When conducting foresight, it quickly becomes clear that data and insights are absolutely crucial. Considering generally valid trends alone would be inadequate here, as so-called signals also play a key role in foresight. Signals are indicators of impending changes that often take the form of innovative start-up solutions, news reports, patents or research. It is therefore important to look at several data categories as part of foresight, to take a broad approach and to include as much data as possible.

AnyIdea considers and scans the following data categories:

Trends

‍InEurope, trends are often divided into megatrends, macrotrends and microtrends. Megatrends are long-term developments >10 years, macrotrends represent certain manifestations of megatrends and microtrends are known examples, use cases and possible solutions for macrotrends. AnyIdea aggregates trends from recognized trend and future institutes such as TrendOne from Hamburg.

Features
- Trends are already known and interpreted developments
- Trends are generally valid and not company-specific
- Number of existing microtrends and new ones (growth)
- Time horizon: current and future
- Theoretical and practical

Company

AnyIdea scouts and aggregates startups, scaleups and companies with up to 1,000 employees. Companies as a data category not only provide information about the relevance of e.g. technologies & topics, their penetration and development on the market, but also show possible cooperation partners.

Features
- Number of existing companies and new companies (growth)
- Geography: In which markets are there how many companies
- Size of companies, e.g. number of employees
- Existing products and services
- Time horizon: Current
- Practical

Scientific publications

‍AnyIdeascours and aggregates scientific publications (papers) from academic institutions and research facilities on various topics. Which topics were researched and to what extent? Is this primarily past or current research? Papers are important indicators and show possible solutions in relation to a trend, a topic or a technology.

Features
- Number of existing papers and new additions (growth)
- Time horizon: past, current, future
- Theoretical

Research projects

‍AnyIdeascouted and aggregates research projects from companies that have been approved and are being funded by national and international funding bodies.

Features
- Number of existing research projects and new ones being added (growth)
- Research project on topic & technology funded by institutions (funding per topic)
- Companies invest time and resources and see potential
- Time horizon: past and current
- Practice-oriented

Patents

‍AnyIdeascouts and aggregates patents. Where do companies see potential and possible directions? What is the strategic direction of companies? Which solutions can be considered, may or may not be used?

Properties
- Number of existing patents and new ones to be added (growth)
- Geography: In which markets are these patents valid
- Companies invest time and resources and see potential
- Time horizon: Past, current, rather future
- Theoretical to practical

News

‍AnyIdeascouts and aggregates news, posts and articles from various publishers on different topics. How consistent and constant is the reporting? What is fundamental, what are hypes or flashes in the pan?

Properties
- Number of existing news articles and new additions (growth)
- Geography: In which markets are certain topics and technologies covered
- Validity: Frequency, frequency, continuity
- Time horizon: Current
- Theoretical, more practical

Company-specific sources

‍Atthe moment, relevant external and internal data sources are defined together in the setup process and adopted or integrated where possible. In the future, further individual sources can be added independently.

Observation and calculation

An initial assessment of the characteristics, classification and relevance of signals is obtained at the time the data is analyzed and calculated. Information regarding the relevance, probability of occurrence and time to impact of technologies and topics is provided by the development of individual signals as well as the sum of relevant signals, their distribution and occurrence in the respective data categories, in a time horizon of e.g. 3-12 months.

Details on the processing and calculation of data in relation to relevance can be found under AI and AI Prio Score.