Access to Technology

Latin America’s rising demand for natural gas presents broad opportunities across the industry. While these opportunities may be most acutely present in Mexico — where a steadily growing economy is catalyzing soaring natural gas imports from the United States — conditions across the region reflect positive trends for U.S. producers and midstream players. Emerging markets are eager to tap U.S. supplies and seize on natural gas’s potential as a low cost, reliable and cleaner power generation source.

Until relatively recently, the mining industry has been slow to innovate. Now, virtually every area of mining is undergoing a technological upheaval. At the forefront of this transformation in mining are disruptive technologies – ground-breaking concepts that challenge traditional and accepted practices and are shaking up the industry.

More than 3,000 middle school students a year will be introduced to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), thanks to a collaboration between Qualcomm Incorporated and the University of Michigan College of Engineering.

The second theme in The Possibility Report series, CONNECT explores the emerging technologies that can bring us closer together, even when we’re far apart (geographically and mentally), and bring more people into the loop.

Today, about 1.1 billion people in the world live without electricity. Another billion have unreliable power and 2.8 billion people use coal, wood, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and cleaning. Today, Schneider Electric is transforming the lives of millions of people in Nigeria by partnering with Microsoft and the Lagos State Electricity Board to provide sustainable solar power to over 200 schools and clinics.

We use it in tea, lip balm, shampoos and a myriad of culinary recipes. It grows like a weed in North America, but is the currency of survival for many struggling farmers in India. Mint, a common plant that includes menthol, peppermint, lavender and sage has for years, a redeeming quality that has benefited rural farmers in Asia’s second-largest country: It’s simple to grow and harvest, and doesn’t take a lot of technological knowledge to benefit from its crops. It can also be sold as an oil and repurposed to a variety of commodities.

Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in a debate at Web Summit on an increasingly important topic: “Future of Tech: Will Everyone Benefit?” It’s a question we should all contemplate and analyze. As tech breaks out and reshapes so many aspects of humanity, will all of this stunning innovation create a rising tide that lifts all boats, regardless of geography, background, or culture? Or will the advantages of tech innovation be limited to only the fortunate few?

This school year, underrepresented high school students in eight cities nationwide are learning principles of design thinking, and how to apply them to emerging technology and mobile devices to serve as creative solutions for local small businesses and non-profits.