2021 Startup Predictions: Trends, Sectors, And Tech That Will Emerge

There aren’t many positives to take out of 2020, but the extraordinary progress made in digital transformation is one silver lining. Rapidly maturing software technologies meant most sectors were already on a digital journey, and Covid-19 has proven an unexpected stress-test for these new solutions. With employees and consumers confined to their homes for much of the year, the world has demanded a more virtual way of doing things, putting pressure on corporates and CEOs to fast-forward the digital agenda.

Where there might have been resistance before, businesses and consumers have had to adapt, and the lessons learned bode well for the future. As well as the obvious shifts, such as the exodus from physical offices and high streets, the case for digitization and automation has been strengthened in factories, warehouses, supply chains, and other back-office processes. And while vaccines give hope that we’ll return to some form of normality, many of these innovative new business practices look set to remain.

In what has been a dark and depressing year, science and technology have provided glimmers of inspiration and hope that we can combat Covid-related challenges and continue to innovate and grow.