Invitation to Tender: Exploring Frontier Technologies Beyond the Hype


We are looking for foresight and research partners to help us explore the future of robotics, and frontier technologies beyond the hype.

Deadline for responses: Monday 18 November 2024 (08:00am GMT) (we will review applications on a rolling basis)

 
 

At the Frontier Tech Hub, we believe in the potential of new technologies in solving entrenched international development challenges. 

Certain technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are attracting extensive coverage and a fast-growing body of work around their potential to solve global challenges. Over the next few months, we are seeking to understand the potential of other technologies, including those overlooked in the current hype cycle. 

Specifically, we are seeking to explore:

  1. The future of robotics in international development: understanding potential scenarios for how robotics will have an impact in low and middle income countries, and the factors that will shape its development. 

  2. An exploration of underhyped technologies: determining which other technologies will have similar, transformative potential on global development, developing hypotheses for how these technologies will combine, and understanding the key determinants of these technologies having impact at scale.

We are seeking a team of consultants or partner for each of these scopes of work. For more details on the role of the partner, and key outputs and dates, do click on our terms of reference:

Robotics in international development

Beyond the hype: an exploration of underhyped technologies

Applicants can apply for just one or both opportunities, depending on their capacity and availability.  

For both scopes of work, the applicant will deploy a rigorous suite of methods and approaches from strategic foresight and qualitative research. Ultimately, we hope to produce two knowledge products for publication.

We are looking for partners who are able to work on this from the week commencing Monday 28th November to Friday 7th March subject to successful due diligence and contracting.

We welcome responses from teams of consultants or partners who have deep expertise in qualitative research and/or strategic foresight, a track record of thought leadership at the intersection of frontier technologies and international development, and a deep network to draw from for this work. 

Please contact frontiertechhub@dt-global.com for further enquiries regarding this Terms of Reference or for further information on the Frontier Tech Programme. Title your enquiry ‘Beyond the hype: exploring the future of underhyped technologies for global development’ 

Frontier Tech Hub

The Frontier Tech Hub works with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) staff and global partners to understand the potential for innovative tech in the development context, and then test and scale their ideas.

https://www.frontiertechhub.org/
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