These are the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers of 2020
The innovators helping to build a better future Image: Drew Beamer on Unsplash.com
- The World Economic Forum announces its 20th cohort of 100 new Technology Pioneers.
- This year’s cohort includes leaders in carbon capture, alternative meat, circular economies, food security and financial access, to name but a few.
- Technology Pioneers are also contributing to COVID-19 responses through testing, diagnostics and more.
- Learn more about the Technology Pioneers here.
The World Economic Forum today announced its 2020 Technology Pioneers, future headline-makers addressing global issues with cutting-edge technology. From artificial intelligence (AI) to carbon capture, this year’s cohort is using innovations to protect climate, improve healthcare and much more, helping us to reset society and build towards a better future.
“This year’s class of Technology Pioneers are improving society and advancing their industries around the world,” said Susan Nesbitt, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. “These are the companies that think differently and stand out as potential game-changers. We’re looking forward to the role they’ll play in shaping the future of their industries.”
Of the 100 firms selected, over one-quarter are female-led, more than double the industry average. These firms also come from diverse regions that stretch beyond traditional tech hubs, with companies using innovative technology in novel ways all around the world.
In Brazil, CargoX is digitizing trucking to optimize logistics that can improve the livelihood of truckers in the country. India’s ZestMoney is using its technology to transform the financial services industry, offering affordable credit to those who are unable to access this through traditional finance paths.
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Each Tech Pioneer is impacting their country and their community in different ways. For example, Kenya’s Twiga is lowering food costs in Africa by using B2B data to make food supply chains more efficient.
Other economies represented include: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, China, Chile, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan (China), Spain, United States and the United Kingdom.
As well as their regional diversity, this year’s Technology Pioneers are at the cutting-edge of a wide range of industries that span smart cities, healthcare cleantech, finance, logistics and more.
For example, the US-based Metawave is using AI and machine learning to enhance automotive sensors with the capability to make cars smarter and safer. In China, Sensoro has developed internet of things solutions to enhance smart city capabilities around the world.
Many other Technology Pioneers are focusing their innovations on combating climate change. Polystyvert focuses on implementing a circular economy for plastics; Aleph Farms focuses on advancements of alternative means that can help promote a more sustainable food system.
In addition to their long-standing contributions to their industries, many Technology Pioneers are also using their tech to support COVID-19 responses around the world. Some, like Sherlock Biosciences and Genetron Health, have helped develop rapid testing options for COVID-19. Another, Lunit, whose technology uses AI to analyse lung diseases from chest X-rays, has released its software for free online to help medical professions in the diagnostics and treatment of COVID-19 patients.
This year’s cohort selection also marks the 20th anniversary of the Technology Pioneers community. Many past recipients have gone on to become household names including, Airbnb, Google, Kickstarter, Mozilla, Palantir Technologies, Spotify, TransferWise, Twitter and Wikimedia.
Following their selections as Technology Pioneers, this year’s firms will be invited to participate at World Economic Forum workshops events and high-level discussions throughout their two years in the community. Firms also have opportunities to work with policy-makers and private sector leaders to help define the global agenda on key issues.
The 2020 Technology Pioneers include:
Asia
- ABC Technology, People's Republic of China. Extracts insights automatically from unstructured data and improves decision-making
- ABEJA, Japan. End-to-end artificial intelligence solutions using a self-developed platform
- Banuba, Hong Kong SAR. Specializing in computer vision and shaping a future beyond cameras
- BigSpring, Singapore. Lifelong skilling with measurable return on investment
- Bitmark, Taiwan, China. Restores trust in data
- Coda Payments, Singapore. Monetization in emerging markets for digital content providers
- CureApp, Japan. Prescription digital therapeutics to treat medical disorders and diseases
- Genetron Health, People's Republic of China. Precision oncology R&D to prevent and cure cancer in China
- GuanData, People's Republic of China. Committed to making smarter decisions and enabling intelligent enterprise
- K2 Data Technology, People's Republic of China. An industrial big data and artificial intelligence company
- Lunit, Republic of Korea. Using artificial intelligence to conquer cancer
- Sensoro, People's Republic of China. Technology services devoted to sensing everything intelligently
- StashAway, Singapore. A digital wealth management platform aimed at building long-term wealth
- Stellapps, India. Data-led, internet of things-based, farm-to-consumer dairy supply chain digitization
- Veridium Labs, Hong Kong SAR. Fintech focused on unlocking the trillion-dollar natural capital asset class
- Xtransfer, People's Republic of China. Making small and medium-sized enterprise financial services simple and accessible
- ZestMoney, India. Artificial intelligence-based digital lending platform disbursing affordable credit to millions
Europe
- Ada Health, Germany. A digital front door to the future of health
- Akselos, Switzerland. Using real-time digital twins to accelerate the energy transition
- Alpine Quantum Technologies, Austria. Realizes turn-key quantum solutions to address second quantum revolution challenges
- Chainlink, UK. Connecting blockchain smart contracts with real-world data
- Climeworks, Switzerland. Empowering climate positiveness by permanently removing carbon dioxide from the air
- ComplyAdvantage, UK. Reinventing money-laundering data using machine-learning technology
- Dawex, France. A data exchange technology company operating a data marketplace
- Dorae, UK. The physical trade cloud
- Eigen Technologies, UK. Transforming documents into data to drive better, faster business outcomes
- Elliptic, UK. Protecting businesses against financial crime in crypto
- Enevo, Finland. Data analytics and automated logistics software for the waste industry
- Haven, UK. A transportation management system for international shippers
- IMMO Investment, UK. Using technology to simplify real estate sales, rentals and investments
- Job Today, Luxembourg. A leading hiring app in the UK and Spain
- Kalido, UK. Fuelling prosperity through artificial intelligence-powered people and opportunity matching
- MakerDAO, Denmark. Inclusive and transparent platform for economic empowerment on the blockchain
- Mirakl, France. A platform strategy to compete fairly in a digital economy
- Nextail, Spain. Smart retail platform empowering fashion merchandisers
- Oura Ring, Finland. Democratizing health information
- ProGlove, Germany. A leader in industrial wearables
- Ripjar, UK. Products to fight financial crime and manage risk
- Starling Bank, UK. A digital bank app providing retail accounts and banking services
- Streetbees, UK. Market research meets technology: real data in real time
- Wingcopter, Germany. Manufacturer of unmanned, electric-powered, vertical take-off and landing aircraft
Latin America
- CargoX, Brazil. An online Latin American trucking system connecting loads with carriers
- Descomplica, Brazil. Pairing education and tech for classes reaching millions of students
- Ripio, Argentina. Gateway to the new digital economy in Latin America
- The Not Company, Chile. Using artificial intelligence to help develop food products from plants
Middle East and Africa
- 3d Signals, Israel. Plug-and-play factory digitalization for improved productivity
- Aleph Farms, Israel. Leading a sustainable food system to nurture a thriving planet
- MorphiSec, Israel. Deterministic endpoint protection against fileless attacks and evasive malware
- Optibus, Israel. A high-tech mobility platform improving mass transportation in cities
- Prospera, Israel. Transforming how food is grown with data and artificial intelligence
- Seebo, Israel. Helping manufacturers increase capacity and prevent losses using artificial intelligence
- Lori Systems, Kenya. Tech-driven logistics services company seamlessly coordinating haulage across frontier markets
- Twiga Foods, Kenya. A marketplace focused on lowering food costs in African cities
North America
- Air Protein, USA. Making air-based meat to sustainably feed the future
- Avanci, USA. One-stop access to essential patented technology for connected devices
- Axonify, Canada. A modern learning solution for frontline employees that actually works
- Boston Metal, USA. Game-changing metals production: better, less expensive steel without carbon emissions
- Brightseed, USA. Using artificial intelligence to discover phytonutrients for health and wellness
- Carbon Engineering, Canada. Removing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere at large scale
- Clarity AI, USA. Tech platform analysing the societal impact of investments and organizations
- DataVisor, USA. A fraud detection platform powered by transformational artificial intelligence technology
- DEVCON, USA. Artificial intelligence-powered enterprise security software for all industries
- Dragos, USA. An industrial cybersecurity technology and services company
- EdCast, USA. Artificial intelligence-powered knowledge cloud for unified discovery and personalized learning
- Ellevest, USA. On a mission to get more money into women's hands
- Energy Vault, USA. Enables renewable energy to provide baseload power 24/7
- Enveil, USA. Pioneering data security to protect data in use
- EquityZen, USA. A marketplace for private company shareholders and investors
- Fiddler Labs, USA. Delivering explainable artificial intelligence with trust, visibility and insights built-in
- Foghorn Systems, USA. Deriving machine learning and artificial intelligence-powered insights to organizations
- Guideline, USA. A retirement company offering a fully automated 401(k)
- Innowatts, USA. Powering the energy transition forward with artificial intelligence
- Instrumental, USA. Leveraging artificial intelligence to find and fix manufacturing process issues
- Integris Software, USA. Data privacy automation
- Kebotix, USA. Artificial intelligence and robotics-powered materials platform
- Knotch, USA. Content intelligence platform for brands that independently measures content marketing
- Lavva, USA. Vegan yoghurt made with real ingredients and zero added sugar
- Lightning Labs, USA. Technology for faster, cheaper, global digital payments
- Metawave, USA. Advancing automotive radar sensors and boosting the deployment of 5G
- MindBridge, Canada. Technology for restoring trust in financial data
- Peek, USA. Connecting the world through experiences with a double-sided marketplace
- Phylagen, USA. Arming organizations with the power of environmental genomics and data
- Piano Software, USA. Software-as-a-service platform offering analytics, personalization and subscription
- Polystyvert, Canada. Implementing a circular economy for petroleum-based plastics
- Remix, USA. Helping cities around the world envision their mobility future
- Rize, USA. Next-generation 3D additive manufacturing
- Roadbotics, USA. Empowering communities to make data-driven infrastructure decisions
- SecurityScorecard, USA. A global leader in cybersecurity ratings
- Sherlock Biosciences, USA. Making molecular diagnostics better, faster and more affordable
- Shippo, USA. A shipping platform for 21st-century e-commerce
- Smart Wires, USA. A "valve" that increases power grid transfer capacity by 20%-40%
- Takeoff Technologies, USA. Automated end-to-end micro-fulfilment solution that helps grocers thrive online
- Trace Genomics, USA. Deep machine learning and agronomic knowledge to advance food production
- Trulioo, Canada. Global identity verification
- Two Hat Security, Canada. Artificial intelligence-powered content moderation platform
- Veo Robotics, USA. Transforming factories by making machines responsive to humans
- Verge Genomics, USA. Next-generation drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases
- Versatile, USA. Non-intrusive technology giving construction professionals hard data for easier decision-making
- Vim, USA. Enabling value-based healthcare decisions by aligning payer and provider incentives
- ZeroFox, USA. Safeguards modern organizations from dynamic security threats
About the Technology Pioneers:
The World Economic Forum believes that innovation is critical to the future well-being of society and to driving economic growth. Launched in 2000, the Technology Pioneer community comprises early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and are poised to make a significant impact on business and society.
About the Global Innovators:
The Global Innovators Community is a group of the world’s most promising start-ups and scale-ups that are at the forefront of technological and business model innovation. The World Economic Forum provides the Global Innovators Community with a platform to engage with public- and private-sector leaders and to contribute new solutions to overcome current crises and build future resiliency.
Companies that are invited to become Global Innovators will engage with one or more of the Forum’s platforms, as relevant, to help define the global agenda on key issues.
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