Foreword Across the globe, innovation and technological change continue to accelerate. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the number of patents granted worldwide surged from 1 million in 1990 to over 3.5 million in 2023.1 At the same time, hype cycles and expectations around new technologies have intensified. Social media has amplified the spread of information about emerging technologies, fuelling viral marketing, while investor interest in early-stage innovations has surged as firms race to uncover the next game-changing breakthrough. While many of these new solutions hold great promise, relentless hype cycles can have unintended consequences, diverting attention and investment from other high-impact opportunities. In the rush to embrace emerging technologies, investors may also overlook fundamental business considerations or broader societal implications, leading to challenges down the line. To address this, the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Global Innovation and Impact Council and other key stakeholders, developed a framework and guiding principles to support the responsible development, rollout and scaling of high-impact innovation. Grounded in extensive multistakeholder input, the framework explores key questions: what defines “good innovation”? What values and drivers maximize positive social, environmental and economic outcomes? Finally, how can we promote and scale such innovation? The eight principles outlined in this report provide guidance for innovators – from early-stage start- ups to multinational corporations – on developing products, services and business models that drive shared prosperity and advance sustainability goals. The principles also enable decision-makers to create lasting social value. Case studies from diverse industries and geographies, spanning from Las Vegas to São Paulo, illustrate how aligning on a shared set of principles can drive meaningful impact. By cultivating a more informed and strategic approach to innovation, this work also aims to help investors direct funding towards solutions with the greatest potential for positive impact on people and the planet – while shaping the next generation of responsible, high-impact businesses.Jeff S. Merritt Head of Urban Transformation; Member of Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Shaping Tomorrow: Responsible Innovation for a Brighter FutureApril 2025 Shaping Tomorrow: Responsible Innovation for a Brighter Future 3

Shaping Tomorrow Responsible Innovation for a Brighter Future 2025