Leapfrogging in industry occurs when new radical technological innovations are adopted by new firms ready to bear the risk.
More broadly, it can refer to a new technology reaching some contexts before an older technologies - such as mobile phones in parts of Africa which have never had landline phones.
LED lighting and microgeneration of renewable energy are among the green examples of potential leapfrog technologies currently gaining ground.
Need for leapfrogging[edit | edit source]
City dwellers long to see the stars.
The rural poor wish they had street lights, to walk safely and comfortably at night, and to see their surroundings.
In many cases, the rural poor do not need to pass through the same experiences as the wealthy nations, only to realize they want something else. There are often better options that can be achieved sooner, e.g. lower street lights that lighten the pathways, without hiding the stars.
