To spark ideas and conversations around each theme, we are organizing a diverse lineup of Portuguese and international speakers who will challenge our perspectives on What is Love?
Musician, Composer
Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Oncoglam
Founder and Managing Partner of Índico Capital Partners
Poet, Rapper, and Musician
Art Expert, Entrepreneur, Restaurateur, and Ceramist
Senior Marketing and Transformation Leader
Neuroscientist & Sensory Designer
Poet, Writer, and Librettist
Hospitality Entrepreneur
CEO, Founder
Strategic marketing leader, board advisor
CEO of the By KOKET Group
Pioneer in emotional color intelligence
Distinguished academic cardiothoracic surgeon
Opera nas Escolas (Opera in Schools)
Musical Storyteller
Contemporary artist
TEDxMarvila 2026 – Speaker Application
Theme: “What Is Love?”
Love is one of humanity’s oldest questions – a force that shapes cultures, science, relationships, cities, politics, technology, grief, joy, and everything in between.
For TEDxMarvila 2026, we are searching for ideas that explore, challenge, redefine, or investigate the nature of love – from emotional to intellectual, from societal to scientific, from personal to structural.
If you have an Idea Worth Spreading we invite you to apply.
Before You Begin
Please review the guidelines below. TEDx events follow strict global standards for quality, integrity, and independence. Submitting an application means you agree to these principles.
👉 All talks at TEDxMarvila must be delivered in English.
Key Dates
Event Day: May 24, 2026
Applicants must be fully available for both rehearsal and event day.
What We’re Looking For
TEDxMarvila showcases original, idea-driven talks created by individuals deeply involved in their work. We welcome perspectives that examine “What Is Love?” through:
Your idea should be:
We are not seeking life-coaching, motivational speeches, self promotion, or generic inspirational content.
Topics We Cannot Accept
To protect the integrity of TEDx, we cannot accept:
Important Requirements
Your Video Submission
Please prepare a 2-minute video before completing the application.
Include:
This does not need to be professionally recorded – authenticity matters more than production.
You will need to provide a link to your video in the application.
After You Apply
Once your application is submitted, our curation team will review your proposal with careful attention to the strength of your idea, its relevance to our 2026 theme “What is Love?”, and its alignment with the TEDxMarvila values.
If your idea moves forward in the selection process, we will contact you to schedule an introductory conversation. Applicants chosen to speak at TEDxMarvila 2026 will receive an official invitation and begin a structured preparation journey with our team.
If you do not hear from us within two weeks of submitting your application, please note that, due to the high volume of applications, your proposal was not selected for this edition. However, your information will remain in our database for consideration in future opportunities.
Haddaway is best known for his 1993 hit single “What Is Love,” which became a global phenomenon.
His passion for music led him to form his own band, Chance, and he began performing in local clubs. Haddaway’s big break came when he signed with Coconut Records in 1992.
Beatriz de Sousa Viegas is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Oncoglam, Portugal’s only magazine dedicated to cancer, lifestyle, beauty, and fashion for patients, healthcare professionals, and caregivers. She leads the editorial vision and content strategy, weaving together oncology, wellbeing, and aesthetics. Through Oncoglam, Beatriz aims to change how cancer is perceived — bringing dignity, style, and humanity to a subject often shaped by purely clinical stories.
Three words:
Stephan de Moraes is the Founder and Managing Partner of Índico Capital Partners, Portugal’s leading venture capital and sustainability firm. A visionary investor with a global outlook, he has backed seven unicorns and served as President of APCRI, Advisor to the European Commissioner for Science and Innovation, and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
With experience spanning nine countries and roles from CEO to entrepreneur, Stephan connects capital, talent, and purpose. At TEDxMarvila, he explores “Love, Depths, and the House of Illusion” — a journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and growth that mirrors entrepreneurship itself
Three words:
Dan Whitlam is a poet, rapper, and musician whose work blends reflection, honesty, and emotional depth. After losing his mother young and surviving a stabbing at sixteen, he turned resilience into purpose — using music and poetry to inspire healing and connection.
Fresh from his biggest headline tour across North America, Europe, and the UK, and with his debut album coming in 2026, Dan also supports mental-health charities like CALM and Kooth UK. At TEDxMarvila, he explores love as self-discovery and healing, offering young people a voice of honesty and hope.
Three words:
Suzana Barros is an art expert, entrepreneur, restaurateur, and ceramist whose work bridges creativity, culture, and community. With degrees from ESAD and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, she began her career managing Portugal’s artistic heritage at Millennium BCP before earning a master’s in Strategic Marketing from ISCEM.
For the past 18 years, Suzana has led Lisbon’s iconic Tágide Restaurant and Tágide WG Bar, where gastronomy meets art and history. Passionate, creative, and resilient, she comes to TEDxMarvila to explore love as care, continuity, and creation — expressed through food, art, and human connection.
Three words: Passionate, Creative, Resilient.
Susana Coerver is a senior marketing and transformation leader with over 25 years of experience shaping brands, teams, and cultures across four continents. From creative strategy at Ogilvy São Paulo to global brand leadership at Parfois, she has guided organizations toward more human, values‑driven growth.
Now Head of Strategy and Transformation at the Hugo Madeira Group, she aligns leadership and culture around empathy and care.
A board advisor, mentor, and advocate for mental health at work, Susana explores how kindness and awareness can be designed into business — turning leadership itself into an act of love.
Three words:
Ari Peralta is a Harvard-trained neuroscientist and sensory designer shaping how the world restores and connects through the human senses. He has collaborated with global brands including Dove, Six Senses, and NASA, and is currently Innovation Director at the Cocun Wellness Research Institute in California. With a background in neuroscience (Harvard), sensory design (Parsons NYC), and an MBA from the University of Tampa, Ari fuses research and design to reduce overstimulation and support nervous system regulation. He is an international award-winning innovator and a global champion of arts-for-wellness, helping brands and cultural institutions apply neuroscience across the senses, not just the heart.
Sholeh Wolpé is an award-winning Iranian-American poet, writer, and librettist whose works bridge cultures and awaken spiritual reflection. Her acclaimed translations of 12th-century Sufi mystic Attar, including The Conference of the Birds and The Invisible Sun – Attar (long-listed for the 2026 PEN Poetry Translation Award), have been called “stunning” by Literary Hub. Author of seven poetry collections, several plays, and five books of translation, she is currently Writer-in-Residence at the University of California, Irvine, living between Barcelona and Los Angeles.
Three words: Wayfarer. Optimist. Hopeful.
Miguel Júdice is a hospitality entrepreneur with extensive experience in Portugal’s luxury sector. His projects include the Hotel Quinta das Lágrimas, part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and Eleven Restaurant, awarded one Michelin star. He has led and advised numerous ventures across hospitality, real estate, and culture, and served as President of the Portuguese Hotel Association. Miguel holds a degree in Business from Universidade Católica Portuguesa and a Master’s in Hospitality Management from Cornell University.
Three words:
Miguel Moreira da Cruz is a CEO, Founder and mentor focused on how humans form meaningful connections in the digital age. As the founder of a video-first dating platform, he has spent years studying the behavioural patterns behind romantic attraction, drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and real-world data from thousands of interactions. Three words: Curious. Intentional. Connected. Miguel brings a unique perspective to “What is Love?” — combining scientific research with firsthand observation of how people truly connect when given the space to be themselves. Passionate about bridging the gap between technology and authentic human connection, he believes love is not found — it’s chosen.
Susana Coerver is a strategic marketing leader, board advisor, and culture builder with over 25 years of experience in branding, communication, and transformation. She has led teams and strategies across Portugal, Brazil, and the Philippines, including as Global Marketing & Communication Director at Parfois. Currently Head of Strategy & Transformation at the Hugo Madeira Group, Susana also serves on the Executive Board of ASM and as Board Advisor at Grupo GW. Her work bridges business and empathy, helping leaders design human-centered organizations where values drive performance and transformation begins with care.
Janet Morais is the founder and CEO of the By KOKET Group, home to brands including KOKET, DeMorais International, My Object of Desire, and Love Happens Magazine. A visionary leader in luxury design, she merges style, craftsmanship, and empowerment to create statement pieces and experiences that celebrate femininity and individuality. Through KOKET’s Global Intern & Mentorship Program, Janet champions women and emerging talent worldwide. For her, love is both muse and mission—an unstoppable creative force that turns passion into purpose. (Empowerment. Strength. Authenticity.)
Three words:
Valerie Corcias is a pioneer in emotional color intelligence, exploring how color shapes emotion, perception, and human connection. With over 20 years of experience, she co-created the global PANTONE UNIVERSE brand and founded mycoocoon and Wanathé Lab, a sensory research lab decoding the emotional language of color. Her work bridges neuroscience, design, and multisensory experiences, transforming emotional responses to color into insights for innovation with brands like L’Oréal, Six Senses, and Bloomingdale’s. From Cas’Azul, her nature-based sensory lab in Portugal, Valerie explores how color can inspire creativity, empathy, and connection, inviting people to rediscover love through the universal language of color.
Three words:
Professor José Fragata is a distinguished academic cardiothoracic surgeon, former head of department, and full professor of surgery, now retired. His career spans more than 45 years, during which he performed thousands of cardiac procedures, including numerous heart and lung transplantations in both adults and children.
He has an extensive and diverse body of published work and has held leading roles in several prominent international professional societies. Professor Fragata can be characterized by three defining qualities: perseverance, empathy, and professionalism. He views love as the fundamental driving force that advances family, profession, and society. Beyond his medical career, Professor Fragata has a deep passion for the sea and greatly enjoys sailing.
Antonio Wagner Diniz holds degrees in Economics and Music and has built a distinguished career as an opera singer, musical performer, and cultural animator since 1975. His most notable social and musical projects include Orquestra Geração – El Sistema Portugal and Opera nas Escolas. A visionary educator and cultural advocate, he transforms young lives through collective music making, proving that harmony is a learned skill. His work bridges curriculum and performing arts, bringing opera’s emotional depth into classrooms. For Antonio, love means listening radically—empowering children to find their voice and become protagonists of their own life’s grand opera.
Gülami Yeşildal is a Turkish-born multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Lisbon. His music blends Anatolian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and South Asian traditions, interweaving improvisation, modal forms, and storytelling. Performing on instruments such as saz, oud, sarod, and percussion, he creates intimate performances that explore spirituality and cultural dialogue. Introspective, grounded, and expressive, Gülami views love as a space shaped by longing, memory, and connection across time and cultures. His practice is driven by collaboration and the belief that music fosters reflection, emotional continuity, and shared human experience across boundaries.
Carolina Deslandes is one of Portugal’s most influential contemporary artists, celebrated for her powerful songwriting and sold-out performances. A three-time Golden Globe winner, she has captivated audiences with hits like “A Vida Toda” and albums such as Chorar no Club and CAOS e calma. Carolina became the first female Portuguese pop artist to sell out the Altice Arena, affirming her status as a cultural icon. Beyond music, she explores themes of feminism, desire, and resilience through her art. At TEDx, she shares her journey of creativity and emotional authenticity, inspiring others to embrace expression as a force for connection.
