Licensing Tiers

Organizing a TEDx event is a journey. As you gain experience over the years, you can, in turn, gain access to more opportunities for your event. These opportunities can help you build, and sustain, your event’s legacy.

Each TEDx event is different! Whether your event is for 50 or 500 attendees, creating a community, producing an event that celebrates local innovation, and delighting your audience - all while upholding the TED guidelines - takes time.

As you move forward in your organizing journey there will be chances to learn and gather. The information and insight gained during these times can allow you to reach larger audiences, better identify ideas worth spreading, and learn more about producing an event. Where you are in your journey and what your event is able to offer is represented by a TEDx Licensing Tier. Tiers become accessible when you meet certain criteria.

A tier will be assigned by TED when your license is granted. There is no separate application process for the different tiers.

There are four TEDx Licensing Tiers:

  • Community: Allows for the use of the TEDx brand, an in-person event of up to 100 attendees (virtual events have an unlimited attendee number), and a ticket price of up to $100 USD.
    • Eligibility: You are eligible for this tier when your TEDx license is approved. Most TEDx organizers begin their journey here. The focus is on creating a strong foundation by building experience producing a TEDx event and establishing a community.
  • Community Plus: Allows for an in-person event of more than 100 attendees.
    • Eligibility: You are eligible for this tier after attending a qualifying TED Conference. Attending a qualifying TED Conference allows you to participate in educational workshops, meet other members of the TED community, and experience firsthand the spirit, structure, and scope of a TED Conference - uniquely preparing you to hold a larger event of your own.
  • Summit: Allows for longer events, with more distribution opportunities, and a ticket price of up to $250 USD.
    • Eligibility: You are eligible for this tier if you have held at least two 100+ Standard, University, Youth, or ED events, exhibited excellence in curation within the community guidelines, and have worked to share ideas and create connections within the TEDx community by holding a registered TEDx regional workshop.
  • Legacy: Allows for the creation of additional content formats and access to more flexible fundraising options, like the ability to fundraise for multiple events at one time and the ability to host in-person fundraising events.
    • Eligibility: This is an invitation-only licensing tier granted to a small selection of long-standing organizers. This tier is currently in its pilot phase.

Note: These benefits are granted to a licensee and applied to all events that they organize as the primary license holder. Benefits do not transfer to team members or new licensees if they do not meet the criteria outlined above. These are internal designations, not intended to be used publicly to describe your event.

Below are the distinctions available to each license tier:

  Community Community Plus Summit Legacy
Use of the TEDx Brand x x x x
Host up to 100 in-person attendees x x x x
Charge up to $100 per ticket x x x x
Review attendee feedback using the Delighted Survey platform x x x x
Host 100+ in-person attendees   x x x
Charge up to $250 per ticket     x x
Host a two-day event     x x
Distribute TEDx Talks on a local broadcast station     x x
Send out press releases without approval from TED     x x
Create podcasts using TEDxEvent brand       x
Hold in-person fundraising events       x
Determine ticket price without limit       x

Not sure which Licensing Tier you are in? Check your next official approval email!

Questions about Licensing Tiers? Check out our FAQ here!

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Distribution