WEF Names 10 Technologies Reshaping Energy and Health

Scientists are closer than ever to making cancer treatment as personal as your fingerprint, thanks to technologies that have moved beyond the research phase and are approaching real-world use.

The World Economic Forum, working with scientific publisher Frontiers, released its 2026 list of emerging technologies that are scientifically mature enough to soon reshape entire industries. The report highlights innovations in energy systems, healthcare, and biotechnology that tackle some of humanity's biggest challenges.

Among the most promising breakthroughs are personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, which use the unique genetic profile of a patient's tumor to create custom treatments. This approach builds on the same mRNA technology that powered COVID-19 vaccines but tailors it to each person's cancer.

Quantum simulation for drug discovery also made the list, reflecting growing confidence that quantum computers will soon accelerate how quickly scientists can develop new medicines. The technology could shave years off pharmaceutical research timelines.

Three of the ten technologies focus specifically on the global energy transition. Everything-to-grid energy systems stand out by transforming electric vehicles, batteries, and even buildings into distributed power sources that can supply electricity back to the grid during peak demand.

Direct lithium extraction offers a cleaner way to obtain the critical mineral needed for batteries, while passive radiative cooling materials could reduce energy consumption in buildings without requiring power. These innovations address the dual challenge of meeting growing energy needs while reducing carbon emissions.

The list also includes precision fermentation, which uses engineered microbes to produce proteins and food ingredients, potentially reshaping food manufacturing. Exosome drug delivery represents a new way to transport medications precisely where they're needed in the body.

Technologies addressing environmental challenges earned spots too. PFAS destruction technologies tackle the forever chemicals contaminating water supplies worldwide, while lattice-based cryptography prepares cybersecurity systems for the quantum computing era.

The Ripple Effect

These technologies share a common thread beyond their scientific sophistication. They prioritize personalized solutions over one-size-fits-all approaches, whether that means custom cancer vaccines or distributed energy networks adapted to local needs.

The shift from centralized to distributed systems appears across multiple technologies. Just as everything-to-grid energy turns consumers into producers, exosome delivery targets specific cells rather than flooding the entire body with medication.

Resource efficiency drives many innovations on the list. Direct lithium extraction reduces environmental damage from mining, while precision fermentation creates proteins without raising livestock, cutting land and water use dramatically.

The WEF selected these ten from numerous candidates based on scientific maturity, potential societal impact, and ability to address major global challenges. Unlike speculative future technologies, these have demonstrated proof of concept and are moving toward commercial deployment within the next few years.

For businesses and policymakers, the report offers a roadmap of where research funding, capital investment, and regulatory attention may soon converge. The technologies span multiple sectors but unite around solving urgent problems in sustainable and scalable ways.

The next wave of transformation is arriving not with a single revolutionary technology but through multiple breakthroughs working together to build a healthier, more sustainable world.