Megatrend: Dynamic Technology & Innovation
Innovations drive growth. The Trend Compendium shows you how fast new technologies will catch on in the future and which innovation areas will achieve a quantum leap in the coming years.
Technology diffusion
Technology diffusion will speed up by 2030 as we can see among mobile-only Internet users (people who no longer use fixed broadband). It is expected to grow 34% p.a. by 2030, connecting 60% of the world's population to mobile broadband in 2030. The diffusion of technologies is closely related to income, as both a critical determinant of income and a result of rising incomes. As the world economy grows and countries get richer, technologies spread faster.
Innovation
There are already some clues as to the groundbreaking innovations of the next 20 years. Nanotechnology is a good example: within the next few years, nanotechnology will impact many industries such as ICT, automotive and the medical sector, providing even smaller and more powerful components. In 2020, we expect to have nanobots in toothpaste that attack plaque. We can also see some interesting trends in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Life sciences
The aging population will need more sophisticated medical care than today. This will speed up innovations in medical technology and pharmaceuticals. Many new medicines will be developed over the next 20 years. The medical technology market is also one of the world's biggest markets, generating about USD 300 billion annually, and it will continue to grow significantly up through 2030. ICT and biotechnology will play key roles in this sector in the future.
