Tech horizon scanning is an important technique that helps organisations anticipate and prepare for future challenges and opportunities. Consequently, it is a very valuable tool for a Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, or any other individual tasked with risk analysis, future planning long-term innovation, and business resilience.

What Does Tech Horizon Scanning Involve?

Tech horizon scanning is a systematic process that analyses potential threats, gaps in knowledge, emerging trends, and new technologies. It also looks at social and economic change, environmental considerations, regulatory swings, shifts in consumer behaviour, and uncommon events or occurrences.

The focus is on what could disrupt specific industries or a sector over the long-term, not just immediate concerns.

Key principles include:

• Systematic Approach – structured data collection and analysis
• Wide Approach –novel ideas considered from diverse sources
• Future Focus – close examination of long-term implications
• Cross-Disciplinary – insights drawn from professionals in many areas

This process involves a wide range of tools such as expert consultations into organisational needs and exposures, trend analyses to pinpoint potential issues, and proactive scenario planning for best outcomes. Literature reviews and surveys may also provide valuable information.

Effective tech horizon scanning should be ongoing. Those performing the scan must communicate regularly with the organisation so they can assess findings and adjust plans accordingly.

Why Is Tech Horizon Scanning It So Important?

Think of tech horizon scanning as an early warning system that can detect signals of change. When complete, stakeholders see a comprehensive image of where the company may head and ways to overcome uncertainties. Through informed long-term decisions they can counteract address potential issues to ensure the organization stays relevant and ahead of the competition.

As an example, upcoming regulatory changes, new cyberthreats, and groundbreaking technologies could threaten an organisation. However, well-crafted contingency plans and properly allocated resources can mitigate risk.

Tech horizon scanning also encourages organisations to explore unconventional ideas. An open and exploratory approach can capture unexpected lucrative opportunities companies may not have considered.

For instance, early identification of appropriate emerging technologies can lead to new products or services, access into untapped markets, and beneficial strategic partnerships. Google is a leader in this area with unprecedented penetration into the AI marketplace.

Tech Horizon Scanning for Long-Term Innovation

Chief Innovation Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, and others tasked with long-term innovation need a good snapshot of what the future may hold. Luckily, tech horizon scanning can provide them with the information they need to make wise decisions.

EarlyBirds makes it easy for any organisation to peer into the future. Their multiple resources offer the following benefits:

• Increased productivity
• Improved operational efficiency
• Enhanced competitiveness
• Connections to the best Subject Matter Experts and innovators available
• Simplified process

EarlyBirds Skill Identification Program

Our skill identification program offers potential solutions to organisation to find and retain the best in the current talent pool.

The program is overseen by veterans in the industry with a high level of credibility and expertise that benefits all parties. It also provides actionable data-driven recommendations fuelled by cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics.

EarlyBirds Open Innovation Ecosystem

Our award-winning Open Innovation Ecosystem allows both innovation and strategic thinking in all areas of a business, whatever the technical or business challenge or potential opportunity your organisation wants to explore.

With a data pool of over 5.0 million global innovations across many industries, it is possible that solutions already exist that address your organisation’s challenges. Alternatively, your organisation can list your needs and request solutions from innovators.

EarlyBirds Ecosystem Maps

EarlyBirds’ Ecosystem Maps offer strategic value for decision-making. They empower company officers, because they provide a full picture of the possible technological advancements in specific domains. This allows them to make informed, forward-thinking decisions.

Each Ecosystem Map contains startups, scaleups, and mature companies involved in specific themes and sub-themes making it possible for organisations to plot a path towards innovation. The map also tracks numerous daily and historical news and media articles from across the world.

EarlyBirds Explorer Program

The Explorer Program is tailored towards those who need innovation as a service to supplement existing innovation programs, or to conduct innovation projects when required. It is designed to speed up the process of technological innovation for the organisation as a service.

The Explorer Program includes several features including quarterly and monthly innovation days; regular webinars to help stimulate innovation in the organisation; a focus on types of innovations; a platform enterprise license; and a nominated SME for the business.

EarlyBirds Challenger Program

The Challenger Program focuses on a single organisational or technical challenge. It looks for the most relevant innovators that meet organisational, technical, and risk requirements.

The program is run by an EarlyBirds’ Subject Matter Expert who identifies your key issues. The SME then searches the data pool to identify and curate options for further evaluation. The most suitable option is chosen and the SME drafts a roadmap of next steps, POC, trial, or implementation.

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EarlyBirds can help Chief Innovation Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, and others tasked with long-term innovation begin the tech horizon scanning process. Our experience extends to the Food Industry, Retail, Healthcare, Operations & Maintenance, Manufacturing, Finance & Insurance, Energy, Education, Cybersecurity, Sovereign Nations, the Public Sector, and many other areas.

If interested, we invite you to sign up as an Early Adopter. Alternatively, please an request a consultation for a more personalized approach.

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