The next decade will see a mix of proven growth markets and frontier breakthroughs. Below is a concise sector-by-sector guide — maturity today, where the market is headed, who’s already active, and what startups should get right to thrive.

1. Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)

Maturity: Conceptual/long-term research; not deployable in the commercial sense by 2035 (high uncertainty).
Outlook & leaders: Research-led: major labs (OpenAI, DeepMind, Anthropic) and national research programs. Expect heavy public scrutiny and regulation.
Startup advice: Focus on narrow, high-value subproblems (safety tooling, evaluation, auditability); invest in explainability, governance, and partnerships with research institutions.

2. Quantum Computing

Maturity: Early commercialization — cloud quantum services and specialized hardware exist; error-corrected universal machines still emerging.
Market & growth: Analysts forecast rapid growth in quantum services & software; long-term market potential spans $tens of billions. McKinsey & Company
Favored markets: Finance, chemicals/materials, drug discovery, logistics optimization.
Likely leaders / investors: IBM, Google, Microsoft, Honeywell/Quantinuum, Rigetti, IonQ; strong public R&D funding.
Startup advice: Build hybrid classical/quantum workflows, focus on middleware, apps for niche verticals, and tight partnerships with cloud quantum providers.

3. Polyfunctional Robots

Maturity: Rapidly maturing in specific domains (warehouse, logistics, service robots); general-purpose humanoid robotics remains early.
Favored markets: Logistics, manufacturing, healthcare assistance, retail automation.
Players/investors: Boston Dynamics, ABB, Fanuc, Agility Robotics, numerous robotics startups backed by VC and corporate funds.
Startup advice: Solve a narrow operational problem, ensure SLAs and maintainability, invest in perception and safe human-robot interaction.

4. Batteries (incl. EV & grid storage)

Maturity: Fast-growing, industrial/mass-manufacturing phase. Demand driven by EVs and renewables. IEA
Market size & growth: Large and accelerating; battery materials and cell manufacturing expansions are underway globally.
Favored markets: China, US, EU, emerging EV markets (India, SE Asia).
Players: CATL, Panasonic, LG Energy Solution, Tesla/Panasonic, newcomers and national champions (e.g., Saudi ARAMCO investing in lithium). Financial Times
Startup advice: Focus on cell chemistry IP, BMS (battery management), recycling, or localized supply-chain solutions; regulatory & safety compliance are critical.

5. Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCI)

Maturity: Rapid research and early clinical products (medical devices). Consumer-grade non-invasive BCIs progressing. Market estimates vary but show strong growth potential. Forbes
Favored markets: Healthcare (neurorehabilitation), assistive devices, specialized consumer applications.
Leaders/investors: Neuralink, Synchron, Paradromics, academic spinouts, large medtech investors.
Startup advice: Prioritize clinical validation, regulatory pathway (medical device rules), robust privacy and ethics frameworks.

6. Cryptocurrencies & Blockchain Infrastructure

Maturity: Established but volatile; infrastructure and regulated financial products are maturing.
Favored markets: Payments, tokenized assets, cross-border settlement, programmable finance — subject to regulatory regimes.
Players: Major exchanges, Layer-1 smart-contract platforms, financial institutions exploring tokenization.
Startup advice: Focus on compliance-first products (KYC/AML), enterprise-grade custody, and useful real-world utility rather than speculation-led services.

7. Smart Cities

Maturity: Rapid deployment of discrete smart solutions (mobility, energy, surveillance); holistic smart cities are a multi-decade transformation.
Market size & growth: Large projected growth driven by urbanization and public investments. Grand View Research
Favored markets: Large metros in China, EU, US, Middle East (special economic zones).
Players: Siemens, Cisco, Huawei, local integrators, city-focused startups.
Startup advice: Build interoperable, privacy-preserving platforms; sell to municipalities via pilot-proven ROI models and public-private partnerships.

8. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

Maturity: Advanced demonstration stage; deployment depends on regulation and financing.
Favored markets: Countries with robust nuclear policy (UK, US, Canada, Russia), industrial energy users.
Players/investors: NuScale, Rolls-Royce SMR, TerraPower, state utilities.
Startup advice: Target supply-chain niches (digital twins, modular manufacturing, remote monitoring, safety analytics) rather than full reactor builds.

9. Satellites (New Space & Constellations)

Maturity: Well-established commercial growth: LEO constellations, earth observation, broadband.
Favored markets: Global broadband, IoT, analytics for agriculture/energy/defense.
Players/investors: SpaceX Starlink, OneWeb, Planet Labs, Maxar, numerous launch/constellation startups.
Startup advice: Differentiate on payload/software—analytics, edge processing in space, and focused vertical services.

10. Gene Editing (CRISPR & beyond)

Maturity: Clinical-stage for many therapies; industrial applications (agriculture, biomanufacturing) advancing.
Favored markets: Pharmaceuticals, biotech, agriculture, specialty ingredients manufacturing.
Players/investors: CRISPR Therapeutics, Editas, Intellia, large pharma partnerships and biotech VCs.
Startup advice: Clear regulatory/ethical pathways, robust clinical or regulatory trial design, focus on platform advantages, partner with large biopharma.

11. Drones (Commercial & Logistics)

Maturity: Mature in specific uses (surveying, inspection), growing in logistics/personal delivery with regulatory progress.
Favored markets: Agriculture, infrastructure inspection, last-mile delivery pilots in selected regions.
Players: DJI, Zipline, Wing (Alphabet), startups in logistics and enterprise services.
Startup advice: Certify to aviation rules, focus on enterprise verticals, build redundant safety systems and insurance/ops frameworks.

12. eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off & Landing)

Maturity: Demonstration/test phase; commercial urban air mobility (UAM) pilots planned in late 2020s–2030s.
Favored markets: Urban megaregions with constrained ground mobility (US, EU, Asia megacities).
Players/investors: Joby, Archer, Lilium, Airbus, Boeing investments.
Startup advice: Prioritize certification pathways, B2B positioning (shuttle services/airports), and strong partnerships with regulators.

13. Vertical Farming

Maturity: Commercial at scale for premium produce; economics improving but energy/CapEx still challenges.
Favored markets: High-density urban areas, food-importing countries, controlled produce supply chains.
Players: AeroFarms, Plenty, Infarm, regional agtech startups.
Startup advice: Optimize energy & water use, short supply chains to premium markets, develop subscription/partnership models with grocers and food services.

14. Space Mining

Maturity: Conceptual / exploration stage — regulatory, technical and economic hurdles remain.
Favored markets: Long-term — asteroid raw materials for space manufacturing; near-term: in-space resource prospecting and water extraction.
Players: Planetary Resources (legacy), Deep tech startups, national space agencies.
Startup advice: Focus on enabling tech (prospecting sensors, robotics, in-space processing) and secure public/private R&D partnerships.

15. 4D Printing (Time-responsive materials)

Maturity: Early R&D and prototyping; niche industrial and medical applications emerging.
Favored markets: Aerospace, medical devices (self-assembling implants), adaptive materials for construction and textiles.
Players: Research labs, specialized materials companies and select advanced manufacturing startups.
Startup advice: Protect IP, aim for high-value niches where adaptive behavior solves a clear problem, partner with OEMs for scale.

Business fundamentals startups must follow to thrive by 2035

Choose a narrow, monetizable problem — niche first, scale later.
Regulatory-first design — design for the strictest expected regulation (health, aerospace, energy).
Domain partnerships — pilot with incumbents or public agencies to prove value and build trust.
Capital & runway planning — frontier tech takes longer and costs more; structure staged milestones.
Safety, privacy & ethics baked in — customers and regulators will demand it.
Modular product design — allow hybrid deployments and integrations with major cloud/platform providers.
Talent and IP strategy — hire deep technical talent and secure essential IP early.
Customer economics & ROI — be able to show measurable savings or revenue to buyers.