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The future of ideas has a new address. (Photo: San Diego Tourism Authority)<\/p>\n
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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n
This decision follows a rigorous, two-year process centered on infrastructure, community and the ability to scale TED\u2019s 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\u2019s most urgent challenges are already being tackled. For TED, the choice is as symbolic as it is strategic.<\/p>\n
A bigger stage for bolder ideas<\/p>\n
Anchored in San Diego\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
San Diego\u2019s venue capacity opens space for fresh programming formats and new participation models that serve TED\u2019s global community. We\u2019re finalizing these details now, with specifics on 2027 programming, pass structures and pricing to be announced following the 2026 conference \u2014 our final year in Vancouver.<\/p>\n
\u201cTED has always been about bringing unlikely voices together,\u201d says Monique Ruff-Bell, TED\u2019s chief program and strategy officer. \u201cSan Diego represents where we\u2019re heading next \u2014 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the heart of this region is a powerful idea \u2014 that borders don\u2019t define innovation; people do. The Tijuana\u2013San 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.<\/p>\n
TED\u2019s presence also represents a meaningful investment in San Diego\u2019s innovation ecosystem. Our experience in Vancouver demonstrated how hosting the flagship TED conference strengthens a city\u2019s cultural and economic fabric \u2014 supporting local suppliers, creating job opportunities and amplifying the region\u2019s voice on the global stage. Over the last two years, TED\u2019s Vancouver operations produced a total regional economic impact of over $16 million annually. In San Diego, we\u2019re committed to deepening connections and contributing to a community already shaping tomorrow\u2019s breakthroughs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Our unwavering commitment to global community<\/p>\n
The return to California marks our homecoming, but TED\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s story, and we look forward to celebrating that legacy this spring at TED2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n