VCs Predict 2006's Tech Trends

Steve Jurvetson joins a panel of VCs to predict the top tech trends of 2006.

Jan. 15, 2006

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Green technologies, innovation from China, and time-saving tools are among the top 10 trends VCs see this year.

The video iPod, consolidation of the software industry, and the mainstreaming of Internet technologies like blogging and wikis topped 2005�s list of technology trends. So what to expect in 2006?

Just ask five of Silicon Valley�s most influential venture capitalists, who gathered last week in Palo Alto, California, to pontificate on what they see as this year�s top 10 trends. The list built on some of the same themes covered in Red Herring's list, which was published during December, but also pointed in several new directions.

Among the VCs' predictions? Green technologies that will improve quality of life without harming the environment will become even bigger in 2006, said John Doerr of Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers.

�Green is the new red, white, and blue,� said Mr. Doerr, whose firm is investing in more energy, environmental, and public health startups, echoing comments made by New York Times writer Tom Friedman in a recent column. Kleiner Perkins has invested in some of the world�s best-known tech companies including Amazon.com, AOL, and Google.

Agreeing with Mr. Doerr was Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, who said there will be a �biological renaissance� in the coming year, with biological sciences becoming more popular with college students as a major.

�All the breakthrough development in science and technology will increasingly come from bio-derived or bio-inspired origins,� Mr. Jurvetson said, citing examples of the Human Genome project, cloning, and cleantech technologies.