The business of disruption: where emerging tech meets sustainable growth
Disruption is a business word and a weather report. It signals change. It also points to opportunity. Emerging technologies — from AI to cleantech, from digital twins to green hydrogen — are not just flashy tools. They are levers for sustainable growth. Short sentence. Big idea.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/way-i-look-digital-disruption-shashi-kiran-shetty
Why disruption matters now
Companies that treat technology as a toy will lose. Companies that treat it as infrastructure can transform supply chains, reduce waste, and unlock new markets. Digital change is now a budget line item: organizations on average invest a significant share of revenue into transformation efforts, showing leaders treat tech as core to strategy rather than a side project.
What “emerging tech” really means
It is tempting to list buzzwords (AI, blockchain, IoT, quantum). But think function, not label. Emerging tech is about three capabilities: sensing (more and better data), predicting (models and AI), and acting (automation and new business models). Together they let firms measure footprint, optimize resource use, and create products that customers will buy for both value and values. Short. Clear.
Tech that drives sustainability — quick tour
- AI and machine learning: forecast demand, trim overproduction, optimize energy use.
- Internet of Things (IoT): real-time tracking of assets, lower idle time, smarter maintenance.
- Renewable energy tech & batteries: power operations with lower emissions and greater resilience.
- Digital platforms and marketplaces: match supply and demand; enable sharing and circular models.
Both AI and cloud computing rely on large volumes of data. Data leaks should be feared, and security should be prioritized. Demand for security systems is increasing alongside the development of these niches. This includes various features: from check email for leaks to 2FA, zero-trust systems, and more. These innovations go hand in hand with security.
Markets and money — scale is real (but noisy)
The green technology and sustainability market is growing fast; reputable market reports place its value in the tens of billions today with strong compound annual growth expected over the next decade.
Funding flows — and then stalls. Climate and impact startups still attract large rounds, but total deal counts and valuations fluctuate year to year. Investors chase scale and clear revenue models, not just promises. Recent sector reports show sizable fundraising activity even if some segments cooled compared with earlier peaks.
Digital transformation: the operational engine
Digital transformation isn’t an abstract program. It’s a measurable change: product cycles are shortened, inventory drops, time-to-market improves. Leaders report putting a sizable share of revenue toward digital projects—a clear signal that tech is being married to strategy, not treated as an experiment. This is noticeable and measurable in the example of public-facing software. For example, VeePN reports a 43% increase in global users over the past year. Yet investment alone doesn’t guarantee outcomes; organizational design, data quality, and change management do the heavy lifting.
The paradox: lots of investment, limited measurable value
Here’s a blunt fact: many firms pour resources into AI and digital tools but only a small share report meaningful, measurable value from those investments. Why? Because technology must be coupled with clear processes and measurement. Scale demands discipline. Strategy without execution is just an expense.
Business models that scale sustainably
Think beyond “product sold once.” Consider subscriptions for efficiency (software that continuously improves a factory’s energy use), platform models that enable sharing (rental, reuse), and circular systems (take-back, refurbish, resale). These models align revenue with resource efficiency. They can reduce first-cost barriers for customers and embed sustainability into cash flow.
Measuring impact: metrics that matter
Gross emissions avoided. Cost-per-unit-of-output. Energy intensity. Customer lifetime value that includes sustainability premiums. Pick a small set of KPIs. Report them monthly. Transparency invites trust. And regulators and customers increasingly expect it—so measurement is strategy, not optional bureaucracy. Clean energy adoption is rising globally; in 2024 clean sources supplied roughly four in ten units of global electricity, a milestone that changes how businesses think about power sourcing.
Talent and culture: the invisible capital
Tech without people is just hardware and code. Upskilling, cross-functional teams, and leadership that understands both tech and the business are essential. Hire for learning agility. Train for systems thinking. Reward outcomes, not activity. Culture eats strategy for breakfast — and culture is what turns pilot projects into scaled operations.
Risks and trade-offs
Not every shiny solution is sustainable. Consider rebound effects (efficiency gains that increase consumption), supply-chain emissions for new technologies, and greenwashing risks. Also: rapid adoption can create stranded assets or social displacement if not managed. Responsible innovation anticipates and mitigates harm. Ask tough questions early: Who benefits? Who pays? Who is hurt?
Roadmap for founders and corporate innovators (simple, actionable)
- Start by measuring baseline impact. Small experiments that are measurable beat grand plans that are vague.
- Pair tech pilots with clear business metrics. Profit and purpose together.
- Use digital tools to reduce cost first; then scale their sustainability benefits.
- Seek blended finance where possible — grants, concessional capital, and commercial investors together can lower early-stage risk.
- Build partnerships: no firm can decarbonize alone; ecosystems speed adoption.
The long view: why disruption can be good business
Disruption is not just about obsoleting competitors. It’s about rethinking value chains so that growth and stewardship move in the same direction. Clean energy, smarter logistics, and intelligent products can unlock new markets while reducing risk from regulation, carbon pricing, and supply shocks. The green economy is big — some analyses estimate multi-trillion-dollar opportunity zones when you look across energy, transport, buildings, and industry — meaning the prize for companies that get this right is substantial.
Conclusion
Emerging tech and sustainable entrepreneurship should be read together, not apart. The best companies will use digital transformation as the engine and sustainability as the compass. Short-term wins matter. So do durable systems. Disruption that ignores people, planet, or profit will falter. Disruption that respects all three can grow—and change the rules of the game.
Also Read: What Is IT Asset Disposition?
