The financial world is looking past the public hype and the current tech darlings to focus on diverse innovations and enterprise tech that promise to solve problems, increase productivity, and create a sustainable future. In 2019, KPMG conducted a Technology Industry Innovation Survey to understand innovations likely to transform future business and create long-term value.
The internet of things, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, biotech, and digital health topped the list. A similar list from the World Economic Forum added next-generation batteries, organs on chips, autonomous vehicles, and renewable energy.
The global investment community has been following such innovation and technology for some time. Following the footsteps, DIF established a Department of Innovative Investments in 2006 to explore alternative investment strategies in new sectors offering advanced innovation and Richard Malone, previously the Leading Innovation Specialist at Evo Innovative Technologies, was appointed as a head of this new department.
DIF has made investments in global tech giants like Google, Sony, Nvidia and Amazon, Cisco, Salesforce, SAP, Adobe corporations, Facebook between 2006 and 2015.
In 2016, DIF also launched an artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Dubai to explore the emerging AI, machine learning, and data science fields.
The results of these investments have given DIF more space and opportunity to take the next steps in the field of artificial intelligence and innovative technologies.
Current investment sentiment is turning to what the
Consulting Group (BCG) calls, ‘deep tech,’ those breakthrough innovations in materials science, synthetic biology, carbon capture, and quantum computing. Capital investment into deep tech has grown dramatically, climbing from $15 billion in 2016 to $60 billion by 2020. Almost 75% of that funding is concentrated in the US, leaving exciting ventures in the rest of the world severely underfunded, providing opportunity.
Foreseeing these developments, DIF has widened its focus to include sustainability and making significant investments in renewable and green energy. h5ynbg
.