The World Economic Forum announced its annual list of Technology Pioneers today. Of the 61 early-stage companies recognized for their design, development and deployment of potentially world-changing innovations and technologies, a majority (54%) come from outside the United States, including many from emerging markets, and a quarter (25%) is female-led.
“Innovation comes from all corners of the earth and from a very diverse group of entrepreneurs, and with this selection we recognize that,” said Cheryl Martin, Head of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Member of the Managing Board at the World Economic Forum. “The next step is to help these Pioneers bring their solutions to complex world-critical problems to global markets and to take action for the public good.”
The Technology Pioneers 2018 address many societal challenges, a hopeful sign that technology will be a force for good in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Apeel Sciences (USA), for example, develops plant-derived technologies to reduce food waste; Pymetrics (USA) matches talents to opportunity using neuroscience games and artificial intelligence (AI); and Horizon State (Australia) enables efficient and secure vote casting.
“Technology and start-ups are not just about computer software, consumer apps and social networks,” said Fulvia Montresor, Head of Technology Pioneers at the World Economic Forum. “Technology Pioneers 2018 are tackling complex challenges such as environmental sustainability, efficient energy use and access to healthcare.”
Technology Pioneers come from all over the world. Among the nations to host Pioneers are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya and Morocco, as well as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the US. The Pioneers include:
- Bangladesh-based ME SOLshare democratizes energy by developing peer-to-peer microgrids
- Kenyan-based CarePay is developing an inclusive platform for health financing and delivery in Africa
- Brazilian- based Agrosmart makes agronomic models based on genetics, soil type and microclimate data
Examples from well-known innovation hubs include Precognize (Israel), which is developing predictive maintenance software for the process industry, and BenevolentAI (UK) which is developing and applying AI for scientific innovation.
The leadership of the 2018 Technology Pioneers is gender diverse, with 25% of the companies (co-)founded by women. Examples include: Viola Llewellyn, Co-Founder and President of Ovamba Solutions, who built a $500 million life insurance investment fund before co-founding Ovamba; Diana Paredes, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Suade Labs, who had a successful career in investment banking before applying her expertise to financial regulation as a service; and Elizabeth Rossiello, Chief Executive Officer and founder of BitPesa, who is an advocate for blockchain technology in emerging markets and financial innovation across frontier markets.
The newly selected Technology Pioneers will meet at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2018 in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, on 18-20 September. Some of them will also participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 22-25 January. As leaders of innovation, they will be supported by the Forum’s new Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and contribute to fostering the innovation ecosystem and delivering critical mass to solve global challenges.