everyone have a purpose?
John Strelecky is a #1 Bestselling inspirational author. His books have been translated into over forty-one languages and sold more than five million copies worldwide.They have won bestseller of the year awards five times and collectively spent more than seven hundred weeks on bestseller lists, including more than two hundred and fifty weeks in the #1 spot.
“Life is not about trying to be better than anyone else. It’s about being the best version of yourself.”
Sustainable business - A family-based mindset
Kylee Potae comes from the bautiful country of New Zealand (Aotearoa). Culturally she is of Maori descent, the indigenous people of Aotearoa. Whilst she is an accountant, she is first and foremost a member of a wide family tribal group.
“Lean into whatever feels right, and lean away from anything that does not. Trust your gut feeling, learn to feel it when it’s talking to you and listen to what it tells you. Be kind, be strong, and hold your values tight. All of this requires time to invest into yourself – take the time, life’s too short not to.“
Driving for social change
Franziska Weiser is a Future Mobility Enthusiast with the desire to contribute to society. She believes that mobility – as one of our basic human needs – can help us to overcome a large variety of current hurdles.
“My ideal world 50 years from now includes strong, self-enabled regional networks (cells) with functional, caring neighborhoods and direct links to locally sourcing associations and businesses creating a transparent, empowering and sustainable network – with mobility as its clue and at its core.“
The meaning behind relationships for rubber(s)
Linda Preil is responsible for Supply Chain Management at Einhorn. Einhorn produces sustainable condoms and hygiene products while focusing on sustainable business practises and the maximization of social benefits. Linda loves dancing. Sitting quietly is not really her thing as she is always eager to explore new things and listen to people and their stories.
“Just because things have always been done in a certain way, it doesn’t mean you can’t change it and I think social enterprises prove this!”
Fighting climate change through reforestation
Johannes Schwegler is a pragmatic visionary, entrepreneur, craftsman and timber engineer. He grew up on a farm in Southern Germany and went to the tropical rain forests as a young volunteer and later as a professional. In cooperation with friends in Borneo, he developed a program for farmers to engage in forst landscape restoration.
“We promote solidarity and do business in a way that benefits everyone, so that greed for profit and exploitation of nature and people will cease to exist.“
Solving global problems locally
As head of INFINITY Deutschland Armin Mesgaran continuously builds up a nation-wide student initiative focusing on sustainability and social entrepreneurship. With INFINITY Armin and his team have established a platform which allows students of diverse disciplines to pursue sustainable projects entrepreneurially and learn by doing so.
“Social Entrepreneurship to me is the most sustainable means of social change. It positively impacts society in the long-term by being founded on an economically sustainable basis.”
How to activate regional potential
Alexander is from Kassel. As the ambassador of the North Hesse Accelerates program he represents the city and region at the TEDxKassel event. After having held a successful position in Hamburg, he decided to come back to his home region of North Hesse to use its potential and make it more attractive as a centre for innovation and entrepreneurship through the North Hesse Accelerates program. His strong committment to the region he lives in is driven by his liberal values of individual freedom, self-development and self-determination. For him, the development of our society and economy are closely connected and stand at the centre of his work.
For Alexander, TEDx is a great initiative to spread promising ideas and concepts all over the world. It motivates him to contribute to this global sharing and learning initiative so that other people can benefit from his experience and take them to a next level in their specific context.
“50 years from now I would wish for all people living in societies that guarantee individual personal rights and freedom as a basis for a sustainable economy. Where all have access to good education and everyone has the opportunity to create and build up their businesses successfully.“
Rethinking online education
Megan is a generalist learner, innovator, and humanist thinker from Finland. Currently, she is working in online education and AI, advocating for a human-centered approach to demystify emerging technologies for those of us who don’t come from tech backgrounds. Megan is aware of the oversaturation of information and misinformation in our world today. Her personal way of approaching this status quo: Trying to cut through the noise and helping others do the same.
To her, TEDx injects life and fresh perspectives in a world full of pessimism and futility by giving people a credible platform to promote their ‘ideas worth spreading’. She strongly believes in the impact this format can have – especially as the things that can make the biggest difference, often start in the smallest places. Although Megan is aware of the world’s crushing problems at the moment, she thinks that if we dedicate ourselves to making small, mindful, intentional improvements in according to our own capacities every day, the world will become a better place.
“Stop and take a moment to be kind to yourself. Babysteps and intention are the answer to overwhelm and defeatism, and I try to remind myself of that every day.“
LET’S
We have invited speakers from 6 different countries who will inspire us with their visions, innovative ideas and transformative approaches successfully being implemented in their cities and communities.
Building on this inspiration all attendees have the chance to become active themselves in our diverse workshop program. There is a little something for everyone ranging from creative sessions to specific advise for founding a startup.
Finally local and regional Social Startups have the chance to present themselves in the newly initiated startup contest START UP! KASSEL. Their best-practise examples will inspire us become active and bring tales and visions to life ourselves!
Lasse Rheingans
“I wish for a world which is greener, with less conflicts, more togetherness, with people being closer to each other and being less afraid of something new.”
Emmanuela Shinta
“Today never happened before and it will never happen again in the future. Make the most of every opportunity and never be ashamed of who you are because from the beginning of creation until the last dot written on earth there is only one you.”
Alexander Katzung
“50 years from now I would wish for all people living in societies that guarantee individual personal rights and freedom as a basis for a sustainable economy. Where all have access to good education and everyone has the opportunity to create and build up their businesses successfully.“
Norbert Kunz
“We all bear the responsibility for social and ecological problems in this world and everyone can contribute to their solution. Stay true to your dreams.”
Dan Atkins
“Being a Social Entrepreneur means you’re wired in a different way; concerned first and foremost with leaving people and the world in a better place; paying it forward to future generations.”
Eva Keretic
“So often our critical mind knocks us down before we let our true intentions and creative purpose out. It may take time and will surely not be a paved, easy road but rocky mountains offer the most beautiful views!“
John Strelecky
“Life is not about trying to be better than anyone else. It’s about being the best version of yourself.”
Kylee Potae
“Lean into whatever feels right, and lean away from anything that does not. Trust your gut feeling, learn to feel it when it’s talking to you and listen to what it tells you. Be kind, be strong, and hold your values tight. All of this requires time to invest into yourself – take the time, life’s too short not to.“
Franziska Weiser
“My ideal world 50 years from now includes strong, self-enabled regional networks (cells) with functional, caring neighborhoods and direct links to locally sourcing associations and businesses creating a transparent, empowering and sustainable network – with mobility as its clue and at its core.“
Linda Preil
“Just because things have always been done in a certain way, it doesn’t mean you can’t change it and I think social enterprises prove this!”
Lasse Rheingans
Megan Schaible
To her, TEDx injects life and fresh perspectives in a world full of pessimism and futility by giving people a credible platform to promote their ‘ideas worth spreading’. She strongly believes in the impact this format can have – especially as the things that can make the biggest difference, often start in the smallest places. Although Megan is aware of the world’s crushing problems at the moment, she thinks that if we dedicate ourselves to making small, mindful, intentional improvements in according to our own capacities every day, the world will become a better place.
“Stop and take a moment to be kind to yourself. Babysteps and intention are the answer to overwhelm and defeatism, and I try to remind myself of that every day.“
Johannes Schwegler
“We promote solidarity and do business in a way that benefits everyone, so that greed for profit and exploitation of nature and people will cease to exist.“
Armin Mesgaran
“Social Entrepreneurship to me is the most sustainable means of social change. It positively impacts society in the long-term by being founded on an economically sustainable basis.”
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