Giving Compass' Take:

• TED-Ed interviews two young inventors, Ashton Cofer and Akash Manoj, about what led to their remarkable discoveries, and what we can all learn from the process of innovation.

• One key takeaway is the importance of funding: Manoj had the backing of a government-based institution to get lab space and mentorship. How can we help support more young changemakers?

• Now, meet the seventh grader who aims to improve treatment for pancreatic cancer using AI.

On November 17, 2018 students from all over the world are convening at TED Headquarters for the annual TED-Ed Weekend event.

This year the event celebrates students who “show up and speak up” and acts as a reminder that every student has an idea worth spreading and has the power to effect change. Even though it can sometimes feel like the gap between inspiration and action is wide, this year’s guest speakers remind us that all it takes to get started is a first step.

But let’s get specific! In anticipation of the event, we interviewed some of our speakers to ask them about those first steps, and exactly how they went from having an idea to fulfilling their dreams.

Ashton Cofer (AC) spoke at TED-Ed Weekend 2016 and shared his team’s amazing discovery: a process for recycling seemingly un-recyclable styrofoam! Akash Manoj (AM) is speaking at this year’s conference, and he’ll be sharing the story of how he invented a device to detect silent heart attacks. Two speakers who prove that age doesn’t limit your ability to solve real-world problems.

Read the full article about solving real-world problems at any age by Alexandra Panzer at blog.ed.ted.com.