Japanese Government

The home of robotics technology plans to introduce robot attendants and self-driving cars to the streets of its capital in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, putting it far ahead of its more cautious fellow capitals.

Ringing Bells

The Indian telecommunications company developed the Freedom 251. At around $4 per handset, it is by some distance the cheapest smartphone in the world, bringing connectivity to some of the world’s most deprived areas.

Xiaomi

With its increasingly recognisable smartphones, Xiaomi has the potential to be the first Chinese consumer brand to go global, stepping out of the iPhone’s shadow to become a true low-cost alternative.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The discovery of quantum spin liquid – an entirely new state of matter – may have brought us closer than ever to practicable quantum computations. Oak Ridge’s research could transform computing over the next few years.

Uber

Though 2016 hasn’t been entirely plain-sailing for Uber, there’s no denying the company is still the leader in the global ride-sharing market. Wisely settling for a merger in China has only strengthened the brand.

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