The world is moving fast. Technology is reshaping how we live, climate change is redefining our priorities, and social movements are challenging us to rethink justice and equity. In the middle of this change, one truth stands out: the future belongs to the bold.

At TEDxColumbusStateU, boldness isn’t about being fearless—it’s about acting in spite of fear. It’s about exploring new frontiers, challenging conventional wisdom, and inspiring others to do the same.

This year’s theme—Explore. Challenge. Inspire.—captures what it means to be bold in our time.

• To explore is to be endlessly curious. It’s to ask: What else is possible?
• To challenge is to refuse to accept “that’s just the way it is.” It’s the determination to disrupt systems and reimagine them for the better.
• To inspire is to lead by example—showing others that change isn’t just an idea, it’s a choice.

Columbus is full of bold thinkers—entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of innovation, educators rewriting the future of learning, and artists daring us to see the world differently. Each one proves that boldness is not reserved for the few—it’s available to all of us.

The TEDx stage is where their courage meets your curiosity. It’s where bold ideas come alive, and where bold people—like you—find the fuel to keep moving forward.