Technology has profoundly and permanently altered our world. Techonomy’s conference and other media aim to help us all understand how the exponential march of technological change got us where we are and how it could lead us to a better place.

We want more people to be energized, like us, by the conviction that tech—especially information technology—offers powerful tools to address business and social problems. Leaders who understand how to use innovation to deftly address today’s challenges can lessen the disruptive storms tech so often creates.

There’s no doubt we need more rapid progress. A collective cry for better living standards is going up around the world. People are living better, but every country faces daunting challenges—to create jobs, produce energy, build cities, transport people, educate them, and maintain their health. Our very planet also demands attention, as climate changes rapidly.