Theme: Echoes of Yesterday Shaping Tomorrow

Our event is a platform designed to inspire, empower, and connect English-speaking youth in Norway. Through this event, we aim to foster a spirit of curiosity and innovation, and encourage participants to explore ideas that challenge boundaries, envision future possibilities, and broaden their perspectives. This event will feature a diverse program of speakers, including young changemakers, thought leaders, and innovators, as well as networking opportunities.

The program will focus on topics such as technology, sustainability, personal development, and social impact, ensuring relevance and engagement for our youth audience. By creating a space for meaningful conversations and sharing ideas, this project seeks to give young people the inspiration and tools to create positive change in their communities and beyond. The event supports TED's mission to spread ideas worth sharing and will act as a catalyst to strengthen youth voices in Norway.

Wergeland, Litteraturhuset
Wergelandsveien 29
Oslo, Oslo, 0167
Norway

Arvind Keprate

Professor at Oslo Metropolitan University

Dr. Arvind Keprate is a professor, researcher, and technologist driven by curiosity and clarity. With a Ph.D. in offshore engineering and research experience at NASA, he has spent over a decade solving complex engineering challenges—from predicting structural cracks to making wind farms smarter. He currently teaches engineering design courses at OsloMet and AI-related courses at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences. His research focuses on green energy systems, digital twins, and immersive technologies such as VR and AR. Beyond academia, he co-runs the YouTube channel Namaste from Norway, where he and his wife share stories and practical insights about life in Norway. Bridging the worlds of high-tech engineering and digital content creation, Arvind brings a unique perspective on how to reclaim focus in an age of constant digital distraction.

Lillian Smestad

Senior Data Scientist

Lillian is a Senior Data Scientist in the Artificial Intelligence department of Crayon Consulting. She works exclusively with Artificial Intelligence, delivering value to customers through solutions leveraging machine learning and advanced analytics. She holds a PhD degree within particle physics from the University of Oslo. Her PhD thesis was on the search for the Higgs particle, and so she was part of the scientific breakthrough consisting of the discovery of the Higgs boson, the basis for the Nobel Prize in Physics 2013. She is dedicated, conscientious and positive, able to quickly understand new topics and very proficient in analytical thinking. Lillian was nominated for Tech Woman of the Year 2024 by the Norwegian Computer Society, announced one of top 100 in Data, Analytics and AI in the Nordic 2023 by Hyperight, one of Norway's 50 leading women in tech 2022 by ODA network and Abelia, and named a female role model within AI in Norway by NORA in 2021.

Magnus Arveng

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ntention

Magnus Arveng is a serial entrepreneur, engineer, and explorer with a burning passion for technology, energy, and personal development. With his eyes quite literally set on the Moon, he has developed technology that may one day be used there – including the widely featured Astronaut Smart Glove, tested with NASA’s Haughton-Mars Project in an analog space suit, and covered by media outlets around the world. Magnus has co-founded several companies, including Ntention – known for its technology enabling intuitive interaction between humans and machines – and currently runs both Ntention and Arveng Industries, where he gives talks on future technologies, entrepreneurship, and energy optimization. He is a shareholder in Sastech AS and will launch Sastech España this fall, leading the rollout of smart energy services in the Spanish market. He is also part of SIKT, a leadership network initiated by H.R.H. The Crown Prince of Norway for young talents and leaders.

Modou Max Stabel

Vice president of Operasjon Dagsverk

Modou Max Stabel has grown up as an activist in the world of youth engagement. Since the age of 13, he has worked to raise awareness about the importance of investing in education. Now 19, Modou serves as the vice president of Norway’s largest youth-led solidarity campaign, Operasjon Dagsverk. He is dedicated to inspiring young people to use their voices and take an active role in addressing both local and global issues. Modou believes that democracies die not with violence, but with indifference—and that youth engagement is the antidote.

Rina Sunder

Founder of Det Moderne India

Rina Sunder is a leading voice in cross-cultural leadership, gender equality, and India-Nordic collaboration. With a career spanning public policy, investment, corporate strategy, and the nonprofit sector, she has led pioneering initiatives in circular economy, ethical trade, and women’s empowerment. As co-founder of *Det Moderne India* (DMI), Rina works at the intersection of policy and business to foster impactful partnerships between the Global North and South. DMI has featured at high-level platforms, including the World Economic Forum in Davos. She also hosts the *Det Moderne India Podcast*, where she curates conversations on diversity, sustainability, and global geopolitics. Rina is the author of the textbook Det Moderne India and a regular commentator on Norwegian and Indian television, speaking on international relations, and India-Norway affairs.

Robin Börjesson

Head of Architecture & Engineering, Retail Banking at DNB

Robin is a systems thinker and technology strategist who believes that curiosity is one of the most powerful tools we have when stepping into adulthood. With a background that spans industrial economics, logistics, and computer science, he has built a career by asking questions, following his interests, and embracing the unknown. Today, as Head of Architect & Engineering for Retail Banking at DNB, he leads a team of skilled architects and engineers shaping the future of digital banking. In his TEDx talk, “Wandering with Purpose: How Curiosity Shaped My Career,” Robin shares how not having a fixed plan led to a career built on exploration, learning, and growth. His message to young people is: you don’t need to have it all figured out. Let your curiosity guide you, set learning goals that excite you, and stay open to change—because the future isn’t something you find, it’s something you build.