DigiReactor

The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra published a new Mega Trends 2023 review at the beginning of this year. The review gives an overview of trends and phenomena around us, and it can be used to understand and reflect as well as influence the changes. The trends named in the review are:

1.      Erosion of nature’s carrying capacity

2.      Increasing challenges to well-being

3.      Intensifying struggle for democracy

4.      Accelerated competition for digital power

5.      Cracks in the foundations of the economy

At first glance, the trends might look very depressing: challenges, erosion, struggle, cracks… But on the other hand, the purpose of future trends and scenarios is also to understand future developments and how we could avoid unwanted results. According to Sitra 2023 Megatrends, we can change the undesirable direction of the trends by, for instance, phasing out fossil fuels and stopping overconsumption. This recovery of nature can interdependently lead to better well-being and a restorative economy. Crisis in democracy can be addressed with more trust and empowerment and the way we use data can help in developing a fair digital world.

Digital products are already helping in creating positive change. For instance, to battle the erosion of nature´s carrying capacity, many of the large-scale solutions have been funded by organizations such as the EU Commission, the United Nations or World Bank. These organizations aim at developing digital solutions for helping societies to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, the EU’s Photovoltaic Geographic Information System, a digital tool that maps Europe’s solar radiation and photovoltaic system performance. It helps to optimize the positions of solar panels so that they will generate energy more efficiently[1]. Similarly, in Lappeenranta, Finland, the city has started using Virtual Power Plant to consume electricity more flexibly. The Virtual Power Plant can automatically increase or decrease the properties’ energy consumption and help balance the grid. This positively impacts the environment as less fossil fuel is needed to produce the balancing power[2].

Overconsumption and restorative and regenerative economy are also supported by digitalization: Online stores that sell second-hand clothes are gaining popularity. Their market share in the clothing business is growing[3]. TUAS Circwaste project[4] KIELO mobile phone application helps consumers dispose of their waste correctly so that most of it could be recycled.

Challenges in well-being have also been addressed by digital services. For example, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has created mental health support toolkits to help workplaces create supportive working environments[5]. These kinds of tools are free and as they aim to maintain good mental health, they will also help ease the burden of public healthcare. Many healthcare institutions already use digital services to at least partially treat patients. For instance, Physio Tools allows physiotherapists to save their instructions in video format. This helps the patients to do the exercises correctly. It also reminds the patients to do the exercises regularly[6].

Digital tools can also ease the struggle with democracy. Sitra’s Digital Power and Democracy project is creating tools to help people enhance the citizens’ digital information literacy and awareness of digital power[7]. Similar kinds of initiatives can be found also in other countries. For example, Tech for democracy[8] aims at making technology work for democracy and human rights.

Future trends and reports are useful tools also when innovating new digital products as we do in DigiReactor. In developing digital products, we should not only think if our product will be a success in the future but also if our product is building a future that we want to live in.

Reetta Raitoharju

Annukka Kinnari

Read more about megatrends:

Megatrends – Sitra

Megatrends 2023: these are the trends we cannot ignore – Sitra


[1] (https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news/5-digital-solutions-greener-europe-2022-07-05_en)

[2] https://vibeco.fi/en/references/lappeenranta-city/ and chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_C4IR_GFC_on_Cities_Digital_Technology_2022.pdf

[3] https://yle.fi/a/74-20014390

[4] https://www.turkuamk.fi/fi/tutkimus-kehitys-ja-innovaatiot/hae-projekteja/circwaste-kohti-kiertotaloutta/

[5] https://hyvatyo.ttl.fi/en/mindandwork

[6]  https://www.physiotools.com/

[7]  https://www.sitra.fi/en/topics/digital-power-and-democracy/

[8] https://techfordemocracy.dk/