In October 2011 we met with Alex Obermayr from Tedx Vienna as we preparing the program for the Global Social Business Summit which took place in November 2011 in Vienna. To be honest, Tedx was new to us and as we spoke with Alex we asked him if he would be interested in doing an interview on our blog. Great guy and full with ideas … Tedx came much more closer to us when we interviewed him …

Please try to describe yourself in just 5 words!
Brilliant, genius, strong, awesome and above all, modest. ☺

Tell us a bit about the initiative ‘TEDX’, when it all started and what it means in general!
TED (Technology Entertainment and Design) was founded in 1984 and is a global set of conferences, formed to disseminate “ideas worth spreading”. TED’s early emphasis was largely technology and design, but nowadays they address an increasingly wide range of topics within the research and practice of science and culture.

Created in the spirit of “ideas worth spreading” TED grants licenses to third parties to hold free TEDx (x= independently organized event) in cities around the world.
This program is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. That´s exactly what we are trying to achieve with TEDx Vienna.

How is TEDX positioned in Austria?
TEDx started in Austria with Tedx Pannonia on Sep. 11th, 2010 and up until now there were 6 conferences held in Austria, twice at Vienna, Salzburg and Pannonia in each case.

Why should people attend TEDX events eg sessions?
We follow the TED format as much as possible and the TED conference is unique. The speakers sit with the attendees, many of whom are also involved in wonderful and uplifting work. There are no keynote speakers; all speakers are equal. There are no panel discussions or Q&A. Instead, there are frequent breaks where people can speak to whomever they choose; and because the entire room is filled with people passionate about Ideas Worth Spreading, many new ideas and idea cross-pollination occurs. The sheer beauty of a day like this is that everyone gathered is there to ensure that the ideas move on to have greater impact in our world.

Does the positioning of TEDX also include web 2.0 activities and if yes, which ones?
One of the main ideas of Web 2.0 is sharing: our Facebook Page, Twitter Channel, tumblr and blog are the key elements of spreading ideas and get inspired by others, it is a communication of many to many.

TEDX also has a blog, can you tell us why?
Ideas are popping up and need a platform to spread: the TEDxVienna Blog is the platform for ‘ideas worth spreading’.

Have you ever come across a blog that you thought was interesting and if yes, which one and why?
I m reading numerous blogs, like socialmediaclub, techcrunch or videogum, but I especially enjoy reading our own blog at tedxvienna for obvious reasons.

Any comments you would like to share with us?
I simply would like to invite people to take a look at our site. We have got a lot of interesting stuff to offer!