HP Innovation Journal Issue 09: Spring 2018 | Page 7

D O U G WA R N E R Vice Presid e nt a n d G lo b al H e a d of Te ch Visio n & Strate gy, H P C H A N D R A K A NT D. PATE L C hief Engin e e r a n d S e nio r Fe llow, H P At HP, our work on Megatrends is focused on directionally predicting where the world is headed, and about boldly ensuring a successful and relevant place in it for HP and our customers. Three years ago, we laid the foundation for our Megatrends research, identifying four major Megatrends— Rapid Urbanization, Changing Demographics, Hyper Globalization, and Accelerated Innovation—that will have a sustained and transformative impact on businesses, societies, economies, cultures, and our personal lives for years to come. Since our inaugural report, we’ve seen some trends accelerate, new ones emerge, and are now witnessing the convergence of a few trends, creating even greater impact, shifts, and challenges. The magnitude of change we are embarking on is like nothing we’ve ever seen before in our history. Take into account that by 2030 there will be an estimated 8.5 1 billion people on Earth . A large portion of this population will be made up of the additional 1 billion people joining 2 the middle class , predominantly in Asia and emerging markets. This new consuming class will represent nearly 3 $30 trillion in spending power, residing largely in urban 4 epicenters. In fact, 1 in 3 people will be living in cities with at least a half a million population. 7