500 Global’s The Rise Report aim to illuminate opportunities in the next decade of global technology

• The report studies global billion-dollar sector innovation patterns for tech opportunities
• Assesses data for economic growth, tech sector maturity, adoption, & venture capital impact

500 Global announced a new research titled the ‘500 Global Rise Report,’ which highlights four narratives on the next decade of global technology. This includes the rise of the next internet users, the rise of the next global companies, the rise of the next economies, and the rise of the next sectors. 

In a statement, the venture capital firm said the research organises and analyses various datasets designed to quantify economic growth, technology sector maturity, technology adoption, and venture capital penetration.

“For over a decade, 500 Global has exchanged research, insights and perspectives with changemakers, including entrepreneurs, investors, operators, academics and policymakers  to continue to hone our investment insights, as well as to further the conversation around uplifting people and economies around the world through entrepreneurship,” said Christine Tsai (pic), CEO and founding partner of 500 Global. 

“That’s why we are excited to share the 500 Global Rise Report: a collection of data, insights and perspectives to invite more stakeholders into the conversation,” she added.

In the Rise Report, 500 Global has collected, organised and analysed a wide range of third-party datasets to examine potential venture funding gaps of select rise economies relative to other mature venture ecosystems. The report also explores sequences of innovation across billion-dollar sectors in economies worldwide to identify patterns of innovation and potential opportunity in the tech landscape. 

The report sheds light on four narratives on the next decade of global technology:

1. Rise of the next internet users: The report examines opportunities presented by the 3 billion new internet users expected to come online by 2040. It explores how the expansion of what 500 Global calls the “Global Tech Stack,” may drive trillions of dollars in value creation.
2. Rise of the next global companies: The report quantifies how technology companies across stages are becoming more global. It highlights the global nature of startup activity and the emergence of unicorns in over 100 countries. The same is true for unicorns, with more than 50 countries that have minted at least one unicorn. Additionally, the report also quantifies how global revenues become increasingly important as tech companies scale, and how many of today’s tech giants are operating with a global lens.
3. Rise of the next economies: The report provides a deep dive into the larger opportunity set beyond the US and China. It presents the Rise 30 economies which, combined, are expected to surpass each of the U.S. and China in GDP by 2027. These economies are noted for their faster growth, younger demographics, social connectivity, and under penetration in sectors like e-commerce and fintech. Notably, the Rise 30 are largely nascent venture capital markets and the report delves into their respective Venture Funding Gaps, a measure of venture penetration relative to that of the US, the report indicated.
4. Rise of the next sectors: The Rise Report examines the sequence of innovation at scale by studying +$1B sectors and the patterns in which they arise across the Rise 30 Economies. Based on the research findings, patterns of innovation differ across economies and importantly, these patterns may help inform local opportunities.  

Courtney Powell, COO, and managing partner at 500 Global, explained that the firm's overarching thesis is to identify the relative delta between an underpenetrated venture ecosystem and its potential. This approach can help identify global-scale opportunities.

“When we’re able to quantify the potential gaps in a venture ecosystem, we believe we are better equipped to collaborate with all stakeholders to accelerate global venture ecosystems and enable startups to drive economic growth in their economies and financial returns to our investors,” she added.

Additionally, Khailee Ng (pic), managing partner at 500 Global said “As discussed in the Rise Report, the first 5 billion internet users created an estimated $30 trillion (RM141.7 trillion) of market cap across, what we refer to as the Global Tech Stack.”

“We believe trillions of dollars more in value creation will follow the rise of the next 3 billion new internet users. This is why we actively research where these opportunities may arise from,” he added. 

“We hope the insights and perspectives from this research will spur important discussions among stakeholders; governments, asset allocators, investors, and innovators to mobilise a broader innovation and development story, and an inclusive one. We want the Rise Report to help more people to win across global economies, and to create lasting change for a better world,” Ng said.