Stephan Balzer

Brainstormer, Change Agent, Connector, Entrepreneur, Idea generator

Stephan Balzer is a Berlin-based entrepreneur, curator, and strategic advisor working at the intersection of innovation, technology, culture, and societal change. As the founder and managing director of red onion GmbH and the founder and curator of TEDxBerlin, he has spent more than 25 years developing platforms, programs, and partnerships that bring together leaders from business, media, academia, politics, and the creative industries. His work focuses on translating complex ideas into clear narratives, inspiring formats, and meaningful experiences — from executive learning programs and branded content to conferences, salons, and thought leadership initiatives. He brought TEDx to Germany and later also introduced Singularity University to the country, helping shape the conversation around innovation, exponential technologies, and future-oriented leadership. Over the years, he has supported organizations in navigating transformation through culture, storytelling, and powerful dialogue. Earlier in his career, he co-founded the multimedia agency Lava, which was later sold to a U.S. firm that went on to be publicly listed on Nasdaq. He also co-produced Interview Project Germany in the creative orbit of David Lynch and Austin Lynch. In addition, he co-founded the Global Perspectives Initiative together with Dr. Ingrid Hamm, former CEO of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, to foster dialogue across business, politics, media, and civil society.

New ideas, cultural change, meaningful dialogue, and the power of bringing the right people together. I believe innovation often happens at the intersection of disciplines — when business, creativity, technology, and society are allowed to truly meet.

Talk to the people you love while you still can. Record their stories. Ask your parents and grandparents about their lives, their memories, their fears, their hopes, and the turning points that shaped them. If we listen carefully, we discover not only who they are — but also where we come from.

branded content, community building, cross-sector partnerships, executive learning formats, Innovation and transformation, speaker coaching, strategic communications, TED-style curation, thought leadership

I brought TEDx to Germany and founded TEDxBerlin to create a platform for ideas that connect technology, culture, science, and society. What continues to inspire me about TED is its belief that ideas — if they are clear, human, and courageous — can truly shift how we see the world.

Cooking, karaoke, moderating, and dancing — four skills that occasionally overlap.