One hundred up-and-coming tech companies have just become World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers.
This year’s group include leaders in cybersecurity and robotics, as well as others using artificial intelligence to address gaps in healthcare and financial access.
El Salvador, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe are presented for the first time, while more than 30% of the selected companies are led by women.
Learn more about the 2021 Technology Pioneers here
From artificial intelligence to healthcare to fintech, the latest group of World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers blends entrepreneurial spirit with science and engineering to tackle global problems head on.
The 2021 cohort of young and growing tech companies includes "many future headline makers at the forefront of their industries,” says Susan Nesbitt, Head of the Forum's Global Innovators Community, which will facilitate workshops and high-level discussions for the pioneers over the next two years. The social innovators are selected for being cutting-edge players with "great potential to not only shake up their industries but offer real solutions to global problems," she explains.
Ceretai, for example, helps media companies uncover stereotypes and representation gaps by analysing content for diversity and equality. Banyan Nation uses tech to support climate solutions in India. Century Tech personalizes education tools via AI and neuroscience.
FlexFinTx, for example, is building self-sovereign digital identities to help the over 400 million Africans that lack proper forms of identification. Meanwhile, Cambridge Industries is addressing climate change by developing sustainable city infrastructure to support waste-to-energy products.
Gender representation among start-ups has long been a challenge, which is why it's heartening to see the highest gender diversity yet in this year's cohort, with over 30% of companies led by women. The United Arab Emirates, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe are represented for the first time.
Following their selection as Technology Pioneers, this year’s companies will join an impressive group of alumni that include many household names, such as Airbnb, Google, Kickstarter, Mozilla, Palantir Technologies, Spotify, TransferWise, Twitter and Wikimedia.
The 2021 Technology Pioneers include:
Africa
Cambridge Industries, Ethiopia: Innovating next-generation urban infrastructure through sustainable city parks
FlexFinTx, Zimbabwe: Building the next generation of identity management
Kuda Technologies, Nigeria: Providing Africans with access to credit and free banking services
Moringa School, Kenya: A workforce development platform serving African students
mPharma, Ghana: Building good health in Africa through technology-driven healthcare
Sokowatch, Kenya: Offering same-day delivery and working capital to African retailers
Asia Pacific
AI Medical Service, Japan: Developing the world's first endoscopic AI for gastric cancer
Aspire, Singapore: Banking South-East Asia’s internet economy
Avant Meats, China: Biotechnology for healthy, tasty meats made sustainably without animals
Banyan Nation, India: Driving circular economy via technology-driven informal recycler integrative technology solutions
Black Lake Technologies, China: Cloud-based collaboration software empowering manufacturers with real-time data
Cinnamon, Japan: An AI platform to drive digital transformations
Civic Ledger, Australia: Helping the world reduce its water footprint
CredoLab, Singapore: Developing bank-grade digital credit scorecards built on mobile device metadata
DoBrain, Republic of Korea: Game-based learning to unlock and optimize children’s potential
Equota Energy, China: AI intelligence-based energy optimization, maintenance and carbon management company
HiNounou, China: Using AI to promote healthy ageing and intergenerational solidarity
Learnable, China: Interactive and explainable AI solutions on less data
MakinaRocks, Republic of Korea: Making industrial technology intelligent and delivering it as transformative solutions
mClinica, Singapore: Building the largest digital network of pharmacies in South-East Asia
Minieye, China: Using cutting-edge computer vision technology to lead automotive industry change
Ocean Protocol, Singapore: Unlocking the value of data – a new asset class
Praava Health, Bangladesh: A healthcare platform providing high-quality digital health and in-clinic experiences
SandStar, China: Providing leading computer vision technology for retail
Shannon Technology, China: A language-understanding intelligent service powered by advanced AI technology
Standard Energy Republic of Korea: Manufacturer of vanadium ion batteries specifically for energy storage systems
Videonetics Technology, India: AI and deep learning-powered video computing platform development
Zyllem, Singapore: Software-as-a-service solution for logistics network management
Europe
Aave, United Kingdom: Built Aave Protocol, an open source and non-custodial liquidity protocol
Adhara, United Kingdom: Providing liquidity management and international payments for decentralized financial networks
Avrios, Switzerland: Empowering companies to own the true cost of mobility
Carbios, France: Green chemistry company providing an industrial solution to PET recycling
Century Tech, United Kingdom: Developing AI-based learning technologies
Ceretai, Sweden: Media diversity partner supporting companies with diversity strategies and insights
CloudNC, United Kingdom: Making manufacturing autonomous
Enapter, Italy: Providing green hydrogen technology through anion exchange membrane electrolyser manufacturing
EnginZyme, Sweden: Developing the definitive technology platform for sustainable chemical production
Greyparrot AI, United Kingdom: Waste recognition to increase transparency and automation in waste management
Hydrogenious, Germany: Enabling high-performing hydrogen value chains globally.
Parity Technologies, United Kingdom: Employing the blockchain pioneers who launched Ethereum, now building Polkadot
Polymateria, United Kingdom: A new scalable solution for the plastic pollution pandemic
Powell Software, France: Digital workplace solutions that improve the employee experience
PQShield, United Kingdom: Protecting information for the quantum era
Riaktr, Belgium: Developing software enabling telecom employees to make better data-driven decisions
Senseon, United Kingdom: A full-stack cyber-defence capability for the future, today
Latin America
Algramo, Chile: A platform connecting smart-reusable packaging with internet-of-things dispensers
Fondeadora, Mexico: Eliminating the inefficiencies related to the traditional banking system
Hugo Technologies, El Salvador: A multi-category marketplace for everyday products and services
Truora, Colombia: Fast, innovative, safe background checks and identity theft detection solutions
Middle East and North Africa
CHEQ, Israel: A global leader in customer acquisition security
CropX, Israel: Revolutionizing soil sensing, leading farmers into the connected soil era
MDClone, Israel: Self-service, big data, healthcare platform
MyndYou, Israel: Improving healthcare quality and lowering costs, engaging and listening
Phinergy, Israel: Clean energy generation and storage, using metals as energy carriers
Souqalmal, UAE: Building an online financial education platform in the Middle East
North America
54gene, USA: Equalizing precision medicine
Airside Mobile, USA: Empowering businesses and people with privacy-based identity management
Akash Systems, USA: Manufacturing artificial diamond radios and satellites for low-cost internet access
AllStripes Research, USA: Unlocking new treatments for people affected by rare disease
Calibrate, USA: A telemedicine metabolic health business
CloudKnox, USA: Enabling organizations to implement least-privilege and zero-trust architecture
Crowdz, USA: Building a global ecosystem for good for receivables
DefinedCrowd, USA: A trusted data partner for AI
Diligent Robotics, USA: Building robots to support and empower patient care teams
Duality Technologies, USA: Enabling privacy-preserving collaboration and artificial intelligence on sensitive data
Dyndrite, USA: Powering the next generation of digital manufacturing
Enko Chem, USA: Crop health solutions, discovered and designed with intention
Evernym, USA: Leading globally in verifiable credential technology
FinMkt, USA: Omni channel and scalable point of sale financing software-as-a-service solutions
Gatik, USA: Developing and operating autonomous vehicles for B2B short-haul logistics
Gro Intelligence, USA: An AI-powered decision engine where ecology meets economy
Hazel Technologies, USA: Dedicated to solving the problem of food waste
HumanFirst, USA: Healthcare coming home, starting with digital clinical measures
Hypergiant, USA: Focusing critical infrastructure, space and defence using enterprise AI
Ionomr, Canada: Commercializing advanced ion-exchange materials to enable the hydrogen economy
January, USA: Analysing blood sugar and diet for diabetes control and prevention
Jopwell, USA: A diversity, equity and inclusion tech and human capital solution
Journera, USA: Helping brands improve marketing, customer experience and operations
Kobold Metals, USA: Deploying vanguard scientific computing to discover key battery material deposits
Kyndi, USA: Accurate and fast answers to any natural language question
LiveLike, USA: Converting passive audiences into engaged communities
Metabiota, USA: Building resiliency products and services for infectious disease threats
Mori, USA: Reducing waste and creating more sustainable supply chains
Natural Fiber Welding, USA: Creating circular and sustainable materials from plants and natural fibres
Numina, USA: Measuring street-level activity, privacy-first, to make the real world queryable
Pachama, USA: A tech-verified marketplace for nature-based carbon removals
Parsley Health, USA: Reversing chronic conditions with cutting-edge holistic medicine
Patientory, USA: Empowering users with insights from health data, improving health outcomes
Propel, USA: Helping low-income Americans make it through the month, every month
Propy, USA: An end-to-end real estate transaction platform facilitating transactions online
Reelgood, USA: An all-in-one streaming TV guide
Sinai Technologies, USA: Software to cost-effectively measure, analyse, price and reduce emissions
Skyhive, Canada: Optimizing human economies for companies, communities and countries
Tellus You Care: Improving eldercare with dignity and privacy
Unit21, USA: The command centre for risk, fraud and compliance
Upguard, USA: A cybersecurity platform that helps global organizations prevent data breaches
WooBloo, USA: Passionate about disrupting the smart home space
Wright Electric, USA: Building the next generation of aircraft – large, zero-emissions aircraft
Xanadu Quantum Technologies, Canada: A quantum technology company building fault-tolerant quantum computers using photonics
ZeroAvia, USA: The first practical zero-emissions, hydrogen-fuelled, powertrain technology provider for aviation
