Disruption calls

Disruption calls: Technological breakthroughs for the modern world

Disruptive innovation and technological breakthroughs can help accelerate us towards a sustainable planet, a fairer society, and healthier, happier lives. Building on our theme of ‘disruptors’, we’ve picked out six areas that are currently full of disruption, but continue to need attention.

Financial inclusion

The Global Bank reports that 1.7 billion adults are unbanked, yet two-thirds of them own a mobile phone that could help them access financial services (2018). Meanwhile, US consultancy McKinsey estimates that serving the financial needs of the global unbanked could trigger more than $4tn in new deposits, over $2tn worth of formal lending, and drive almost $4tn of new GDP growth in emerging markets.

Inclusive fintech is already booming in the developed world, with app-based banking, automated savings bots, ‘buy now pay later’, and deposit-free renting tools all readily available. Monzo, TransferWise and Klarna are all proof of the sector’s potential, with their unicornqualifying $1bn+ valuations.

The coronavirus pandemic has given digital currencies a short-term popularity boost, which could prove to be a nudge towards sustained wider adoption. Senegal, Tunisia and The Bahamas have already created their own digital currencies, along with China’s much anticipated digital yuan. Facebook’s Libra is also coming, which claims to have the interests of the financially excluded at its heart.

Clean water services

According to international research and data company PitchBook, investment in US companies tackling declining water quality has risen 25% to $50.7m over the past five years.

NASA engineers have developed systems to recycle air and water onboard the International Space Station, efficiently turning wastewater (urine included) into drinking water.

Closer to home, Arizona-based startup Zero Mass Water, backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has created solar panels for home and commercial use that draw drinkable water out of thin air.

Healthcare

The rapid outbreak of COVID-19 saw the scientific community urgently mobilise in response. Google’s DeepMind unit quickly launched deep-learning techniques to try to model the protein structures of the virus. Meanwhile, the White House asked researchers to develop machine-learning techniques to analyse coronavirus-related studies to better understand the deadly disease.

The potential of virtual reality (VR) continues to unfold as virtual tours assist surgeons in planning upcoming operations. VR can also be used to educate patients. 3D printing in medicine and dentistry is moving on. Bioprinters such as SanDiego’s Organovo are producing bioficial tissues to sell to drug manufacturers for them to test their new products more efficiently. And in London, Andiamo has prioritised healthcare solutions for disabled children. The tech company can deliver a medically effective orthosis within two weeks by using big data, 3D printing, and an advanced clinical service.

The wider scientific community continues to push towards harnessing bioprinting technology for printing live, human body parts to mitigate the shortage of donor organs.

Safer internet

Safety on the internet is big business, with parents around the world increasingly using safe launchers, content filters and parental control software to minimise the risks to their children.

The BBC has created a smartphone app for this very reason. Own It uses artificial intelligence to evaluate a child’s mood, so it can offer advice if they’re about to share sensitive data or send an upsetting message, and encourage them to talk to a trusted adult.

At Delft University of Technology, they’re looking at the bigger picture, and a team has built an unhackable network entirely by means of quantum technology.

Circular economy

There is both a pressing need and huge opportunity for us to find ways of generating power without further extraction. Dutch start-up Photanol is producing chemicals and fuels from free and abundant CO2 and sunlight. Based on the genetic modification of cyanobacteria, which are natural photosynthesisers, the company is producing a broad range of biochemicals.

Finding new life for by-products and waste is also becoming increasingly urgent, and there’s good practice emerging from a range of industries. UK-based Toast Ale diverts surplus bread from landfill and turns it into craft beer, while Dutch company Black Bear produces recovered carbon black (rCB), oil and gas from waste tyres.

Sustainable megacities

The UN predicts that by 2050, the world’s population is expected to reach 9.8 billion, and it’s estimated that almost 70% of this booming population will live in urban areas (2018). US publication National Geographic predicts a drastic reduction in personal car use as cities become more densely populated and more pedestrian space is cleared.

Companies like German aircraft manufacturer Volocopter could redefine the way people travel in urban areas by providing cheaper, safer and cleaner alternatives to conventional aerial vehicles in megacities.

Hydroponic food labs – where plants are grown without soil or natural sunlight, often vertically or underground – are also set to flourish. Salads and greens are grown all year round under high-efficiency LED lights, directly beneath homes and offices, solving a small part of our food supply challenge.

If you have an idea to disrupt one of these areas, turn to page 29 for our tips on how to validate your idea, and get in touch with our team to discover how we can help.