Trends Identified

Converging data architectures
Old approaches to data survive because structured forms of data make IT leaders feel they’re in control. But new approaches to managing unstructured data provide a whole new notion of control—the ability to turn data into new streams of value. Successfully rebalancing the data architecture portfolio and blending the structured with the unstructured are key to unlocking that value.
2012
Accenture Technology Vision 2012
Accenture
Your next vacation may be to space or undersea.
Ok, maybe not “next” vacation unless you’re a very occasional traveler. But in 2019, NASA will start building its Lunar Space Station and we’ll see continued investment in private spaceflight, predicts Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings. His company compiled data-driven travel insights from its millions of reviews and bookings. Until space becomes an option, “travelers are seeking out uncharted territories in other forms, with 60% of travelers confirming they’d want to stay in an accommodation under the sea,” Fogel writes. Gen Z and Y travelers are also bringing their values with them and seeking environmentally-friendly and socially-conscious experiences, often opting for shorter, nearer trips. The hot new destinations? The Bahamas, Florence, Palm Springs and Cartagena.
2018
50 Big Ideas for 2019: What to watch in the year ahead
LinkedIn
Unconventional oil deposits
Oil from unconventional deposits includes problematic reserves of hydrocarbon raw materials, in particular traditional (or mobile) oil resources with difficult extraction conditions and immobile (or slow-moving) oil, caused by low porosity of collectors or high molecularity of the hydrocarbons themselves – dense and high-viscosity oils. However, on account of the lower consumer qualities and high costs of extraction, oil supplies from unconventional deposits with unconventional extraction conditions are evaluated only provisionally. The extraction of heavy oils is currently carried out in Canada, Venezuela, the USA and a number of other countries, including Russia, but according to the majority of forecasts, in the next two decades these products will not make a significant contribution to the global oil recovery.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Open source is enabling community problem solving and differentiation
Often a problem is widely experienced by many different firms. Instead of solving it individually and sub-optimally, it makes sense to band together and solve it as a community. The open source model enables companies to tap into a community dedicated to building modern software, and to align with vibrant, active projects. As such, companies can accelerate innovation on the differentiating parts of their platform while leveraging the underlying foundational innovation of the broader open source community. The open source model lowers costs and in some cases achieves vendor independence. Notably, the cloud providers’ embrace of open source is leading to lower cost for additive cloud services as well as more robust competition. Open source also helps to attract the next generation of talent, who want to work on cutting-edge projects and have a positive impact on the world. Linux, an open source solution that modernized and replaced an outdated alternative, is a great success story. But not all projects achieve that level of success, and it is important to identify which ones are likely to remain vibrant and viable. One indicator is when the founders remain involved and the project is growing, as in the case of Confluent and Databricks with Apache Spark and Apache Kafka. Another positive sign is when open source projects are widely adopted across the major cloud providers, such as Docker and Apache Spark. Perhaps one misperception is that the acquisition risk is lower with open source technology. IBM bought Red Hat recently, and VMWare bought Heptio. As a result, companies that have decided to migrate toward an open source technology may find themselves bound to a large incumbent vendor once again. If this trend continues, the full benefits of tapping into open source may not be long-lasting. Moreover, some new license frameworks prohibit companies from reselling what they have built on open source. Given these trends, Nasdaq plans to contribute to a select group in the open source community. In particular, open source makes it easier for exchange customers to access data and derive insights from it in real time. If market participants handle data in a common way and with a common set of tools, individual firms do not have to devote resources to building those tools. Importantly, data can be shared in a way that does not compromise security and integrity to the benefit of all.
2019
NASDAQ DECODES: TECH TRENDS 2019 -The technology trends that are driving the world of markets forward
Nasdaq
Jacking into your brain
Of all the ways that we have been aided by technology, forging a direct link between our brains and computers is the most intimate yet. Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) are poised to challenge our notions of identity, culpability and the acceptable limits of human enhancement.
2011
Seven technologies to disrupt the next decade
NewScientist
Blockchains and trust: a revolution, reformation or just another tech-toy? 

OECD statistics show a constant decline in trust in national governments since 2007. Recent scandals such as the Panama Papers play their part. However, the issue goes much deeper when corruption and fraud govern. Then, societal perceptions change even faster in search of solutions to poverty, inequalities and vulnerabilities in infrastructure. Here, the blockchain technology that undergirds crypto-currencies could have a far-reaching impact as it is a cheap, tamper-proof and data based technology that can replace trust with transparency. It is a breakthrough that will fundamentally change people’s notions of centralised authority. Hence, zero-trust computing, digital public ledgers and self-executing smart contracts are emerging, blockchain-based trends that will be increasingly important in the coming years — by 2023 at the latest, according to the World Economic Forum.
2016
Global Trendometer - essays on medium- and long-term global trends
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Biotechnology
OECD defined Biotechnology as application of science and technology to living organisms as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living and non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services (Van Beuzekom and Arundel, 2006). The crosscutting nature of biotechnology offers a distinct opportunity for economic growth while offering solutions to the myriad challenges globally encountered in food security, energy security and healthcare.
2017
Science & Technology Foresight Malaysia
Malaysia, Academy of Sciences Malaysia
Industrialized data services
Now that data is being decoupled, enterprises are using it in many different ways to unlock far more of its potential value. They’re actively hunting for other useful data—outside their organizations as well as inside—while keeping their eyes open for opportunities to share their data. But most early datasharing activities are ad hoc. Needed next: fresh approaches to data management.
2012
Accenture Technology Vision 2012
Accenture
3-D Metal Printing
Now printers can make metal objects quickly and cheaply.
2018
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2018
MIT Technology Review
Rising tensions with north Korea
North Korea may now be sending athletes to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, but the threat of war with America remains. While global stock markets haven't reacted much to a potential nuclear fallout, conflict continues to be a risk, says Tim Courtney, chief investment officer at Exencial Wealth Advisors, an Oklahoma City-based financial advisory firm.
2018
6 global trends that can derail your portfolio in 2018
CNBC