Inspiration Journeys
Beyond the horizon.
Leaders sometimes need to leave their familiar environment, open up and get inspired by other industries.
Two formats
Join a conference together – or travel just with your team.
Format 01 · Conference journey
TED Conference Journey
- For whom
- Individual leaders & teams
- Where
- TED Conference, USA
- When
- Fixed date: San Diego, Q1 2027
- Group
- Open group with other leaders
- Focus
- Broad inspiration, global network
Format 02 · Tailored
Custom Innovation Journeys
- For whom
- Your leadership team, exclusively
- Where
- Your pick from a global shortlist
- When
- Your dates, 3 days on site
- Group
- Closed group
- Focus
- Your strategic question, incl. prep & follow-up
Format 01 · Conference journey
Join the magic of TED.
We take leadership teams and individual leaders to the TED Conference in the US — with curated side events, exclusive meetings with TED speakers and a host who knows the community inside out. We've done it before.
Next trip
San Diego, Q1 2027
Global insights
Connect with speakers and attendees from different industries and backgrounds.
Cutting-edge ideas
Dive into the latest developments in technology, entertainment and design.
Networking
Become part of the TED community — with access to all participants.
Inspiration for change
Talks that challenge conventional thinking and reveal new strategies.
Participants' voices
“Mind-expanding event, world-class speakers in a great atmosphere made possible by the super host Stephan Balzer. I would love to come back!”
Tobias Ragge
Owner and CEO, HRS Group
“Highly inspiring format – even for conference-weary or spoilt ‘big shots’. Networking at the highest level. Excellently organised by Stephan Balzer.”
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
Former Federal Minister of Defence
“The exclusive meetings with TED executives and outstanding speakers were immensely valuable and offered deep insights.”
Michael Oschmann
CEO and Owner, Müller Medien
Format 02 · Tailored
Custom Innovation Journeys
A journey exclusively for your leadership team – built around your guiding question, in a city of your choice, on dates of your choice.
How it works
Three parts. One common thread.
A curated journey for your leadership team — from a shared question through the trip to a synthesis that leads to action.
The question
Prep workshop
Set a shared guiding question and choose the city from a shortlist.
The journey
3 days on site
Visits to leading institutions, curated conversations, shared dinners.
The synthesis
Follow-up workshop
Shared insights, concrete next steps and a written report.
The three days
What happens on site.
Day 1
Arrival & kick-off
- Visit to a leading institution
- Curated conversation on the guiding question
- Shared kick-off dinner
Day 2
Deep dive
- Two to three on-site visits
- Conversations with founders and decision makers
- Facilitated reflection and dinner
Day 3
Closing
- Final encounter on site
- Group reflection: what do we take home?
- Closing dinner
Destinations
Where we go.
We've been hereHelsinki
Digital society & education
We've been hereStockholm
Tech & startup ecosystem
US West Coast
Silicon Valley, AI & venture capital
Shanghai
Scale, speed & digital platforms
Middle East
Visionary cities & future economies
Zurich
Private banking & wealth
Amsterdam
Fintech & sustainable finance
London
Capital markets & regulation
What's included
Everything from one hand.
- Concept & facilitation
- City shortlist & planning
- Travel & hotel
- On-site coordination & speakers
- Three shared dinners
- Photos & synthesis report
Your host
Stephan Balzer
- —Brought TED to Germany — TEDxBerlin since 2009
- —Brought Singularity University to Germany
- —About 80 conferences organised
- —Former global TED ambassador
Contact