Four tech predictions for what Britain can expect in 2015

Techworld have come up with four forecasts for techs that could take the UK by storm in 2015.

Having just enjoyed a bumper 2014 for startups and tech in general in the UK, one might expect 2015 to be packed full of new advancements and delights for the user. Technology continues to be an important part of businesses and further progress in this field could help drive the growth of firms as they look to create more efficient and better targeted strategies.

A number of trends that only just began in 2014 will likely become increasingly popular in 2015, in fact, they might even be the difference between success and failure. Techworld recently published an article that highlights five things that are set to take 2015 by storm in the tech sector.

Wearables

Technology has become increasingly smaller, more integrated, and smarter. Wearable technology is on the rise and, despite Google Glass seeing limited success, smart watches look ready to take wearable technology to the next level.

Apple Watch will be hitting retailing outlets in early 2015 and there are a number of android watches that will be vying for consumer’s attention.

Young entrepreneurs

It might surprise you to hear that many of the startup co-founders of 2014 were over the age of 55. However, the digital skills of younger generations are reaching expert levels at ever younger ages and it seems that there remains room for younger entrepreneurs to take over the market. Especially since crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter allow the younger entrepreneurs greater access to investment.

Sharing economy boom

There’s been a lot of hype about sharing economies recently, as new companies like taxi-hailing service Uber and room rental service Airbnb have enjoyed massive success. Currently the UK government is undertaking a review into the economic potential and social issues created by such services and the sharing economy as a whole.

But it seems the financial crisis has created a thriftier consumer and, as social media becomes more integrated with everyday life, companies will continue to look for ways to fully utilise the sharing of assets through the social, local and mobile web.

IPOs, valuations, mergers and acquisitions

A flood of IPOs is expected in the first quarter of 2015, perhaps because tech companies in the UK managed to raise hundreds of millions of pounds in 2014. However, some experts believe the climate for IPOs is deteriorating on worries surrounding the general election (due in May 2015), combined with more global economic issues.

However, this could bode well for the M&A sector, as corporates vie to invest in high growth and innovative firms. The high amount of investment capital on offer will maintain high valuations for startups.