Paolo Zannoni's career path has been anything but conventional. Prada’s executive deputy chairman began his professional journey far from the world of high fashion, pursuing a Ph.D. in political science at Yale University, but a chance encounter with Gianni Agnelli, the legendary chairman of Fiat, upended his plans. Impressed by the young researcher, Agnelli offered him a job.

Of the world’s 8 billion people, nearly half lack sufficient access to energy to attain middle-class status, according to Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman of Schneider Electric, a multinational energy specialist. And because admission to the global middle class has ramifications well beyond day-to-day purchasing power—affecting everything from a nation’s economic growth to political stability—that’s a problem.

In the past, there was always a clear divide between academic research and commercial activities, with academics notoriously leery of engaging in business ventures. “If you were an academic who founded a company, it was like, ‘What are you doing getting your hands dirty in that?’” says Dr. Kristin-Anne Rutter, executive director at Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP).

Founded in 1912, Rhenus Group has been around for a while, but as the logistics industry evolves at a breakneck pace, the company remains at the forefront of the sector. In fact, according to Dr. Stephan Peters, a member of the Rhenus management board, Rhenus’s approach demonstrates that with the right strategy and technologies, it's possible to balance efficiency, speed and environmental responsibility—all while meeting the demands of a rapidly changing market.

When the founders of Formula E, the world’s first all-electric racing series, pitched their idea of bringing high-speed electric racing to the heart of the world’s major cities, traditional motorsport insiders “told us we were absolutely crazy,” says Alberto Longo, co-founder and chief championship officer of the series.

If you’re shipping a box of rubber ducks, time isn’t of the essence. When you’re transporting something as sensitive as an organ or tissue for a medical procedure, however, every minute counts. “An hour's delay in delivering an organ could reduce its viability by 10% or more, potentially rendering it unusable,” says Alex Coates, president and chief financial officer of Airspace, a logistics platform that specializes in time-critical, ultra-sensitive shipments.

A journalist’s social media post features a photograph of her Gen Z daughter’s feet clad in black biker boots, the leather creased and heels scuffed. The accompanying caption: “So it turns out there was a reason that I kept and tended to my original Frye harness boots all these years even though I haven’t worn them in forever.

Visionary Anton Wass grew up in a small Swedish village, where his days were filled with the company of dogs and horses. His life took a pivotal turn, however, when he witnessed a neighbor tearing through the local fields and forests on a Motocross bike.

The electric grid is like a giant pool of energy. Once electricity enters the pool, it’s impossible to distinguish its provenance. “Every bit of electricity that's generated is connected to the same grid,” says Toby Ferenczi, CEO of Granular Energy.

If the European Union’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 weren’t already enough of a challenge, political instability and security concerns in recent years have kicked things up a notch or three, according to Amund Vik, a senior advisor to Eurasia Group, a nonpartisan geopolitical risk consultancy.

Patrick Hertzke is a partner at McKinsey and leads the Global Electrified Vehicle and Battery Service line within McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility (MCFM).

In the rapidly evolving world of medical technology, it seems a no-brainier to look to artificial intelligence as an innovation driver.

In an era when consumers expect lightning-fast parcel deliveries, and grocery and restaurant deliveries often come within half an hour, “How is it that 80% of packages in the UK take two to five days to arrive?” asks Nicole Mazza, co-founder of delivery network Relay Technologies. “That’s just unacceptable.”

There’s a lot of hoopla around artificial intelligence when it comes to autonomous vehicles and advanced medical imaging—and deservedly so. Just ask anyone who’s watched a robotaxi navigate traffic or had a cancer screening flagged by “eyes” sharper than any human’s.