This e-book activity was led by Nagaraja Rao Harshadeep (Harsh), Global Lead (Disruptive Technology), Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) Global Practice of the Sustainable Development (SD) Practice Group at the World Bank. The team is grateful to the SD Practice Group and the Digital Development Program (now part of the Infrastructure Practice Group) for initial funding and the Open Learning Campus and the Environment and ENB Global Practice for subsequent support.

The work has been undertaken by a team of excellent Consultants that worked as part of the Disruptive KIDS (Knowledge, Information & Data Services) Helpdesk led by Harsh to undertake research and develop this innovative interactive e-book. These include: Isabel Tellez Ramos (especially related to development challenges and curating technologies), Srikanth Mangalam (especially related to IoT and case studies related to smart cities and a range of environment/natural resource applications) Puneet Kishor (especially on elements related to AI, Blockchain, Sensors, 3D Printing and Open Science/Open Data), Csaba Boros (for his “magic” in putting the interactive e-book together), Hrishikesh Patel (for inputs on curating disruptive technologies, geospatial and other elements), Kavita MacLeod (for case studies related to protected area management and forests), Afua Owusua Oguah (for case studies related to climate), Michael Leifman (preliminary inputs on energy case studies), Shaffiq Somani (for inputs on disruptive technology curation), Ankan De’ (for inputs to water-related case studies and geospatial product automation), Iria Buxan Raposo (for inputs into geospatial product automation), Aminul Islam & Alice Lin (geospatial products), Manon Cassara (on institutional/regulatory aspects) and several others. Also, to Baker & Hill for developing the innovative Disruptive Tech videos working with the team. Special thanks to Sheila Jagannathan (Open Learning Campus) and Dany Jones (ITS Geospatial) for their support in this process.

Also finally, a shout out to all the hundreds of innovators around the world who’s work we have curated in this e-book. We hope that this innovative packaging of an interactive e-book provides a new paradigm of building on the fascinating work of new technologies as they emerge and “disrupt” development challenges around the world.