Theme: Roots and Wings

TICKETS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
Join us for TEDxBISB 2025, an inspiring day of ideas worth spreading, where we explore the balance between roots and wings. This year's theme reflects the importance of grounding ourselves in our heritage, values, and experiences, while also embracing the freedom to soar and innovate. Speakers from diverse backgrounds will share their stories of personal growth, cultural identity, and the transformative power of new perspectives. Together, we’ll discover how to stay rooted in who we are, while reaching for the limitless possibilities that lie ahead.

British International School Bratislava
British International School Bratislava
Penikova 6
BRATISLAVA, Bratislavský kraj, 84102
Slovakia

Adam Bednář

Co-founder of NOOVE

Adam Bednář is an entrepreneur and problem-solver changing how young innovators shape the world. He co-founded Noove, a company connecting students with real-world challenges and helping decision-makers to tap into young talent. His work on Project Picoballoon advances atmospheric research with ultra-light meteorological probes for climate data collection. Recognized with the Sigma Squared Fellowship, Adam proves that innovation knows no age. In his talk, he empowers young minds to break boundaries and look at life as a sandbox.

Ayana Gaur

Student

Ayana is a high school student fascinated by the patterns that shape both nature and human progress. With a deep interest in science and philosophy, she explores how entropy—the universe’s drive toward disorder—paradoxically fuels innovation and life itself. The impermanence caused by entropy grounds our existence, but also gives us wings by driving us to innovate and evolve.

Dominika Fričová

Neurobiologist

Dominika Fričová is a neurobiologist passionate about translating brain research into real help for patients. She leads groundbreaking projects that combine molecular neuroscience and patient care, with a focus on Parkinson’s disease. As a researcher at the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University and Neuroimmunology Department at Slovak Academy of Sciences, she explores how brain cells function and fail and how we can intervene. For her contribution to science she was awarded the LOREAL-UNESCO for Women in Science prize. She is also the founder of Žijem vedu, a non-profit organization that connects Slovak scientists. In her TEDx talk, Dominika shows how empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based science can give wings to those whose roots are shaken by neurodegenerative diseases.

Dušan Ševela

Head of Design Development

Dušan Ševela is a Slovak architect with experience in both domestic and international projects. He studied at the Faculty of Architecture in Bratislava, VUT Brno, and Tampere University of Technology. He also worked at Andrea Klimko’s studio and the prestigious FUKSAS studio in Rome. After transitioning to real estate development, he became Head of Design Development at Penta Real Estate, where he collaborated on major projects in Slovakia, Czechia, and Poland. Over his career, he has worked with more than 25 architectural studios, with notable developments including Sky Park, Jurkovičova Tepláreň, and the New Generation Hospital. Currently, as Head of Design Development at ALTO Real Estate, he leads the department responsible for urbanism, architecture, and project design. In his speech, he discusses the Jurkovič Heating Plant, a national cultural monument in Slovakia, and the seamless blending of important cultural monuments of the past with the sustainable vision of the future.

Gautam A. Rana

U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia

Gautam Rana is the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Slovak Republic. He arrived in Slovakia on September 14, 2022. Ambassador Rana previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Algeria and Slovenia. He served as Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the National Security Council (2014-2015) and Deputy Minister Counselor for Political Affairs in New Delhi, India. His postings also include the United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Rana was a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society in New York City. He speaks four languages and has studied five others. Ambassador Rana holds degrees in Economics and International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, a law degree from Vanderbilt University, and a Master of Arts from the National Defense University. He is married, with two children.

Hayley Stavenger

Drama and Dance Teacher

Hayley Stavenger is an educator, performer, and advocate for the arts. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts with a double emphasis in Acting and Costume Design, along with a minor in Psychology. Passionate about the transformative power of creative expression, Stavenger has dedicated her career to exploring the profound impact of the arts on our world. After completing her PGCE in Wales, she has taught in Scotland and Slovakia, where she currently inspires students as a Drama and Dance teacher. At TEDxBISB, Stavenger will explore the importance of the arts across life and history, demonstrating how creative expression serves as both a preservation of cultural roots, while also being a catalyst for change—giving people and movements the wings to soar.

Matej Styk

Student

Matej Styk is the Secretary-General of the Bratislava Model United Nations (MUN) for 2023 and 2024, leading a team of 30 and raising €30,000 for the event. He founded the MUN Association of Slovakia and is working on nationwide workshops to promote MUNs in secondary schools. As a European Parliament Youth Ambassador, UNICEF Slovakia Youth Ambassador, and TEDxGymnázium Jura Hronca co-organizer, he’s deeply involved in youth advocacy and event organizing. With research on Slovak perceptions of peace settlements in the Ukraine war, Styk also serves as the Head of the Curricular Section at the Student Council of Secondary Schools of Slovakia, pushing for academic reforms. His talk, "The Importance of Initiative," will explore how personal values and passions can inspire impactful change through proactive action.