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Innovators Under 352022

Spoiler alert: Our annual Innovators Under 35 contest isn’t actually about what a small group of smart young people have been up to (although that’s certainly part of it). It’s really about where technology is headed next. As you read about what problems this year’s winners have set out to solve, you’ll also glimpse the near future of AI, biotech, materials, computing, and the fight against climate change. To connect the dots, we asked five experts—all judges or former winners—to write short essays about where they see the most promise, and the biggest potential roadblocks, in their respective fields. We hope the list inspires you and gives you a sense of what to expect in the years ahead.

Jun 28, 2022Illustration by Chad Hagen

Materials science

Materials designed and built with nanoscale components will change what’s possible in every field of science and engineering.

AI and robots

The remarkable progress in AI shouldn’t be confused with creating human intelligence in machines.

Computing

Alternative materials and approaches will transform computers—maybe sooner than you might expect.

Biotech

We're rewriting what we thought was possible in biotech.

Climate change

In the next 10 years, the world will need dozens of breakthrough climate technologies to reduce emissions at the gigaton scale.