GIZ techDetector

Technology Scouting for Sustainable Development

Technological innovation and digitalisation enable comprehensive, transformative change and are key factors for social, economic and organisational change worldwide. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the use of the potentials of innovative technologies will be of central importance.

In order to exploit the growing potential of innovative technologies for sustainable development, a comprehensive systematic analysis of their technological maturity and their potential sustainability impact is essential.

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The techDetector - The first technology radar for sustainable development

The techDetector offers a strategic and analytical assessment of innovative technologies and their potential relevance for sustainable development. This sustainable technology scouting application is unique in the environment of international technology rankings. Beyond abstract mega trend observations, the techDetector offers a systematic assessment along the GIZ sustainability dimensions.

With more than 100 technologies, the techDetector represents a selection of relevant technologies from all sectors of expertise of the GIZ. Each technology is evaluated on its technological readiness level as well as on its potential impact on sustainability and gender equality.

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The techDetector is a responsive web-based application that covers 100 relevant technologies from all sectors of expertise of the GIZ. Technologies represented in the radar include hardware, software, business models, systems and protocols. The analysis of the evolution of innovative technologies is based on two criteria of technology assessment:

  • The assessment of technological maturity based on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) developed by the NASA
  • The sustainability impact according to the sustainability dimensions of the GIZ and a metrics based on them.

The basis for the assessment is the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), the NASA standard for the readiness level of technologies, which distinguishes between different stages (levels 1-9). The sustainability impact of each individual technology is evaluated by GIZ experts in an open crowd-sourced survey.

The techDetector is freely accessible and serves as a guide for all international cooperation partners to identify innovative technologies and trends. The techDetector

  • is a tool for an analytical assessment of emerging technologies and their potential impact and readiness level
  • is a guide through diverse and complex new tech innovations and offers detailed information and further references for each technology
  • inspires upcoming technological trends and their potential applications
  • helps to better understand technological hypes and their actual readiness level
  • will become a trademark for emerging technologies in sustainable development.

Together with Envisioning and in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (FIAO), GIZ has developed an analysis tool for innovative technologies. The Envisioning Platform is the technical and content basis for the techDetector. It is an intelligent platform for innovative technologies that combines 3D data visualization with systematic research.

Hier geht es zum techDetector.

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