Last month saw the publication of WIPO’s new bi-annual IP report, entitled “The Direction of Innovation”. The report is packed with insights, bringing a combination of powerful observations that really hit home backed by data-driven analysis that look deeply into how and why innovation flows.

A key perspective of the report points to the split of economic benefits which go to society (social benefit) vs. returns to private sector investment (private benefit). Spoiler warning: a clear example is the lightning-paced work occurring from the time Chinese scientists sequenced and released the mapping of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in January 2020, to Covid-19 public vaccinations – barely a year later. While many may point to big pharma’s eye-popping profits, the WIPO report shows that the quantifiable portion of the economic benefits to society are roughly 900x those of the revenue earned by the private sector!

The best laid plans… how global crises affect innovation ecosystem participants

On 7 April 2022, WIPO’s IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector (IES), hosted a short conference to present summary findings of the report, accompanied by a lively panel discussion. Marco Alemán, head of WIPO’s IES, introduced the key concept of how dependent major innovation outcomes are on the influence of each participant in the ecosystem: nations, institutional scientific and engineering research, and private sector investment. However, major events beyond the control of public policy makers shape outcomes, usually via crises, such as war, pandemic and natural disaster. Those crises have enormous impact on research and innovation outcomes. Look at how penicillin development rose in direct response to battlefield infections.

Reflecting academia, industry & government, panel’s views on setting of the direction of innovation

In introductory remarks and presentation of the panelists, Dr. Carsten Fink, head of the IES Department of Economics and Data Analysis, provided illustrations of the change in pace and focus of innovation since the industrial age. As society made its lunge forward in technology in the 20^th century, it did so in recognizable big waves, i.e., engine/transport > pharma > ICT > digitalization, today.

And some funny things happened on the way to the IP forum. A most recent example is digital-related innovation: it has grown 172% faster than all patents over preceding five years.

Lively panel discussion

Introducing themselves and their work, each panelist drove home the reality of innovation acceleration. The panelists included Victor Aguilar, Procter & Gamble’s Chief R&D and Innovation Officer, Dr. Xiaolan Fu, Professor and Founding Director of Oxford University’s Technology & Management Centre for Development, David Kappos, Partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, and former Director of the USPTO, and Caroline Ylitalo, Division Scientist at 3M. Here a few items that resonated with me:

Views from academia, industry and public sector

• Dr. Fu highlighted the case of under-the-radar innovation taking place in developing economies, and how digitalization is changing adoption patterns into and out of LDCs. But it’s not only permeability and diffusion that are changing, it’s also about the impact on labor and the growth in services from disembodying know-how and delivering expertise digitally.
• From the corporate side, 3M’s Caroline Ylitalo spoke of major challenges and trends we face as society. She highlighted the impact of crisis and the opportunities they may arise from it, shown in the surge in demand for N95 masks, and visible also in the utility gains from the digital world’s access to masses of technical information, along with the advent of ideation tools and collaboration platforms.
• P&G’s Victor Aguilar drove home the point of digitalization’s impact for P&G’s goal of improving life, ranging from AI’s contribution to retailing optimization, to its role in designing smart toothbrushes, and to the increasing importance of identifying relevant innovation arising outside P&G.
• Cravath’s David Kappos highlighted how dependent the realization of huge economic output and the delivery of the benefit to society are on making sure ecosystems’ participants do what they do best (per their respective missions)
  • Private sector develops suitable commercially defensible applications,
  • Inventors and their institutions need access to the tools – including collaborative networks – to help convert their innovative insights into invention disclosure and products
  • Governments alone needs to provide money and structure of well-reasoned incentives to grow and make accessible the bounty of fundamental research;the private sector’s need to provide returns to owners makes investment in basic research prohibitive.

Public and private motivations: even if not aligned, good neighbors enable a productive existence

The role of government policy and its ability to create a fertile bed of fundamental research is a topic receiving significant attention. And well it should. Thoughtful and economically supportive public policy for fundamental research can produce huge big social benefits. Once they’re convinced of the business potential prospects, the private sector gets busy converting discoveries from a trove of basic research into commercialized inventions. That’s not all, as “de-risked” innovations come into focus, industry dramatically increases its share of development expense.

Beginning in the 1950s, the space race led to the creation of NASA in the US and its enormous role in driving aerospace research and creating in the process a rich network of public-private collaboration. Sponsored research was involved of course, but government purchases of innovation-based products from the private sector – there was no other buyer – were also a critical factor in clearing a path to commercialization of those space-age inventions.

Enormous productivity flowed from that inventive output which created social benefits many times those of the gains for the private sector in a broad array of fields, such as energy storage, photovoltaics and nuclear energy.

The grand challenges facing us and the need to pay attention to the direction of innovation

As the world faces climate change, ongoing food insecurity, the need for higher levels of education and the preservation of privacy rights, to name some big ones, government can play an important role. While the public sector can’t do a great job of predicting private sector winners, it can do things to even out the playing field through incentives, such as by purchasing from innovative smaller firms willing to take the risk of developing emerging technology.

There is so much inside this report, I am moved to invoke lyrics from OMC’s 1995 hit single, How Bizarre, but with a twist: you don’t need to “buy the rights”, WIPO grants you a free readership license, so download their great Intellectual Property Report 2022: The Direction of Innovation – and enjoy its valuable insights.

BTW, keep an eye out for a future SeedSprint blogpost where we’ll get more into the weeds on a topic WIPO cares a lot about: increasing the efficiency of the critical interplay between innovation-seeking large enterprise on one side, and technology providers on the other, i.e., institutional intermediaries such as TTOs, along with risk-taking micro and SMEs (MSMEs) in the private sector.

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At SeedSprint, We’re always on the lookout for disruptive innovation in industries like biotech, medtech, chemical and materials, energy, and beyond. Here are five innovations that caught our attention this fall.

(1) Secure AI Labs 

MIT spinout Secure AI Labs (SAIL) has created a platform that encourages greater collaboration in the healthcare industry. The platform enables organizations to share encrypted patient data protected by SAIL’s AI algorithm. In the end, innovations like SAIL invite broader healthcare discoveries powered by larger, cross-functional data sets that don’t compromise om patient privacy.

(2) Tia

Female-led healthcare company Tia is revolutionizing women’s health with its holistic healthcare service offerings. Tia offers comprehensive primary care, mental health, and gynecology services both in-person and virtually. The company recently raised a $100 million Series B, which the company will use to scale its geographic and demographic reach. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from Tia soon!

(3) Amazon’s Astro

Amazon’s first home robot, Astro, is an interactive surveillance technology intended to monitor your home while you are away. Astro’s movement is limited to the home and the owner can remotely access its camera and microphone. Amazon plans to bring Astro to market soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

(4) UPS drone delivery

UPS’ Flight Forward drone service recently received government approval to service commercial entities, including hospitals and college campuses. This milestone marks a national adoption of drones as a means of streamlining and maximizing delivery service capabilities. Are residential drone deliveries next? UPS thinks they’re not far off!

(5) Spring Health

April Koh, CEO of mental health platform Spring Health, recently became the youngest female multi-billion-dollar startup leader as the company secured a $190 million Series C. Koh started Spring Health in response to the financial inaccessibility of mental health services and the lack of digital mental health options. Now, she is determined to establish Spring Health as a sustainable public service that offers expansive mental health benefits. We can wait to see what’s next for KOhn and her team.

Innovation happens fast and it can be difficult to keep up with all the exciting developments happening every day. Subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates on the latest in innovation and more from our community.

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Clean energy is quite the buzzword these days…but what does it mean? Further, how is it different from energy sources like oil and gas? Read on to learn more about this exciting technology area and some of the emerging clean energy companies you’ll find on SeedSprint!

Clean energy vs. fossil fuels

The majority of the world’s energy comes from the carbon-rich deposits we now call fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include coal, natural gas, and oil. Together, they supply about 80 percent of the world’s energy.

When they are burned, fossil fuels release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, these greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere. This buildup causes global temperatures to rise. In the end, burning fossil fuels contributes to environmental damage and climate change.

Further, fossil fuels are non-renewable. As we continue to use them, they run out. By contrast, clean energy recycles the earth’s resources.

Clean, green, sustainable, and renewable

Many people use terms like clean energy, green energy, sustainable energy, and renewable energy interchangeably. However, there are some key differences between these terms.

• Clean Energy is derived from sources and methods that minimize the production of greenhouse gases like carbon.
• Green Energy is derived from natural sources. It minimizes the production of environmental pollutants like carbon.
• Sustainable Energy is derived from sources that will theoretically be able to produce power far into the future.
• Renewable Energy is derived from naturally replenishing sources, such as biofuels.

Around the world, people and companies continue to adopt new power sources. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, sustainable energy will account for half of our global energy mix by 2030.

Here are a few of the pioneering clean energy startups profiled on SeedSprint. With their technology, they are working hard to help us meet our growing power demands.

(1) SAFCell (Pasadena, CA, USA)

SAFCell has developed a novel solid acid technology that can be used in fuel cells and hydrogen generators. Using electrocatalytic reactions, the company’s SAFCell stacks convert liquid fuels into electrical energy or hydrogen. The stacks also help minimize carbon emissions. The technology also has several advantages. For example, it can metabolize a variety of different types of fuel. Further, it operates at moderate temperatures is relatively inexpensive. View SeedSprint profile.

(2) Active Energy Systems (Knoxville, TN, USA)

Active Energy Systems’ novel ice thermal storage system makes air conditioning more energy-efficient. The company’s Ice Chiller leverages Icephobic Heat Exchange technology. This innovation repels ice from the cooling surface. This prevents insulating ice from building up. In the end, it cools large spaces at a low cost. View SeedSprint profile.

(3) b.fab (Dortmund, Germany)

b.fab’s proprietary bioproduction platform converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen into value-added chemicals and biofuels. The company produces formic acid from readily available carbon and hydrogen. From there, aerobic or anaerobic microbes convert the formic acid into chemicals. This process is both sustainable and cost-effective. View SeedSprint profile.

(4) 247Solar (Great Falls, VA, USA)

247Solar generates power by heating air to activate microturbines. Any additional heat that is produced is then stored for later use. 247Solar’s solutions can also store energy and generate power in solar, wind, or industrial settings. Ultimately, 247Solar fills the gap between solar energy production and consumption. View SeedSprint profile.

(5) Ionomr Innovations (Vancouver, Canada)

Ion exchange materials are vital to the operation of many clean energy technologies. Unfortunately, many of the traditional materials used contain toxic fluorine. That’s where Ionomr comes in. The company is commercializing a range of novel ion-exchange membranes and polymers. From fuel cells to hydrogen production systems, Ionomr has got you covered. View SeedSprint profile.

Sustainability and innovation

Curious about the impact of sustainability on innovation? Check out our past blog posts on green chemistry technologies, Microsoft’s climate pledge, or General Motors’ commitment to becoming carbon-neutral. Stay tuned for future installments of ‘Emerging technology startups profiled on SeedSprint.” Catch you next time!

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At Seedsprint, we’re always on the lookout for new Covid-19-fighting technologies. In the past, we’ve written about how scientists, engineers, and innovators shifted their focus to solving pressing global health issues over the past year due to the pandemic. Just last week, we posted about one of our member startups, Nanolayr (formerly Revolution Fibres). Nanolayr makes nanofibers that are used in protective face masks and other applications. The company recently invested in a new testing machine to test their nanofibers. Pretty cool!

The Covid-19 Task Force and The Commons Project

Last week, Betaworks Studios in New York City hosted the Covid-19 Technology Task Force and The Commons Project for a virtual event called “Using Technology to Prove Covid-19 Test & Vaccination Status.” We had the opportunity to hear Andrew McLaughlin, co-chair of the Covid-19 Tech Task Force, lead a conversation with Paul Meyer, JP Pollak, and Brad Perkins of The Commons Project. 

As vaccine rollouts continue around the world, the next major hurdle is validating Covid-19 testing and vaccination status. Read on to learn more about the latest tech helping us track, manage, and protect against the disease.

Tracking Covid-19 testing and vaccination status

The Commons Project was founded as a non-profit organization in 2019. The project’s mission is to build global-scale digital infrastructure between tech companies, governments, and non-profits. The project initially began by developing the Android equivalent of Apple Health. Most recently, however, the organization has been working on digital vaccine passports. 

The Commons Project’s CommonPass empowers individuals to share their health information. Its Smart Card technology utilizes the SMART on FHIR API to securely access information from healthcare providers. As electronic health records become increasingly important in our healthcare system, this type of technology is in high demand. In the near future, it may help individuals resume air travel, cross borders, and attend sporting events and entertainment venues.  

Most recently, CommonHealth partnered with health insurance providers like Cigna and airlines like JetBlue and Lufthansa. These companies recognize the value of seamlessly accessing customer’s health information.  

Covid-19 and electronic health records

Are you a startup looking to innovate within the electronic health record space? You may be interested in the open-source SMART Health Cards Framework and specifications, which were developed by the Vaccination Credential Initiative.

Around the world, innovative, tech-driven solutions are helping to curb the pandemic and guide safe reopening protocols. Check out our past post on 9 startups on SeedSprint focused on applying their technology to combating the COVID-19 pandemic to learn more about this topic. We also recommend our post on how the pandemic has changed the tech transfer landscape. Stay tuned for more innovative solutions to stopping the spread of Covid-19 and preventing future pandemics.

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Last year, we wrote about Microsoft’s ambitious climate pledge to reduce their environmental impact through their partnership with Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG, a global leader in sustainable fuels. Could General Motors be leading the environmental sustainability movement in the auto industry?

Carbon Neutral by 2040

At the end of January, GM announced that they will only produce electric vehicles by 2035 and be completely carbon neutral by 2040.  This shift was made a day after the Biden Administration signed orders that prioritize dramatic cuts in U.S. carbon emissions, especially in transportation. Its new 2040 target to zero out carbon emissions is 10 years shorter than the company’s previous goal of 2050.

The company plans to spend over $27 billion in the next five years to introduce 30 electric vehicles, including an electric hummer pickup Truck which GM expects to start delivering to customers this year. It also expects the majority, if not all, of its luxury Cadillac cars and SUVs sold globally to be EVs by 2030.

The announcement made by one of the world’s largest automakers will lead to big changes in the auto industry, which employs around one million people in the united states, more than any other manufacturing sector by far. 

What does this mean for the auto industry?

A sudden shift towards electric vehicles could lead to job losses in related areas. Electric vehicles currently account for around 5% of sales. Since they don’t require transmissions or oil changes, conventional service stations would have to adapt to new fueling methods once they become the new norm. Electric vehicles also require fewer workers to make.

However, Dane Parker, GM Chief sustainability officer, reiterated that electric vehicles will benefit the economy in many ways: “We know there are hurdles, we know there are technology challenges, but we’re confident that…we’ll overcome those challenges, and this is a business model that we will be able to thrive in the future”.

At the moment, three of GM’s U.S. plants are planning to produce electric vehicles. “This transition is one that will protect all of our futures and will help us create a future that will benefit not only the planet but the people,” Parker claimed.

The future of zero-emission transportation technologies

Transportation accounts for 40% of U.S. carbon emissions. GM’s shift from gasoline-powered internal combustion engines to electric-powered vehicles could be exactly what we need to reduce this impact.

GM has partnered with supply truck maker Navistar, a Hydrotec fuel cell maker, and shipping company J.B. Hunt Transport to test cleaner energies. Internal combustion engines powered by hydrocarbon fuels could lead to reducing transportation emissions in specific areas such as long-haul trucking.

When other large corporations inevitably follow GM’s suit, a new door opens for a future with cleaner transportation. Only time will tell what larger changes this will bring to our everyday lives!

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In this installment of ‘Emerging technology startups profiled on seedsprint,’ we explore startups using green chemistry to make chemical processes more sustainable.

So what is green chemistry? Green chemistry aims to increase atom economy and reduce hazardous materials in chemical manufacturing. Modern takes on green chemistry integrate the concept of the circular economy. If you aren’t familiar with this term, the circular economy seeks to use renewable resources as inputs and keep non-renewables from leaving as waste.

Here are some exciting green chemistry startups integrating these eco-friendly principles that you’ll find on SeedSprint!

(1) DexLeChem (Berlin, Germany)

DexLeChem is developing sustainable synthesis processes for chiral fragrance and flavor products. The company reuses chiral catalysts and optimizes separation in aqueous solutions. By making these changes to the process, the extensive extractions needed for racemic mixtures are decreased and the process becomes more efficient. In the end, DexLeChem’s processes are cost-and-time effective and produce ecologically sustainable chemistry solutions. View SeedSprint profile.

(2) P2 Science (Connecticut, USA)

P2 Science spun out from Yale University in 2011. The company develops proprietary green chemistry technologies with a focus on ‘process intensification’ meant to mimic nature’s chemistry. Their PIOz™ Ozonolysis, PICE™ Continuous Etherification, PIOx™ Oxidation, and PIRe™ Reduction technologies convert feedstocks to flavor, fragrance, and cosmetic chemicals. Typically, these chemicals are derived from petroleum. Luckily, P2’s green chemicals provide a great alternative. They are renewable, safer, and more cost-effective than their petroleum-derived counterparts. P2 recently launched a new bioderived ingredient for hair, skin, and deodorant–what will they come up with next? View SeedSprint profile.

(3) Aequor (California, USA)

Dispersants, cleaning agents, and other biocides are essential consumer and agricultural products. However, these important chemicals are traditionally made using toxic manufacturing processes. As an alternative, Aequor has developed a line of non-toxic cleaners, cosmetics, dispersants, medical device coatings, and drug candidates. In addition to their sustainability, Aeqor’s chemicals are antibiofilm and antimicrobial. The company offers a diverse product line and services that have the potential to elevate the sustainability of industries from agriculture to consumer products to veterinary medicine. Since Covid-19, Aequor’s microbial testing team has been busy helping businesses improve their cleaning protocols so they can open safely. View SeedSprint profile.

(4) Zymtronix (New York, USA)

Zymtronix’s novel technology increases the quality and efficiency of biocatalysis reactions by immobilizing enzymes on metallic metasurfaces. After being entrapped on the magnetic matrix, enzymes have increased catalytic activity and are protected from environmental conditions. They can then be extracted and reused. Zymtronix’s technology is currently being used to fight agricultural pathogens, make industrial chemistry more sustainable, and screen chemicals for human safety. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the company! View SeedSprint profile.

(5) Virent, Inc (Wisconsin, USA)

Virent, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, is commercializing its patented BioForming® technology. The technology transforms plant sugars from feedstock into a variety of hydrocarbon products. Virent uses Life Cycle Assessments to optimize their use of resources and diminish the production of air and water pollutants and greenhouse gases. Virent’s BioForming® technology is currently being used to produce renewable fuels to take the place of petroleum products. View SeedSprint profile.

Green chemistry companies like those on SeedSprint will develop some of the most crucial innovations to ensure the health of humans and the planet. By combining ecologically and economically sustainable principles, these developments will propel us into a more renewable future.

Keep an eye out for future installments of ‘Emerging technology startups profiled on SeedSprint’ to discover more game-changing ideas and technologies!

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VIC Technology Venture Development is an investor group focused on creating new companies based on life science and emerging technology innovation, sourced directly from universities, institutes, and national labs around the world.

Feature Article: VIC Portfolio Companies and Pipeline Technologies with Pandemic Impact

Our current daily activities bear little resemblance to the routines as of as recently as a month ago. Covid-19 has had an obvious and significant impact on the American people. For those suffering from chronic conditions such as dementia, diabetes, heart, and respiratory disease, the health impact during traumatic periods such as this is magnified. Read the full article on the VIC blog >>

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The current public health crisis has changed the way we live and work. With the advent of social distancing, shelter-in-place policies, and telecommuting for those who can do so, life looks a little different these days.

While many of us wake up each morning and “commute” to our home offices or kitchen tables, healthcare workers and essential employees report to the frontlines — among them, scientists, engineers, and technology innovators who report to the lab each day.

And it’s safe to say, scientists, engineers, and innovators have stepped up to the challenge. They are working intently and purposefully to make urgently-needed treatments, vaccines, and critical supplies available — and fast.

In fact, scientific innovation and much-needed collaborations have exploded since Covid-19. It seems that open innovation has never been more in vogue. Here are some of the latest innovations in response to the health crisis that we found inspiring — and we think you will, too.

The race to develop effective treatments and vaccines

Advances in genetic technology over the past 10 to 15 years have provided awesome tools. Within a month of Covid-19’s emergence, researchers sequenced the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the single-stranded RNA virus responsible for the disease. And in just a few weeks, scientists around the world began working on vaccine candidates.

Moderna Therapeutics, in collaboration with the NIH, is pioneering one such effort. Moderna developed a new approach to a vaccine based on their RNA virus technology. The vaccine candidate entered Phase I clinical trials in mid-March. And if all goes well, the candidate will be fast-tracked by the FDA. Many challenges lie ahead for the vaccine to be declared both safe and effective, but experts are hopeful that the Moderna vaccine will reach the global market as early as 2021.

A vaccine is critical for the prevention of Covid-19 infections, but we also need effective treatments. Unfortunately, drug development is a slow process. Like vaccines, new drugs must undergo rigorous testing before reaching patients.

One way to bypass this problem is to re-purpose existing drugs for new uses. Drugs on the market for other indications have already been declared safe by the FDA. Amongst these, Gilead recently entered Phase III clinical trials in the US for the antiviral compound, Remdesivir.

In the past, Remsdesivir has been used to treat Ebola. In the fight against Covid-19, Remsdesivir has already been used as an experimental therapy in over 1,000 cases. The results show some promise, but only time will tell if Remsdesivir can effectively treat the disease.

Preventing community spread with effective screening

Early detection of Covid-19 has been a problem since the beginning of the health crisis. The test that is currently available relies primarily on polymer-chain-reaction (PCR) technology. PCR requires specialized staff, equipment, and many hours to read results.

To overcome this challenge, the Brazilian medtech startup, Hi Technologies, is developing a portable diagnostic system called HiLab. The HiLab system consists of a mini-lab set up and a test kit.

Hi Technologies promises to deliver test results in 15 minutes without the need for specialized staff or a laboratory environment. They plan to begin patient testing in mid-April.

As rapid tests become available, healthcare providers can test more people. With wider testing, we can gain deeper statistical insights into the disease and the crisis as a whole. These insights will also allow us to better flatten the curve to prevent our healthcare systems from becoming saturated. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Hi Technologies and their HiLabs testing system!

A new generation of PPE

Critical medical supplies have been in extremely low supply since the beginning of March. Some of these supplies include protective face masks, face shields, and sanitizers. But innovators around the world are working hard to fight this shortage. They are well on their way to developing better personal protective equipment (PPE), and even new ways of manufacturing it.

At Northwestern University in Chicago, one research team has developed self-sanitizing face masks. Another group started 3D printing face shields.

In Israel, two startup companies, Argaman and Sonovia, have pioneered novel reusable antiviral masks. The masks offer greater sustainability than single-use surgical masks and standard N95 masks, without compromising safety.

From the US to Israel and beyond, new products, designs, and manufacturing methods can help us overcome acute PPE shortages — and may even mark the beginning of the next generation of PPE.

The importance of tracking epidemiological data

Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have dominated the tech world for the past several years. It’s no surprise, then, that these technologies are emerging as key players in the fight against Covid-19.

The Toronto-based startup, BlueDot, is using AI to track the current health crisis, and also to predict new epidemics. Armed with this technology, we can better prepare for infectious diseases and prevent further spread, thus minimizing the impact of these diseases on our communities.

Meanwhile, researchers at MIT and Harvard, in collaboration with major tech companies like Uber and Facebook, have developed an open-source software called Private Kit: Safe Paths. The software detects local infections and alerts users if they have encountered an infected individual. Private Kit: Safe Paths is a game-changer for contact tracing. If we can effectively identify and isolate individuals who have been infected, we can prevent new hotspots from cropping up.

The Covid-19 crisis evolves daily. Luckily, there is no shortage of innovations seeking to help.

Have you come across another inventive solution to the healthcare crisis you’d like to share? Tell us about it in the comments!

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1. Molekule (Environmental Science):

In 2018, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimated that nearly 50 million Americans each year acquire a chronic illness related to allergies; in fact, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. Molekule utilizes innovative nanotechnology that breaks down pollutants at a molecular level. Molekule will continue developing their air-purifying nanotechnology in 2019, bringing their vision of a pollution-free world one step closer to reality.

2. Open Robotics (Robotics):

Open Robotics emerged as one of the top players in the robotics space in 2018. The company’s open-source software has already been used to create a number of the leading robots on the market.  In 2019, the company plans to optimize their software and hopes to become a household name in the near future.

3. SpaceX (Aerospace):

Since its establishment in 2002, SpaceX has introduced cutting-edge innovations into the commercial aerospace industry at an astonishing rate. In 2018, SpaceX pushed new limits. The company organized 18 successful shuttle launches and 48 satellite launches, delivered nearly 23,000 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station, and announced their intent to colonize Mars. This year, SpaceX will test their Mars spaceship prototype and assist NASA with new engines and boosters.

4. Blue River Technology (Agriculture):

Blue River Technology hopes to revolutionize farming with robotics and AI. One of their products eliminates weeds with the assistance of computer vision and AI; another product completely automates fertilization. This year, Blue River will continue to refine their computer imaging, robotics, and artificial intelligence technologies.

5. White Raven (Automotive):

Founded in Israel, White Raven is redefining the way self-driving cars interact with their environments by utilizing a visual search engine that enables cars to recognize and analyze information like street signs and landmarks. In 2019, White Raven will develop deep learning, computer vision, and self-driving technologies.

6. Sonnen (Energy):

The Germany-based clean energy company created the first housing development in which houses are connected via a virtual solar power plant. This year, Sonnen will continue to expand their project, which will eventually share energy across 4,000 homes.

7. Novartis (Pharmaceutical):

Dedicated to treating and curing the most common forms of childhood cancer, Novartis is a pharmaceutical company at the forefront of drug development. In 2018, Novartis held a number of clinical trials to test a new drug for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Novartis’s treatment was the first gene therapy drug to be approved by the FDA, and the three-month remission rate for patients treated with this therapy surpassed 83%. Novartis will continue to test this drug and hopes to fully eliminate the disease in the near future.

Interested in connecting with companies like these? Check out the seedsprint network! You’ll find thousands of startups and hundreds of research institutions and large corporations leading innovation across 20 science-based industries. Happy networking!

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In a recent report, economists from the National Bureau of Economic Research liken artificial intelligence to electricity. They argue that electricity didn’t transform legacy industries until a quarter-century after the core technologies were first developed – and that’s exactly what we should expect for AI.

While artificial intelligence has been in development for years, it seems to be finally making a major impact on legacy industries. We are at an inflection point for machine learning and AI, thanks to decades of incubation and development in the IT sector and an influx of new talent.

The startup world illustrates this point clearly. A new generation of deep tech startups is emerging that demonstrates exactly how far AI has come. These teams are bringing AI into the C-Suite by leveraging “task-specific” machine learning to transform non-software industries, from hospitality to logistics to energy.

It’s time for major legacy industries to invest in these technologies – such as the many startups profiled on seedsprint.

Logistics and hospitality are two legacy industries where AI has been slow to change business as usual. However, new AI startups are shaking things up.

The AI startup Exyn is accelerating the evolution of autonomous aerial vehicles for logistics and surveillance. The startup is developing advanced computer vision and onboard processing capabilities for drones that allow aerial vehicles to react to information in real-time.

Exyn’s drones are able to take scheduled inventory in a warehouse without being told to do so. The can find structural construction flaws based on an architectural 3D model, and they can even map out hidden mines that pose risks to humans on the ground.

In the hospitality industry, the Savioke has a Robot call Relay that performs deliveries in hotels, apartments, and large company buildings. Relay uses AI to navigate the halls and elevators of hotels, making deliveries and performing other tasks that are traditionally left to hotel employees. Savioke recently raised a $13M Series B and is actively searching for industry partners.

In popular culture, artificial intelligence often works to destroy humanity – but some AI can help humans preserve and protect life on earth. That’s where CleanRobotics is making its mark.

Contaminated or hopelessly mixed-up recyclables present a major problem for recycling facilities. The CleanRobotics Trashbot™ can sort trash effectively, potentially increasing the volume of recoverable recyclables by a significant factor and reducing the volume of material that must be landfilled.

Artificial intelligence can also help boost energy efficiency, a notoriously difficult problem for building managers. In the built environment, the startup Leanheat works to put “brains” in apartment buildings by integrating AI with central air systems to optimize HVAC energy use. Buildings enhanced with Leanheat sensors and analytics can knock one fifth off their energy bills, according to the company.

Smart stuff everywhere

Machine learning has applications in every industry. If a process hasn’t changed for a few decades, it’s likely you can find a startup trying to jumpstart it with AI.

A few more examples from the seedsprint network:

• Deep Genomics and Recursion Pharmaceuticals each produce AI that guides drug development for tenacious diseases.

• Netradyne uses AI to put more eyes on the road: they develop a system that analyzes traffic in real-time for its host vehicle in order to identify unsafe traffic situations and alert the driver.

• Optoss provides a universal platform for active data monitoring, giving alerts about, and even responding to perceived irregularities.

• Gastrograph is developing taste and smell analytics for food product design and marketing.

AI has hit a turning point, and the applications seem limitless. Companies looking to obtain a technological edge should consider partnering with this generation of AI startups.

Are you an open innovation professional looking to connect with AI startups and researchers? Request an industry demo of the seedsprint platform.

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