Editions

Small is Beautiful: The Micro-everything revolution

Each PopTech Edition explores an emerging theme at the edge of change from the perspective of some of the remarkable innovators shaping it. Here, we explore the dynamics of the micro-everything revolution, from design and engineering for radical affordability to overcoming hurdles to distribution.

An interconnected series of innovations in low-cost manufacturing, information technology, design, and distribution are making it possible to deliver goods and services that were scarcely imaginable a few years ago, at price points that were similarly inconceivable, to consumers who were previously excluded from accessing them.

This micro-everything revolution is transforming global healthcare delivery, delivering new forms of financial services and education, unlocking new forms of entrepreneurialism, and creating entirely new industries. It promises to lift millions of people from poverty, amplify community resilience in the face of unforeseen shocks and disruptions, and create new markets and new wealth.

In this PopTech Edition, we explore the dynamics of the micro-everything revolution, from design and engineering for radical affordability, to overcoming hurdles to distribution. We’ll explore how micro-scale products and services turn traditional models of things like healthcare delivery upside-down; the role that enabling platforms like mobile devices play; and how not only social innovators but multinational corporations are harnessing these trends to address new markets.

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