Themes that are moving the world—and the markets

Aqua

Mankind’s water consumption is increasing inexorably. But how much water is actually of drinking quality? Drinking water is an irreplaceable commodity – but replenishing used water is only possible to a limited extent. Innovative solutions are more in demand than ever to tap, treat, secure, and purify water.

Smart Farming & FoodTech

The world’s population is expected to grow to 9.8 billion people by the year 2050. With this growth will come an increase in demand for food. It is forecasted that to feed the world’s people, we will need to produce 70 percent more food than we do today. This fact poses major challenges for agricultural techniques around the world. Especially when you consider that an increase in yield will have to be possible despite having less arable land to work with, and increasingly limited water resources.

The Era of Robotics

Companies from many different sectors are pondering investments in robotics and automation technology. The goal of these investments is to increase productivity and offset higher costs that result from wage increases. For quite some time already, the focus has moved beyond traditional industrial production and supply chain segments; automation has also begun in the service sector, whether it is by exploiting Big Data or via AI (Artificial Intelligence). Robotics could affect more and more areas of life.

Cloud Computing

Data processing in “the Cloud” has become an engine of innovation, efficiency and globalization. Data, apps and computing power can be accessed today from anywhere in the world, all in a matter of seconds. This instant availability is the key to allowing visionary ideas such as the Internet of Things to take shape. Seen in this light, Cloud Computing functions across industries as an enabling technology that increases performance, productivity and reliability, lowers costs and makes services scalable. Industry giants such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google are setting the benchmark in this arena. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are likely to gain innovative capability and agility through Cloud Computing as well.

NextGen Brands

Strong brands are intangible assets that enable a company to achieve a dominant market position. Brands can influence consumers’ purchasing decisions. The broader the competitive offer, the sooner a brand can successfully shine like a beacon, attracting buyers in the vast sea of confusing ​​options. This applies to the brand-loving Millennial generation – and even more so to Generation Z, who became familiar with brands as catalysts for a new sense of togetherness. “NextGen Brands” have even managed to elevate drinks, snacks and gadgets such as smartphones to “cult” items – or to be more precise: to “culture” itself. Companies with a strong brand can often outperform the broader market. This is because brands cannot easily be copied by competitors and, once established, are associated with relatively low costs. This market position could lead to above-average returns.

Smart Healthcare

Digitization is also revolutionizing the healthcare system and should increase efficiency on the one hand while reducing costs on the other. Microsensors in pill form; medical practices networked together with hospitals, pharmacies and health insurance companies; robots performing surgical operations; health apps and wearables – all these are just some of the examples we will see in this arena. The digital healthcare system will have to respond to the pressing challenges of our time: population growth, higher life expectancy, the growth of emerging countries, and a global pandemic.