Business
New technologies and products fail all the time — but sometimes those failures turn into something unexpected. In this episode, we’re exploring the surprising ways that technology evolves.Remember Segway, the personal transporter that became a cultural joke? Turns out, it’s a major force behind the scooter revolution.Remember Google Glass, the augmented-reality glasses that freaked everyone out and became an object of scorn? It's now a powerful tool in manufacturing and industry.Uplight has a few examples of technology investments that didn’t pan out — but they led down a path to other interesting areas of product development. We’ll revisit a few of them.We’ll also talk with a venture capitalist who’s evaluating all kinds of consumer technologies — some without an obvious application in energy — that could benefit the way utilities deliver services.Guests featured in this episode:Steven Levy, journalist and editor-at-large for WIREDLindsay Luger, partner at Energy Impact PartnersResources:Steven Levy’s article on the startling second act for Google GlassCNN feature on Segway’s surprising impact on the scooter revolutionILLUMINATORS is brought to you by Uplight, the leading provider of end-to-end customer-centric technology solutions dedicated solely to serving the energy ecosystem. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.