I’m a huge fan of TED Talks. However, TED is not the only game in town for watching great speakers with great ideas. Here are some other free options:
1. 99u
Comment: I attend this excellent conference every year. It is nearly identical to TED and even features many of the same speakers. Compared to TED’s broader mandate, 99u is a bit more focused on design, creativity, entrepreneurship, and personal development.
2. Big Think
Comment: These are very short videos – typically under 5 minutes – focused on leadership and delivered by high powered executives and creative luminaries.
3. Business Innovation Factory (BIF)
Comment: Similar to TED albeit more innovation focused though you find social themes there too.
Comment: Leadership interviews parsed into 2-minute segments (which can be irritating if you want to watch whole thing at once).
Comment: Creative Mornings is what would happen if TED loosened the reigns completely. Very raw. Some great videos and some very rough ones. The link above sorts by popularity to bring the best stuff to the top.
Comment: Just like TED only with a hippie vibe and focused on personal development / inspiration. Talks are typically 20 to 30 minutes long.
Comment: TED-like videos with some of the same speakers – albeit more focused on creativity, entrepreneurship, and customer experience.
8. Google Talks
Comment: Google hosts artists, authors, political candidates, chefs, … you name it. These are longer talks, typically 45 minutes to 1 hour.
9. IdeaCity
Comment: Just like TED in pretty much every way.
10. Ignite
Comment: 5 minute talks (20 slides, 15 seconds per slide). Quality variation is huge so sort by most popular.
11. INK Talks
Comment: India’s version of TED (in fact, they are partnered with TED).
12. The Moth
Comment: Personal storytelling at its very best. The Moth is all about people vulnerably sharing the pivotal moments in their lives. Funny and inspiring.
13. PetchKucha
Comment: 20 slides x 20 seconds per slide (just like Ignite). Quality variation is huge so sort by most popular.
14. PopTech
Comment: The breadth, depth, and style of the talks are identical to TED – though the organization claims to be more outcome focused than its more well known cousin.
15. The RSA
Comment: 20 minute talks focused on burning social / societal issues. They are also the brilliant minds behind the RSAnimate videos which transform TED (and other talks) into animated storyboards.
16. Stanford eCorner
Comment: Outstanding videos on entrepreneurship – typically 45 mins to 1 hour long.
There are also countless free and paid MOOCs with excellent content, including: Khan Academy, EdX, Coursera, Udacity, etc.