The news is out – QuintessenceLabs has been selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s 2018 cohort of Technology Pioneers! There are some very exciting — even world-changing — technologies on the list, and naturally, we’re honored to be part of this group. With the dust just beginning to settle, we’ve taken some time to “look around” at the other firms selected for their potential to transform society and industry, and shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The importance of Artificial Intelligence really stands out, since a number of the Tech Pioneers apply this in verticals like scientific research, cloud infrastructure, and transportation. Geographically, the spread of companies is also impressive – every continent is represented bar Antarctica, with a number of interesting endeavors coming from Israel and Kenya in particular. We’d like to give a special shout-out to our fellow Aussies at Horizon State and New Zealand’s Soul Machines.

The list of Technology Pioneers is a fascinating one — we’re really intrigued for example by the work of Watergen, an Israeli company delivering clean water from the surrounding atmosphere, and by Sweden’s 1928 Diagnostics, with their platform that makes faster, smarter decisions about antibiotic treatments for infectious diseases.

The security category also includes several companies besides QuintessenceLabs, and this is a representation we feel is appropriate and important. In February, the WEF’s 2018 Risk Report listed cyber attacks as the third biggest global risk behind natural disasters and extreme weather. There is clearly an important place in the list for pioneering companies with innovative approaches to tackle these security issues. Notably, QuintessenceLabs is the only company this year to explicitly use quantum-based technology as well as address the security threat of quantum computers. As these technologies mature and post-quantum safety becomes even more pressing, we hope to see more pioneers in this space in the future.

As the WEF states, the Tech Pioneers “bring cutting-edge insights and novel perspectives to world-critical discussions,” sending a clear message that there’s much discussion that needs to be had about the issues that affect society, or enhance it for the better. Again, we’re delighted to be part of the cohort this year, and send our congrats to all the other firms with which we’re sharing the spotlight.

You’ll be hearing more from QuintessenceLabs as we begin participating in WEF events and activities over the coming months. Thanks for your support!

The QuintessenceLabs Team