AI, Big Data & Analytics:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of computer systems which are able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition and machine vision.
Big Data refers to massively complex structured and unstructured data sets that are rapidly generated and transmitted from a wide variety of sources.
Analytics uses AI to analyse and systematically extract info from or deal with data sets that are too large for traditional data processing mechanisms. It is the process of examining raw data with the purpose of finding patterns and drawing conclusions about that information by applying an algorithmic or mechanical process to derive insights.
- Examples: Palantir; DeepMind; Teradata
AgriTech:
Agriculture Technology (AgriTech) applies innovation to farming and food production to increase efficiency, sustainability, and yield. This includes precision agriculture, smart irrigation, vertical farming, and biotechnology to enhance crop resilience, reduce environmental impact, and improve supply chains.
- Examples: Syngenta; AeroFarms; John Deere
B2B:
Business-to-Business (B2B) companies provide products, services, or solutions tailored for other businesses rather than individual consumers. B2B industries range from software-as-a-service (SaaS) to supply chain logistics, enabling enterprises to operate more efficiently through specialised tools and expertise.
- Examples: Salesforce; SAP; IBM
BioTech:
Biotechnology (BioTech) is the area of biology that uses living processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products or technology intended to improve the quality of human life. Using molecular biology techniques, biotech companies study the genetic, chemical, and physical properties of cells, tissues and organisms.
- Examples: Novo Nordisk; Roche; Gilead Sciences
Blockchain:
A Blockchain is a digital ledger of transactions which is duplicated and distributed across an entire network of computer systems. By design, a blockchain is inherently resistant to modification of the data. The most popular use case for blockchains are cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin being the world's first permanent, decentralised, global, trustless ledger of records.
- Examples: Coinbase; R3; Ripple
CleanTech / GreenTech:
CleanTech / GreenTech companies use science-based technology, ideas and methodologies to solve the world's greatest environmental challenges. Common industries where CleanTech / GreenTech are found include water, transportation, energy generation/storage, built environment and agriculture/food.
- Examples: Tesla; Aurora Solar; Volta
Cloud Computing:
Cloud Computing is the on-demand delivery of computing services—such as storage, networking, and processing power—over the internet. It allows businesses and individuals to scale resources dynamically, reducing costs and increasing flexibility. Cloud services are broadly categorised into Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
- Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS); Microsoft Azure; Google Cloud
Consumer Discretionary:
Consumer Discretionary companies produce goods and services that are considered non-essential but desirable, such as apparel, entertainment, automobiles, and luxury goods. These industries tend to be sensitive to economic cycles, thriving when disposable income is high.
- Examples: Nike; Walt Disney Company; Toyota
Consumer Staples:
Consumer Staples companies provide essential products that consumers purchase regardless of economic conditions. These include food, beverages, personal care products, and household goods, making this sector a stable and defensive industry.
- Examples: Procter & Gamble; Unilever; Nestlé
Cyber Security:
Cyber Security solutions protect users' networks, programs, devices, and data from digital attacks and unauthorised exploitation.
- Examples: McAfee; CrowdStrike; Symantex
Data Centres:
Data Centres are specialised facilities that house critical computing infrastructure, including servers, networking equipment, and storage systems. They support cloud computing, enterprise applications, and internet services, ensuring secure and reliable data processing and storage.
- Examples: Equinix; Digital Realty; China Telecom
eCommerce:
eCommerce (Electronic Commerce) refers to the buying and selling of goods and services online. This sector includes marketplaces, direct-to-consumer brands, and business platforms that leverage technology to enhance customer experiences and streamline transactions.
- Examples: Amazon; Shopify; Alibaba
EdTech:
EducationTech (EdTech) is the combination of IT tools and educational practices aimed at facilitating and enhancing learning. An EdTech solution is a product that utilises technology like software and other devices to help users learn, improve their performance, and take advantage of new facilities for learning.
- Examples: Coursera; Udemy; Schoology
Energy:
The Energy sector encompasses companies involved in the production, distribution, and management of power sources, including oil, natural gas, renewables, and nuclear. As the global demand for sustainable energy grows, innovations in clean energy and efficiency are reshaping the industry.
- Examples: BP; TotalEntergies; Orsted
Enterprise:
Enterprise companies develop and provide large-scale software and technology solutions for businesses, government agencies, and organisations. These solutions often include customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and cybersecurity services.
- Examples: Oracle; SAP; Workday
Financial Services:
Financial Services firms provide economic products and solutions, including banking, investment management, insurance, and fintech innovations. The industry plays a key role in capital markets, wealth management, and risk assessment.
- Examples: HSBC; Visa; JPMorgan Chase
FinTech:
FinancialTech (FinTech) allows users to perform financial transactions in a better, faster, and/or more convenient way by leveraging emerging, digital technologies.
- Examples: Floww; Revolut; Robinhood
FoodTech:
FoodTech is a branch of food science which deals with the production, preservation, quality control, research and development of consumable products. FoodTech companies leverage advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, and Big Data to transform and modernise agriculture and the wider food industry.
- Examples: HelloFresh; Beyond Meat; Deliveroo
Gaming:
Gaming involves the running of specialised applications on consoles like Xbox, Playstation, and/or PCs. Gaming is also a name for the industry in which people gamble by playing cards and other games in casinos.
- Examples: King; Epic Games; Electronic Arts
GovTech:
GovernmentTech (GovTech) involves applying emerging, digital technologies to improve the delivery and provision of public goods & services. GovTech solutions may also serve to digitize public administrations.
- Examples: Zencity; OpenGov; Accela
Hardware:
Hardware refers to physical goods / objects who have a direct end use by the consumer. The classic hardware category is computer hardware, which refers to the machines, wiring, and other physical components which exist within a computer or other electronic system.
- Examples: Dell; Hewlett-Packard; LG Electronics
HealthTech / MedTech:
HealthTech tends to centre around consumer-facing applications focused on improving personal and preventative care.
MedicalTech (MedTech), meanwhile, tends to centre around treating existing medical conditions and enhancing diagnostics within a more formal hospital setting.
- Examples: Ro; ZocDoc; Oscar
Industrials:
Industrials include companies engaged in manufacturing, construction, aerospace, defence, and transportation. This sector is critical to economic infrastructure and development, providing equipment, machinery, and industrial automation solutions.
- Examples: General Electric; Caterpillar; Siemens
Industry 4.0:
Industry 4.0 is the new phase of the industrial revolution focusing on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data. It is mainly concerned with smart manufacturing or the combination of physical production and operations with smart digital technology.
- Examples: Siemens; Honeywell; Ericsson
Infrastructure:
Infrastructure companies develop and manage essential public and private facilities, including transportation networks, utilities, and telecommunications systems. These businesses are fundamental to economic growth and urban development.
- Examples: Vinci; Brookfield Infrastructure; American Tower
InfraTech:
InfrastructureTech (InfraTech) covers components needed to operate and manage enterprise IT environments. InfraTech assets can take the form of software platforms, capital investments into technology assets (such as data centers, fiber, or systems of cameras and sensors), or entire integrated technical systems.
- Examples: AutoDesk; Trimble; Western Digital
Internet of Things:
Internet of Things (IoT) refers to physical objects (or groups of objects) which are embedded with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies. IoT connects these devices and adds sensors to them to make them digitally intelligent, allowing them to communicate real-time data. In the broadest sense, the term IoT encompasses everything connected to the internet, but it is increasingly being used to define objects that "talk" to each other.
- Examples: FitBit; ARM; Peloton
LegalTech:
LegalTech applies technology to enhance the legal industry, improving efficiency in case management, document automation, compliance, and legal research. AI, blockchain, and cloud-based solutions are revolutionising legal services.
- Examples: Clio; Relativity; LexisNexis
Life Sciences:
Life Sciences comprises companies operating in the research, development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology-based food and medicines, supplements and other "wellness" products which improve the lives of living organisms.
- Examples: Pfizer; Novartis; Herbalife
MADTech:
MADTech is a mashup of MarketingTech and AdvertisingTech (AdTech). MADTech companies offer marketing and advertising solutions which leverage AI and Machine Learning technologies and algorithms to target audiences with far more precision than traditional means.
- Examples: HubSpot; ContentGrow; SendPulse
Marketplace:
Marketplace companies offer digital platforms for buying or selling goods, products or services - including jobs, rentals, etc... Traditional marketplaces include large e-commerce retailers.
- Examples: Etsy; TaskRabbit; Mercado Libre
Materials:
The Materials sector includes companies that produce raw materials used in manufacturing and construction, such as chemicals, metals, paper, and glass. These materials are essential for industrial applications and infrastructure projects.
- Examples: DuPont; Rio Tinto; BASF
PharmaCare:
PharmaCare encompasses pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers focused on the research, development, and distribution of medications, treatments, and healthcare solutions. This sector plays a critical role in global health and medical innovation
- Examples: Pfizer; Johnson & Johnson; GlaxoSmithKline
PropTech:
Property Technology (PropTech) leverages digital solutions to optimise real estate transactions, property management, and smart buildings. Innovations include AI-driven valuations, blockchain-based contracts, and IoT-enabled property automation.
- Examples: Zoopla; Opendoor; WeWork
RegTech:
Regulatory Technology (RegTech) uses software and automation to assist companies in compliance with financial and legal regulations. AI and big data analytics help detect fraud, manage risk, and streamline regulatory reporting.
- Examples: Trulioo; Onfido; ComplyAdvantage
Robotics:
Robotics is an interdisciplinary sector of science and engineering dedicated to the design, construction and use of mechanical robots to perform tasks which are traditionally completed by human beings.
- Examples: iRobot; Boston Dynamics; Mitsubishi Robotics
SaaS:
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end users over the internet on a subscription basis. SaaS applications are sometimes called web-based software, on-demand software, or hosted software. Whatever the name, SaaS applications run on a SaaS provider’s servers and the provider manages access to the application, including security, availability, and performance.
- Examples: Adobe; Salesforce; Zendesk
Semiconductors:
The Semiconductors industry designs and manufactures chips that power electronic devices, from smartphones and computers to artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. These microchips are the backbone of modern technology.
- Examples: Intel; ASML; Samsung Electronics
Social Media:
Social Media is a collective term for websites and applications that focus on communication, community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration.
- Examples: Twitter; LinkedIn; Instagram
TravelTech:
TravelTech refers to the application of IT and e-commerce solutions in tourism, travel, and hospitality with the goal of automating travel, saving time, reducing costs, and creating a seamless travel experience for consumers.
- Examples: Booking.com; ZipCar; Airbnb
Telecommunications:
Telecommunications sector provides communication infrastructure and services, including mobile networks, broadband, and satellite communications. It enables global connectivity through voice, data, and internet services.
- Examples: Verizon; Vodafone; Nokia
Tourism:
Tourism includes businesses that facilitate travel, accommodation, and experiences for leisure and business travellers. The industry spans airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and attractions, contributing significantly to global economies.
- Examples: Expedia; Airbnb; Emirates
Transportation:
Transportation covers the movement of people and goods via land, air, and sea. This industry includes logistics, shipping, public transit, and emerging technologies such as electric and autonomous vehicles.
- Examples: FedEx; Uber; Maersk
Video, VR, AR:
Virtual Reality (VR) refers to the creation of a full, digitized world achieved through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via technology.
Augmented Reality (AR) refers to the ability to enhance parts of a users' actual, physical world with computer-generated input.
- Examples: Snap; Oculus; Zappar