The Ignite speaker series, launched in 2006 in Seattle, has spawned a weekly video show that highlights some of the best presentations from Ignite events from around the world. The first episode, last week, featured Jason Grigsby's talk on the origins of Cup Noodle. The second was with Kati London of Botanicalls, a device that uses Twitter to alert people when their plants need watering.

For the uninitiated, the Ignite format features a series of talks -- each 5 minutes long and consisting of 20 slides that advance automatically after 15 seconds. It's fast-paced, geeky and often very entertaining.

Since the first Seattle event, Ignite has spread to more than 20 cities. For the time being, however, it's without a Seattle home, due to the closure of the Capitol Hill Arts Center. Ignite organizer Brady Forrest of O'Reilly Radar says he's searching for a new location and hopes to have one by summer. There have been five Ignites in Seattle so far, with the last couple shows drawing more than 400 people.

Access the free Ignite Show via YouTube, iTunes, or its Web site.