The future of ideas has a new address. (Photo: San Diego Tourism Authority)
In 1984, TED emerged in California with a radical proposition: that technology, entertainment and design were converging in ways that could change how we see the world. That idea became a global movement, and four decades later, we’re returning to our roots to begin a new chapter. Beginning in 2027, the annual flagship TED conference will make its home in San Diego, California.
This decision follows a rigorous, two-year process centered on infrastructure, community and the ability to scale TED’s mission in meaningful ways. San Diego positions us at the literal and cultural crossroads of innovation: a city where biotech breakthroughs happen alongside innovations in entertainment and media, where the Pacific Rim meets Latin America, and where some of the world’s most urgent challenges are already being tackled. For TED, the choice is as symbolic as it is strategic.
A bigger stage for bolder ideas
Anchored in San Diego’s waterfront district, the conference will center around the San Diego Convention Center, alongside other iconic venues across the city. This expanded footprint creates new opportunities for community engagement, allowing TED to grow its programming while preserving the intimacy and curation that define the TED experience.
San Diego’s venue capacity opens space for fresh programming formats and new participation models that serve TED’s global community. We’re finalizing these details now, with specifics on 2027 programming, pass structures and pricing to be announced following the 2026 conference — our final year in Vancouver.
“TED has always been about bringing unlikely voices together,” says Monique Ruff-Bell, TED’s chief program and strategy officer. “San Diego represents where we’re heading next — a community built on collaboration, a city tackling the challenges that matter most, and a place where the future is already being imagined. This is where global meets local, where innovation meets impact.”
At the heart of this region is a powerful idea — that borders don’t define innovation; people do. The Tijuana–San Diego corridor embodies a binational identity where ideas, talent and cultures move freely. For TED, an organization built on the belief that ideas transcend boundaries, the choice is as symbolic as it is strategic.
TED’s presence also represents a meaningful investment in San Diego’s innovation ecosystem. Our experience in Vancouver demonstrated how hosting the flagship TED conference strengthens a city’s cultural and economic fabric — supporting local suppliers, creating job opportunities and amplifying the region’s voice on the global stage. Over the last two years, TED’s Vancouver operations produced a total regional economic impact of over $16 million annually. In San Diego, we’re committed to deepening connections and contributing to a community already shaping tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
Our unwavering commitment to global community
The return to California marks our homecoming, but TED’s mission remains borderless. With more than 13,000 TEDx events held to date across 150 countries spanning Europe and Africa to Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, TED intentionally curates spaces around the globe where ideas are examined deeply, shared openly and met with genuine curiosity.
After 12 remarkable years in Vancouver, we are profoundly grateful for the partnership and warmth that made TED thrive in Canada. That city will always hold a special place in TED’s story, and we look forward to celebrating that legacy this spring at TED2026.
Stay tuned for more updates and register for TED2026: All of Us in Vancouver — where we’ll celebrate a city that helped define a generation of TED moments and look forward to our next chapter, together.