The If Conference is an opportunity, over two days, to see the thinkers and doers who understand the city, the home, the self, the arts, ecology, technology and design all come together in one place and discuss what happens next.

Predicting the future in today's globalised world is getting more complex. People and technology are interacting in completely new and unexpected ways.

So we thought, what If we tried to get a handle on these transformations by mixing together disciplines, people and approaches? What If we take some of the most brilliant brains in architecture, science, technology, the arts, engineering, energy and design and give them 15 minutes each to tell us what they're contributing to this future? What If we do all this in front of a questioning, demanding audience? And what If we gave everyone the opportunity to mingle around stunning fringe events, from art-trapeze to "secret rooms" …

So we did, with the If Conference 2011.

The first ever If Conference took place on 25-26 November 2011 at the Royal Geographical Society in London. Over two days it became a buzzing, zinging mating-ground for ideas, with the stars of future-gazing thrilling us with enlightenment and teasing us with possibility.

If you couldn't make it, don't worry. You can watch the videos from 2011 and join us for round two in 2012.

You can also read a selection of some of the most interesting articles on our speakers and their cutting-edge talks:

• Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports marked as winners

  Jess Hollond quizzes Christopher Choa on the 'Aerotropolis' for The National.

• Technology Once Protected Our Privacy, Now It Erodes It

  Wired.com's write up of Michael Birnack's talk on the erosion of privacy at home.

• Low-cost eye tracking system developed to control computer mice

  Wired.co.uk's news story on Aldo Faisal's revolutionary new technology.

• Patrick Blanc: Converting our city walls into vertical gardens

  Urban Times' profile on the architectural botanist.

In 2012 we're taking the If Conference up a notch. Taking place on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th October, planning is already under way.

More details to come in early 2012. Be with us from the start – pre-release tickets are already on sale.

There's no such thing as a typical If Conference delegate, and that's a good thing because we believe that the most important sparks are created when disparate semi-strangers come together.

The conference attracts a rich mix of business executives, public sector officials, entrepreneurs, investors, professionals, technologists, students, creatives and many others, all with two things in common: their vision and their curiosity.

The If Conference is the latest project from Intelligence². Founded in 2002 by John Gordon (former Chief Executive of Xtreme Information) and Jeremy O'Grady (editor-in-chief of The Week), Intelligence² has built a global reputation for staging live talks and debates on the most important political and cultural issues of the day. They have carved a niche in intellectual adventure, producing dazzling live events on politics, science, religion and art. Their speakers are world experts, thinkers, inventors, philosophers and artists and they work with numerous media partners to extend the reach of our events, including the BBC who regularly broadcast Intelligence² debates to a worldwide audience of 70 million viewers.