The trend of 5G in 2020 will continue to spread in 2021. With the benefits of increased speed for data, enhanced resolution for videos, and the ability to connect to multiple devices. 5G is going to continue to evolve the Telecom industry as more and more of the world gets on 5G networks, communities, and more.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected devices that communicate to one another, but that can be monitored remotely. This is what will foster the growth of Smart Cities. These Smart Cities would have a network of connected devices communicating to one another, but also adding another connection level, the residents. This would allow residents through an app to tap into a community’s parking availability or even rules for mask wearing in local parks.

This year of virtual everything led to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) that will continue into 2021 with 5G capabilities. The growth that has been in multiple areas, but the largest by far in 2020 has been in customer service. By using chatbots or virtual assistants, companies now can automate customer service calls and messages. In 2021, it is anticipated that these AI communications can foster a lot of collaboration between businesses, governments, organizations, and community members through IoT and Smart Cities.

SaaS trends shaped by the pandemic in 2021 include rising market demand, increasing opportunity for vertical SaaS solutions, and emerging operational challenges for SaaS companies.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to accelerate digital transformation in companies across the globe. Reliance on digital technology surged as companies responded to rapidly changing business conditions. Businesses large and small turned to cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) as part of business continuity strategies to weather pandemic-triggered disruptions.

The market and operational impact of the pandemic on every industry will reverberate into the next year. SaaS market and industry trends shaped by the pandemic in 2021 include rising market demand, increasing opportunity for vertical SaaS solutions, and emerging operational challenges for SaaS companies.

There are almost 27,000 medical technology companies in Europe. Most of them are based in Germany, followed by the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and France. Small and medium-sized companies make up around 95% of the medical technology industry, the majority of which employ less than 50 people.

In cardiology, neurology, orthopaedics, oncology, and medical imaging, the medical device industry is experiencing major advancements. ECG Stress Tools, for example, have seen advancements in algorithms of waveform analysis, EMR networking, and wireless lead systems. The success in battery endurance, implantation, and miniaturisation have been shown by the pacemakers. One of the main accomplishments of recent years is the development of innovative brain monitoring devices. Likewise, 3D mapping for advanced orthopaedic treatment is now being used. Such advancements have generated favourable consumer experiences for medical devices. Thus, the rising technological advancements and improvements in existing products are expected to catalyse the growth of the industry in the coming years.

Renewable sources of electricity such as wind and solar grew at their fastest rate in two decades in 2020 and are set to expand in coming years at a much faster pace than prior to the pandemic, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency. The growth in Europe and the United States will be even brisker than previously forecast, compensating for China’s transitional slowdown after exceptional 2020 growth.

According to the IEA’s latest market update, the amount of renewable electricity capacity added in 2020 rose by 45% in 2020 to 280 gigawatts (GW), the largest year-on-year increase since 1999. That extra power is equal to the total installed capacity of ASEAN, a grouping of 10 dynamic South-East Asian economies.

The increase in 2020 is set to become the “new normal”, with about 270 GW of renewable capacity on course to be added in 2021 and almost 280 GW in 2022, despite a slowdown in China after an exceptional level of additions last year.

Spanning everything from the entertainment industry to the tech industry, the one factor that impacted the top trends of 2020 reflected is of no surprise: the pandemic.

The distribution industry was no exception — with the sudden turn in remote workers, distributors have had to swiftly alter the way they do business within the supply chain. Focusing more on acquiring distributors and letting them run independently to minimize risk and maximize profitability in the long-run.  There are a few reasons for this trend: geographic expansion, acquisition of advanced capabilities, the addition of new solutions for current customers and broadening the customer base

Content and audiovisual industries are not only crucial to cultural diversity. They are also of paramount importance for the economy in Europe.

With the Internet, media content, be it made of images, sound or written words can be distributed and accessed in a variety of ways. Attractive content and services need to be made available in an interoperable and borderless environment. The development of online/digital publications concerns all subsectors of the publishing industry, like books, newspapers, magazines or even databases.

We are witnessing an explosion of ways creative content is delivered and used (ebooks, music streaming sites, video-sharing platforms, gaming applications, etc.).