Collaborative sensing, generative watermarking, and batteries built into materials are among the ten breakthrough technologies to watch. These are listed in the World Economic Forum’s newly released Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025 report. All the technologies identified are expected to deliver real-world impact within three to five years, addressing pressing global challenges – from urban congestion to pollution, disease and climate stress.
Trajectory of emerging technologies in healthcare over time.
Produced in collaboration with Frontiers, the report spotlights breakthrough technologies at their inflection point, where scientific progress meets real-world application. Chosen for their novelty, maturity and potential to deliver meaningful societal benefit, they reflect advances in innovation and resilience. The technologies identified this year reveal four key trends: building trust and safety in a connected world, developing next-gen biotechnologies for health, redesigning industrial sustainability, and integrating energy and materials.
“Scientific and technological breakthroughs are advancing rapidly, even as the global environment for innovation grows more complex,” said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “The research provides global leaders with a clear view of which technologies are approaching readiness, how they could contribute to solving the world’s pressing problems and what’s required to bring them to scale responsibly.”
The list this year builds on past themes, reaffirming health, sustainability and urban resilience as top priorities. Technologies such as collaborative sensing, autonomous biochemical sensing and green nitrogen fixation demonstrate ongoing innovation in these fields where urgent challenges persist. They also signal growing momentum to develop scalable solutions to address chronic disease, environmental impact and infrastructure strain.
The report outlines what is needed to bring them to scale: investment, infrastructure, standards and responsible governance, and calls on business, government and the scientific community to collaborate to ensure their development serves the public good.
This year’s edition of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025 report also highlights a trend towards technology convergence. For example, structural battery composites combine energy with storage design, and engineered living therapeutics merge synthetic biology and precision medicine. Such integration signals a shift away from standalone innovations to more integrated systems-based solutions, reshaping what is possible.
“The path from breakthrough research to tangible societal progress depends on transparency, collaboration, and open science,” said Frederick Fenter, Chief Executive Editor, Frontiers. “Together with the World Economic Forum, we have again delivered trusted, evidence-based insights on emerging technologies that will shape a better future for all."
Each technology was evaluated through a rigorous process, involving expert nominations, literature review, peer assessment and analysis of adoption conditions. The report also includes strategic outlooks, readiness assessments and pathways for real-world implementation.
Now in its 13th edition, the Top 10 Emerging Technologies report provides trusted foresight to help leaders navigate scientific and technological change. Drawing on the expertise of scientists, researchers and futurists, the report identifies ten innovations expected to scale within five years and deliver wide benefits for society.
The technologies were selected through a global process involving over 300 experts from the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils, the University and Research Network, the Frontiers editorial network, and co-chairs Mariette DiChristina and Bernard Meyerson.
For more information visit: www.weforum.org
