Young people aged 16–25, based in the UK, with an idea they want to share on climate, democracy, or justice. You don't need to be an expert, have a polished pitch, or have a public speaking background.

We're looking for young people with a point of view they can't stop thinking about — something rooted in what they've lived, noticed, or refused to accept. The strongest ideas often aren't the most obvious ones; they're the ones only that person could tell.

That might look like:

• A personal experience turned into action‍: "I was too young to vote, so I organised instead"

• A hidden system made visible:‍ ‍"The forces behind our food choices"

• A human story behind the statistics‍: ‍"Lost in the numbers: the story of young migrants"

• An uncomfortable truth about your own community: "What my hometown doesn't want to say about flooding"

• A different lens on a familiar debate:"Democracy looks different from a wheelchair

OPENx is fully sponsored. All training, mentoring, and travel costs for in-person participation (including the audition day and Festival of Ideas) are covered by TEDxLondon.

Yes. The application form asks about any access requirements for the online training and the in-person audition day so we can plan around them in advance.

If you are selected to partake in the training, we ask that you join at least three of the four training sessions. Participation is required for the in-person audition day.

Absolutely. OPENx is for finding new ideas and undiscovered voices, and our coaches will help you shape yours into a talk. Past winners have spoken about chicken shops as social hubs, technology and creativity, unconventional careers, and new ways to think about youth offending.

This year's themes are climate, democracy and justice, so we ask you to submit an idea that touches on one of these themes (or a combination of them).