Perspectives on greener product development and manufacturing from Sustainable Minds, our partners, customers and contributors.

Sustainable Minds: Candidate for WEF Technology Pioneers 2011

By Sustainable Minds on March 9, 2010

2010 is turning out to be an incredible year for Sustainable Minds. We recently found out that Sustainable Minds has been nominated as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Candidate for 2011.

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world. It’s motto is 'entrepreneurship in the global public interest.’ The WEF engages world leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas and is well known by its annual meeting in Davos in January every year.

The Technology Pioneers Community is one of the most widely recognized initiatives of the World Economic Forum. It is the WEF's way of identifying and integrating those companies from around the world whose innovations reflect society's attempts to harness, adapt and use technology to change and improve the way business and society operate.

These are the Technology Pioneer selection criteria:

  • Innovation: The company must be truly innovative. A new version or repackaging of an already well-accepted technological solution does not qualify as an innovation. The innovation and commercialization should be recent. The company should invest significantly in R&D.

  • Potential impact: The company must possess the potential to have a substantial long-term impact on business and/or society in the future.

  • Growth and sustainability: The company should demonstrate the potential to be a long-term market leader and should have well-formulated plans for future development and growth.

  • Proof of concept: The company must have a product on the market or have proven practical applications of the technology. Companies in “stealth” mode and with untested ideas or models do not qualify.

  • Leadership: The company must have visionary leadership that plays a critical role in driving the company towards reaching its goals.

Past recipients of the recognition include Google, Business Objects and Mozilla. When selected, Technology Pioneers attract worldwide media attention. Among other activities, recipients of the award get invited to the Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos and Annual Meeting of the New Champions in China.

All of us at Sustainable Minds are truly honored by this nomination. Learn more about the recognition and past recipients of the award. Read >