10 European companies named ‘tech pioneers’

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised 10 European companies among a class of 49 companies deemed pioneers in technology.

As in previous years, US start-ups dominate, producing 35 pioneers in the fields of IT, life sciences, and energy. There are four winners from the UK, two from the Netherlands and Israel, and single recipients from Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Taiwan and China. 

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must develop a major technology or innovation with the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate vision and leadership, and show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven, according to the Forum.

The full roster of European winners include: Darktrace, TransferWise, Tokamak Energy and Carbon Clean Solutions from the UK; Plant-e and Protix Biosystems from the Netherlands; German-based Heliatek; Ireland’s Sedicii; Sweden’s iZettle; and Italy’s CoeLux. 

Explaining the dominance of US firms, WEF’s head of Technology Pioneers, Fulvia Montresor, said, “money and a big market remain decisive, and the US has those to an extent that other regions can’t match.” 

This year’s batch join a prestigious list of past recipients including Amyris Biotechnologies (2006), Mozilla (2007), 23andme, (2008), Bloom Energy (2010), Google (2010), Twitter (2010), Kickstarter (2011) and Dropbox (2011).

Selected companies will be recognised at the WEF’s “Summer Davos” in Dalian, China, this September, or the annual Davos convention in January.

The Technology Pioneers were selected from among hundreds of applicants by a selection committee composed of 68 venture capitalists, corporate executives, entrepreneurs and academics. 

The WEF is an independent Swiss foundation. The forum’s motto is “entrepreneurship in the global public interest."

All winners listed here