The world is entering the final ten years of the old technological paradigm, and within the next decade we will experience the most profound technological revolution of the last 100 years, according to Brian Walker and Peter Trofimenko, co-founders of Symphonic Alternative Investments, a new Virginia-based hedge fund manager.

Major disruptions to the present way of life will come from a combination of technological advances and cost reduction in the following areas (in alphabetic order):

1. Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning

2. Automation and robotics in manufacturing, services and medicine

3. Autonomous/Unmanned land, sea and aerial vehicles

4. Batteries/Energy Storage

5. Big Data/Open Data

6. Electric vehicles

7. E-Money/e-Finance

8. Sensors/Internet of Things

9. Solar Photovoltaic (PV), wind and geothermal power generation

These changes are inexorable, they continue, and are the results of years "of compounding scientific research, advancement of computing power and progress in manufacturing technologies available currently that were simply not available even one generation ago." And technologies improve at exponential rates.

The implication for investors is that "investing in the "old economy" might be likened to picking pennies in front of a steamroller," they add. And looking at the western economies and the emerging markets separately won't make sense any more, as innovations are seen - and encouraged - everywhere. Investors will find businesses where businesses are welcome, and not necessarily where there is plentiful labour force (which in itself might be a risk). "The winners in this new reality will be found among beneficiaries of deregulation, reduction of tax burden, and the ability to maintain or increase margins in the f......................

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This article was published in Opalesque's New Managers a top-down monthly analysis, news and research publication on the global emerging manager space.