The popular YouTube series TEDx is coming back to Tampa in May, bringing 10 speakers to the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Harikrishna Patel, a University of South Florida student, and his sister Krishna are curating the event.
“Lift as You Climb,” which takes place May 2, has the highest license from TEDx. That allows the pair to organize a city-wide event for 1,000 attendees.
A TEDx event of this size typically takes a year to put together, but because of their experience working with the organization, the Patels were able to do it in six months.
Harikrishna Patel said he is hoping May’s event will be successful enough to allow them to host a larger event in the future.
“We want to bring together the top minds in Tampa for one night out of the year to come and grow and change,” Patel said.
When selecting speakers, Patel said he wanted to bring in people who were not just successful, but had an “amazing story.”
The group includes Tampa General Hospital CEO John Couris, ReliaQuest CEO Brian Murphy and Bawa Jain, the founding secretary of the World Council of Religious Leaders.
"[The speakers] have amazing perspectives on leadership that can not only just help the city of Tampa but also, once their talks are posted on the YouTube channel, can help the entire world,” Patel said.
TEDx was last in Tampa in 2021.
Guests will be able to network at the Tampa Museum of Art starting at 5:45 p.m. on May 2. The group will then walk over to the Straz Center for four hours of guest speeches.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online.
