TEDxImperialCollege

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Amardeep Parmar

  Amardeep Parmar is the Startups for Outsiders author and Bae HQ Cofounder and Chief Maker. Bae HQ is the community for high-growth Asian heritage founders, and investors in the UK. Since October 2022, they have had 7500+ event attendees, 250+ podcasts and 200+ participants in their impact programmes. He is also an angel investor in 6 companies and a limited partner in 2 venture capital funds. This is despite having almost no business network in the UK when Bae HQ was founded. Amardeep followed a traditional professional route for most of his life having worked at the Bank of England and in technology consulting. His life transformed in early 2020 when his online blogging went viral which led to him becoming a full-time writer in 2021. Amardeep’s new network in the US led him to interview founders from Netflix and Twitter. Yet he felt like an outsider to the UK system and Bae HQ was born.

• Dmitry Sharapov

  Dmitry Sharapov is Associate Professor of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy at Imperial College Business School. Dmitry's research interests lie at the intersections of the literatures on competitive strategy, innovation management, and decision-making under uncertainty. His research, which has been published in journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, and Research Policy, aims to improve our understanding of (1) the antecedents, processes, and consequences of organizations imitating one another, (2) the inventive process and how organizations select which novel ideas to support, and (3) strategy in business ecosystems. Empirical settings for exploring these questions include large multinational technology companies, startup accelerators, the US movie industry, and the America's Cup World Series sailing competition. Dmitry teaches courses on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Strategy.

• Vishwajeet Ranade

  Vishwajeet is a multi-dimensional storyteller bridging technology, creativity, and global impact. With a background in engineering, business, neuropsychology, and international relations, his journey explores the intersection of technology, human behavior, and global systems. He co-founded The Blockchain School, empowering over 100,000+ learners globally, and has worked with industry leaders like Nas Daily to drive education and innovation. Through Stanford WiDS, he and his team facilitated $200,000+ in scholarships for women in web3. At heart, he is a storyteller writing technical documents by day and crafting plays, films, and novels by night. His creative works have won international recognition, seamlessly blending art and technology. Currently, alongside his academic, professional, and creative pursuits, he is in the process of building platforms to address global challenges and inspire change. His mission: to merge technology, creativity, and education to shape a better world.

• Yona Knight-Wisdom

  An IVF miracle, Yona Knight-Wisdom, known for his resilience and performance-driven mindset, is a trailblazing athlete, making history as Jamaica’s first male Olympic diver. His journey began when he was spotted during a talent identification programme, with his Olympic dream ignited after watching Athens 2004, before choosing to represent Jamaica in 2011. With the support of Levi Roots, Yona’s 12-year career took him to events around the world including three Olympic Games. Beyond sport, Yona is dedicated to personal development, and empowers others to do the same. He is a high-performance diving coach, a university graduate, and an ILM qualified coach & mentor. Yona is passionate about the growth of diving in Jamaica, having delivered two successful diving camps in Kingston through the YKW Diving Academy, and aims to nurture a new generation of Jamaican athletes by developing a multifaceted sports initiative.

• Ziying Zhou

  Ziying Zhou is a former banker turned etiquette and transformational coach, with a thriving community of 200K+ followers across Instagram and TikTok. Ziying has been featured in major news outlets, including Gulf News, and is a LinkedIn Learning instructor who regularly contributes to media on etiquette and social grace. Her expertise spans etiquette, communication, peak performance, and personal development. With a decade-long banking career in London and Dubai and training at Switzerland’s elite finishing school, Institut Villa Pierrefeu, she brings a unique blend of corporate expertise and refined social intelligence to her work. Ziying has worked with top global corporations, senior executives, entrepreneurs and professionals worldwide. Originally from China, she holds three degrees from prestigious UK institutions, including a master’s from Imperial College London Business School. She also previously served at the United Nations in Vienna, specializing in interpreting and translation.