The new Champions are the business innovators the world needs today

In the face of emerging technologies, increasingly severe environmental challenges and a rapidly changing market environment, business leaders are essential to build a better common future.

Companies in the strategic consulting, fintech, sustainable production and cryptocurrency sectors are taking a leading role in the forum's initiatives.

There has never been a greater need for transformation and reinvention to meet the latest challenges, such as the global pandemic, weak international cooperation and the rise of disruptive technologies. As Professor Klaus Schwab points out in his new book COVID-19: The Great Reset, there will be no end to unexpected and rapid changes... While gradually breaking the state of the past, a completely different "new normal" has been shaped. We must work together to make the world more resilient and shape a better future that is more inclusive, equitable and sustainable.

Emerging technologies, environmental challenges, and changing market patterns and business models mean that we urgently need pioneers of change to help build a better shared future. Together, the innovations of individual companies can bring about fundamental social change. The community of New Champions is a collection of outstanding companies that are leveraging their breakthrough innovations to shape a major post-pandemic restructuring.

BTS innovative working mode

BTS is a global professional services firm focused on the strategic consultant level, dedicated to helping leaders translate strategic decisions into tangible action. Like most other companies, BTS faced a huge challenge during the spread of the pandemic to transform on-site work in its 32 international offices into online collaboration. Its innovative approach to climate change addresses three issues:

1. For whom to do what to achieve what goals?

2. How can it be achieved?

3. What are the prerequisites for doing so?

This approach helps focus on the target problem and encourages brainstorming and experimenting with new approaches. Through quick creative ideas, divergent thinking tools and flexible inspection, BTS has doubled its innovation output in just half the time of 2019. The outbreak prompted the company to rethink and look for opportunities for change. As its chief innovation officer Peter Mulford says, "We have seen glimmers of hope and will continue to move in this direction, and we want everyone to join us on this adventure."

The frontier of Unlimint development

Fintech has become a booster for enterprise digitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlimint uses digital models to transform global financial services, pioneered the introduction of open banking in cross-border payments, a $22 trillion market that continues to grow. Open banking, conceptualizing finance as a financial product, will revolutionize markets, enabling efficient collaboration on a global scale by speeding up transactions and improving communication efficiency. Anton Komukhin, head of Unlimint product management, believes the technology will go truly global in the next two to three years as countries such as Australia, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and Mexico gradually develop open banking. A hub connecting thousands of open banking API interfaces around the world will help businesses build open, transparent, and cost-effective financial services. Unlimint believes that with further developments in rapid verification, credit checking, and cross-border payments, we will witness the beginning of open banking in 2021.

Dalberg promotes urban infrastructure and services

Dalberg is a strategic consulting firm focused on economic development and inclusive infrastructure. It measures the impact of a project through three basic steps:

1. Listen,

2. Open service data architecture,

3. Participate in.

This approach has been applied to the problem of urban migration in India. Over the next 35 years, 400 million new Indians will move into cities. Digital maps help build smart cities. Dalberg first pondered: What is the social and economic value of digital maps for urban users in India, including citizens, businesses and governments? The project team used nine case studies to conduct qualitative analysis, including designing faster ambulance routes, significantly saving commuting times, and better allocating resources for disaster relief. Using quantitative research, the team found that smart maps have the potential to help India earn $8 billion a year, save 13,000 lives and reduce carbon emissions by 1 million tons. The findings are outlined in the Smart Maps for Smart Cities, a report published by Dalberg in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry and Google.

Optel implements sustainable production

Optel Group develops and deploys traceability solutions as well as machine vision systems, which are part of its smart supply chain? (ISC) the building blocks of the platform. The ISC platform acts as a control tower to enhance the visibility of the supply chain, collect valuable actionable data, and drive the company to improve its business. For example, Optel applies digital traceability to increase transparency to enhance food safety. Optel provides software applications to record activities related to the receipt, inspection and grading of production goods, packaging and shipping, monitoring the full flow of produce from farm to grower, processor, distribution center and service point. Farm-to-table data collection helps diagnose problems when they occur, as well as prevent pests and diseases, improve post-harvest operations and food quality.

Saint Image continues product innovation

Saint Image Group takes wood industry as the core to create a green industrial chain, advocates the concept of environmental protection and health life, and continues to carry out product innovation. For example, the photocatalyst technology of the Holy Image floor can make the floor antibacterial. The specific method is: the nano photocatalyst is evenly distributed in the wear layer of the floor, under light conditions, the photocatalyst can decompose the bacteria, releasing carbon dioxide and oxygen. In 2020, Saint Image upgraded its net "core" to provide F 4-star health standard, clean aldehyde, environmentally friendly flooring and corresponding home living environment.