Key takeaways
- The WEF's 2026 list moves beyond software AI into energy, materials, health and security.
- Venture money in late 2026 is concentrated in AI infrastructure, foundation models, quantum, fusion, space and defence.
- Many of these technologies need patient capital, partners and regulatory know-how, not just software skills.
The 2026 list
Each year the World Economic Forum, with Frontiers, names ten technologies likely to have a major impact in the next three to five years. The 2026 report, published in June 2026, shows the technology race moving from AI alone to factories, hospitals and power grids.
Top 10 emerging technologies of 2026
| # | Technology | What it does | Startup angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everything-to-grid energy | Vehicles and buildings send stored power back to the grid | Software for virtual power plants, bidirectional chargers, energy trading |
| 2 | Direct lithium extraction | Pulls battery-grade lithium from brines in hours, not months | Extraction tech, sorbents, project developers |
| 3 | Passive radiative cooling | Surfaces that cool buildings without electricity | Coatings, films and building materials |
| 4 | PFAS destruction | Breaks down "forever chemicals" into harmless compounds | Water treatment for utilities and industry |
| 5 | Precision fermentation | Programmed microbes make food ingredients and medicines | Alternative proteins, dairy and specialty ingredients |
| 6 | Exosome drug delivery | Uses natural cell-derived packages to deliver drugs precisely | Biotech platforms, often via pharma partnerships |
| 7 | Personalised mRNA cancer vaccines | Vaccines tailored to a patient's own tumour | Bioinformatics, manufacturing and diagnostics |
| 8 | Quantum simulation for drug discovery | Simulates molecules to find drug candidates faster | Quantum and AI software for pharma |
| 9 | World models | AI that learns how the physical world behaves | Robotics, simulation, climate and logistics AI |
| 10 | Lattice-based cryptography | Encryption designed to resist quantum attacks | Post-quantum security migration tools |
Source: WEF Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026.
Where venture money is going now
- AI infrastructure: chips, data centres and power. Tenstorrent raised $1.5B and Axiom Solutions $2B in October 2026.
- Foundation and frontier AI: large early rounds such as Flapping Airplanes ($1B Series A) and TypeSafe AI ($870M).
- Quantum: Oratomic raised $475M in October 2026.
- Energy: fusion (Type One Energy, $200M), grid flexibility (Voltus, $225M) and long-duration storage (Form Energy, $750M).
- Space and defence: Xona Space Systems ($250M) for next-generation GPS, and defence drones in the US and Europe.
- Physical AI and robotics: Tractian, Formic, Warp Sciences and Enact Intelligence all raised in October.
See every deal in our startup funding tracker.
What this means for founders
- Pick a real customer problem. Deep tech wins when it is cheaper, faster or cleaner for a specific buyer, such as a utility, hospital or manufacturer.
- Plan for longer timelines. Hardware, biotech and energy startups often need grants, pilots and strategic partners alongside venture capital. Browse grants and schemes.
- Use AI as a layer. Many of the best opportunities apply AI and world models to physical industries rather than building new models.
- Get credits early. Compute is expensive. Read how to get cloud and AI credits.
Building in one of these areas? Pitch to Kreeaa.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and programme terms change, so check official sources and speak to a qualified adviser before making decisions.
Building something early-stage?Kreeaa invests from MVP to Series A and helps with credits, pitching and partners.
Pitch your startup