Welcome to TEDxVUB!
TEDxVUB is an independently organized TEDx event that gives the VUB community a stage to share ideas worth spreading. More than just a platform for inspiration and innovation, it fosters bold conversations, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the connections that spark real change.
At TEDxVUB, students, faculty, and alumni don’t just share knowledge, they share vision, passion, and the belief that ideas change everything. It’s a space where curiosity meets courage, and the impossible becomes possible.
TEDxVUB is an independently organized TEDx event that gives the VUB community a stage to share ideas worth spreading. More than just a platform for inspiration and innovation, it fosters bold conversations, interdisciplinary dialogue, and the connections that spark real change.
What If? — 16 October 2026
Following last year’s call to Never Say Never, this edition of TEDxVUB takes the next step: What If? Where we once celebrated resilience and the courage to defy limits, we now turn to the power of imagination and possibility.
What If? begins with curiosity. It is about leaning into the unknown, stepping beyond the familiar, and letting questions guide us toward new perspectives — the moment when hesitation meets boldness, when doubt turns into discovery, and when a single idea can spark a change in how we see the world.
Where Bold Ideas Begin
This theme celebrates human creativity and innovation: the willingness to ask bold questions, to imagine futures that do not yet exist, and to embrace the uncertainty that so often leads to breakthrough thinking. On 16 October 2026, we bring together speakers who challenge assumptions, inspire curiosity, and open the door to new ways of thinking. Because every meaningful change begins with a simple question: What if?
Speakers
Introducing the remarkable lineup of speakers for TEDxVUB 2026! From dynamic young leaders breaking barriers in public service to visionary innovators shaping the future of technology.
Ruben D'Hooghe
You’re Too Good at This.
Ruben D’Hooghe, founder of Kommodoor, advisor to founders, and someone who knows a thing or two about being productively distracted.
For years, Ruben built systems, funnels and new directions around his talent, only to realise that sometimes, all that “progress” is just a very sophisticated way of avoiding the one thing that truly matters.
Meryem Ben Elajla
What If Your Career Needs a Map, Not a Ladder?
Meryem Ben Elajla, photonics expert, deep-tech professional, and someone whose career has taken her across research, technology, business and everything in between.
Having explored so many different paths, Meryem knows firsthand that a career rarely moves in one straight direction. In her talk, she challenges the traditional career ladder and asks: what if we stopped climbing and started mapping instead?
Tom Verstraten
Why Making a Good Prosthetic Leg Is Harder Than Building a Humanoid Robot
Tom Verstraten, professor in robotics at VUB, researcher, and someone dedicated to making robots work better for humans.
From prosthetic limbs to exoskeletons and humanoid robots, Tom explores the intricate mechanics behind both the human body and robotics and what it takes to make the two truly work together.
Lien Smeesters
Seeing the Invisible: How Light Can Transform Food Safety
Lien Smeesters, professor and photonics researcher at VUB, and someone who uses light to reveal what the human eye cannot see.
Through her research in optical sensing and spectroscopy, Lien explores how light can be used to detect harmful substances in food quickly and without destroying the product. In her talk, she shows how photonics can help us uncover invisible risks and open up new possibilities for safer food.
Milena Matevosyan
What If You Were More Cringe
Milena Matevosyan, working at the intersection of startups and technology, and someone who has seen firsthand that bold ideas often come with the risk of looking a little foolish.
Over the past five years, Milena has watched founders pitch ideas that didn’t exist yet, take bets without guarantees, and put themselves out there knowing they could fail very publicly. The common thread? A willingness to risk embarrassment in order to try something remarkable.
In her talk, she explores why we’ve become so afraid of being “cringe” and what we might gain by caring a little less about looking cool.
Get Involved
Don’t miss out—grab your TEDxVUB ticket today and be part of an unforgettable night of ideas worth spreading !
Are you ready to be part of something transformative? Join us as a speaker, a sponsor, or a volunteer and contribute to making TEDxVUB an unforgettable experience.
