Over the past decades, technological advancements have radically transformed our lives, and with new technologies continuing to come onto the market, there's no sign that this is likely to change any time soon.

In leisure, this has emerged as new forms of entertainment and ways to shop, but in business, it is a very different and more dangerous beast. Disruption has become the buzzword of the decade, as entire industries have been turned on their heads by fresh approaches powered by innovative new technologies.

For many companies, then, technology has posed more of a threat than an opportunity, as those that don't embrace changes in their field are increasingly being side-lined, no matter how large or powerful they are.

But technology doesn't have to be a threat to businesses and, with the right tools and understanding, companies can harness innovation to great effect, resisting disruptive upstarts and making technology work for them.

Which is where our magazine, Verdict Emerge, comes in. We strip the buzzwords out of emerging technology to provide you with real, actionable insight into the innovations that can provide meaningful value and growth to your company.

And in this first issue, we're primarily focusing on the world of virtual reality, a technology that is well discussed in the consumer sector, but where the real value lies in enterprise. Industries as diverse as tourism and pharmaceuticals are seeing rich benefits from the technology, so we're looking at how VR can be used to help your business, right now.

We visit one of the largest VR labs in Europe to find out how the technology is transforming presentations, and visit a company that is using VR to make distraction-free immersive training accessible anywhere in the world.

Plus, we hear from Europe's oldest VR company about the development of the field, and find out how VR's cousin, augmented reality, is making waves in the medical industry.

But it's not all about VR. We also speak to Allianz Germany about the value of hackathons in injecting innovation into established industries, look at how KPN's sustainability plans could transform telecommunications and consider the technological advances boosting office mobile use.

And for those wanting to look further afield, we also investigate the promise and possibilities of the low-Earth orbit economy, as this blossoming industry begins to take shape.

For all this, and more, continue reading this first issue of Verdict Emerge. 

Lucy Ingham 

Editor