Technopreneurship and its examples in the Aviation Industry by Russell Dogra Technopreneurship Ms. Amna Hafeez University of Management and Technology Lahore, Pakistan March 21, 2021 Technopreneurship: Technology has transformed the world completely by making our lives easier, faster, and more efficient. Technology is simply the application of scientific knowledge, skills, methods, etc. to produce products/services to solve certain problems for the benefit of society (Britannica, 2021). Entrepreneurship is a process of thinking and acting upon an opportunity to set up a business for wealth creation. It is an opportunity-obsessed approach that searches for a change and then exploits it as an opportunity to create a business. Like technology, entrepreneurship has provided another direction to the human race to flourish and progress in terms of wealth and economic welfare (Awade & Sadan, 2017). Technology and entrepreneurship are the products of human brilliance, and an equally marvelous field called Technopreneurship is formed when these two are merged for the betterment of society (Bose, 2011). Technopreneurship is simply entrepreneurship in a technology concentrated context. It is the merging of entrepreneurial knowledge and skills with technology. A Technopreneur is an entrepreneur who is using technology for entrepreneurial purposes. Technopreneurs change the existing economic order with the introduction of new products/services. Technopreneurs have a good ability to accumulate and manage knowledge, as well as resource mobilization to achieve business goals (Awade & Sadan, 2017). Corporations such as Facebook, Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, Apple, etc. are some of the most renowned examples of Technopreneurship. Technopreneurs like Steve Jobs, Larry Page, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, etc. have brought forth a remarkable form of entrepreneurship. Technopreneurship plays an important role in employing thousands of people who despite being a part of the educated elite, do not have jobs to fulfill their financial needs. Another important advantage of this form of entrepreneurship is that it enables the centralization of resources. By allowing almost all forms of services to be available online and technically advanced, pooling in resources is not a difficult task anymore. Moreover, with the internet and rapid technological advancements assuming utmost importance in our daily lives, Technopreneurship is bound to encourage and inspire the entrepreneurial spirit within many (Bose, 2011). Examples of Technology Entrepreneurship in the Aviation Industry Robotics: Figure 1: The humanoid robot “Josie Pepper” at Munich International Airport (Airport, 2018) The use of robots in the aviation industry is becoming more and more common with rapid advancements in the field of robotics. Many airports are adopting robotics to optimize efficiency and improve customer experience. In recent years, robots in airport terminals, autonomous vehicles on the airfield, and baggage-related robots have gained a lot of popularity. A few of the examples include a self-driving robot with a luggage compartment at Frankfurt Airport called YAPE, which accompanies passengers to their gates and helps them in luggage transportation. AIRSTAR robot at Seoul Incheon International Airport is the world’s first commercialized airport guide robot. The humanoid robot Josie Pepper at Munich Airport providing guidance and information to passengers is another well-known example of robotics in the aviation industry as shown in Figure 1. One of the most prominent examples is the end-to-end baggage logistics solution called FLEET at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, which uses autonomous vehicle technology and intelligent software to handle the baggage process efficiently (Initiatives, 2019). Many of these robots can provide more relevant information and guidance to passengers with advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Thus, providing additional operational benefits to airlines and airports. Assistive Technology: Figure 2: Neatebox agent assisting a passenger with vision disability at Edinburgh Airport (Services, 2018) Airports and technology companies around the world are implementing innovative technologies to assist passengers with additional needs at the airport. An example of such technology is the mobile phone application developed by Neatebox at Edinburgh Airport, allowing travelers to personalize the assistance they require at the airport by setting up a profile through the app and requesting the assistant in advance (Services, 2018). Another such example is the Aira Airport Network, which strives to provide a more accessible experience to passengers with blind and low vision through an app and smart glasses. Several airports including George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Heathrow Airport, etc. are part of the Aira Airport Network (AAAE, 2015). Biometrics: Figure 3: Biometrics terminal at Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (Initiatives, 2019) The use of biometrics is becoming more and more common around the world. Many airlines have adopted facial recognition applications to improve the check-in/boarding process. For example, Madrid Airport uses the facial recognition app to identify the customers at security checkpoints and the boarding gates through their biometric profiles. Thus, eliminating the need to show travel documents. Other examples of airlines using biometrics include Delta Air Lines and American Airlines at Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Several international airports like Singapore Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, and Heathrow Airport are also using biometrics technology to improve passenger safety and check-in processes (Initiatives, 2019). References: Britannica, E. (2021). technology | Definition, Examples, Types, & Facts. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology Awade, P., & Sadan, R. (2017). Technopreneurship: Success Driver in MSME Growth. International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences, 5(5), 830 - 832. Retrieved from http://www.ijetmas.com/admin/resources/project/paper/f201705301496164555.pdf Bose, G. (2011). Technopreneurship. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from http://magnetfish.com/technopreneurship-1/ Airport, M. (2018). Josie Pepper - A humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from https://www.munich-airport.com/hi-i-m-josie-pepper-3613413 Initiatives, I. (2019). 10 technology trends for airlines and airports to focus on in 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from https://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2019/01/10-technology-trends-airlines-airports-2019/ Services, P. (2018). Edinburgh Airport introduces app for passengers with additional needs. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from https://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2018/03/edinburgh-airport-introduces-new-app-to-support-passengers-withadditional-needs/ AAAE, A. (2015). AAAE Aira Airport Network. Retrieved 20 March 2021, from https://www.aaae.org/aaae/Accelerator/Solutions/AAAE_Aira_Airport_Network/Accelerator/Solutions/airanetwork.aspx
