Uploaded September 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
Former Air Force Reserve Colonel Jeff Kozak once saved his company $500,000 in just 10 days by approaching a jet fuel problem with a seemingly backwards strategy. Kozak’s success resulted in the development of a new, optimized process for mid-air refueling that was initially resisted by many in his industry. On the TED@UPS stage, he explains why the secret to innovation lies in embracing ideas that may initially cause friction, but ultimately should be given a chance.
In times of lightning-paced transformation, one thing stands true: daring human imagination can solve our most intractable problems. In the third year of partnership, TED@UPS 2017 speakers asked: “What if?” They unveiled the potential of global interconnectivity, and, ultimately, what it means to evolve in a world spinning ever faster.
About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas.
Learn more at ted.com/ted-institute
Follow TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/TEDInstitute
Former Air Force Reserve Colonel Jeff Kozak once saved his company $500,000 in just 10 days by approaching a jet fuel problem with a seemingly backwards strategy. Kozak’s success resulted in the development of a new, optimized process for mid-air refueling that was initially resisted by many in his industry. On the TED@UPS stage, he explains why the secret to innovation lies in embracing ideas that may initially cause friction, but ultimately should be given a chance.
In times of lightning-paced transformation, one thing stands true: daring human imagination can solve our most intractable problems. In the third year of partnership, TED@UPS 2017 speakers asked: “What if?” They unveiled the potential of global interconnectivity, and, ultimately, what it means to evolve in a world spinning ever faster.
About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas.
Learn more at ted.com/ted-institute
Follow TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners
Subscribe to our channel: youtube.com/user/TEDInstitute
