The first TED conference to be held in Brighton takes place tomorrow.
And the keynote speech at TEDx Brighton will challenge Brighton and Hove to become Britain’s first fully digital city by 2015.
The TED conferences started in California 25 years ago around the themes of Technology, Entertainment and Design.
They give a platform for influential thinkers and entrepreneurs to present their ideas to a live audience.
Tomorrow’s conference is entitled: “Reasons to be cheerful – an optimistic look forward.”
Greg Hadfield, the former Fleet Street journalist who co-founded Soccernet and Schoolsnet, will speak about “the road to a digital Brighton”.
Mr Hadfield, who has lived in Brighton for 23 years, is the director of strategic projects at Cogapp, the digital agency with offices in Brighton.
He said: “In the coming years every city will be – to a lesser or greater degree – a digital city.
“How will Brighton and Hove get there first?
“And how will it stand out from the rest?”
Mr Hadfield aims to set out the road map to a smarter, more prosperous, sustainable and openly democratic community.
The conference also features Will McInnes, from Hove, the co-founder and managing director of Brighton digital media agency Nixon McInnes.
The conference takes place at Brighton University’s Sallis Benney Theatre in Grand Parade, Brighton, although all the tickets – which were free – have been allocated.
TEDx Brighton is the first locally produced, independently organised, not-for-profit event organised under licence from TED.
