The index is implemented through a research platform called the Technological Power Atlas, developed by the Amsterdam Digital Transformation Lab (ADTL).

The experimental research platform, led by researcher Somendra Narayan, was presented publicly for the first time this week at Startup Village Amsterdam during a co-creation and foresight workshop with the READJUST EU Horizon Consortium. The consortium is a European research project examining inequalities in Europe’s green and digital transition. Researchers, policymakers and innovation specialists from 6 European countries attended the event.

Faster insight into technological change

Governments and organisations often rely on large international reports to understand technological developments. Examples include the OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook, the World Intellectual Property Organization Global Innovation Index, and the Stanford University AI Index. These reports are usually published once a year and rely heavily on expert surveys. By the time they appear, much of the underlying data is already 12 to 18 months old.

That delay matters. In recent years, developments such as new AI models, semiconductor export restrictions, and large national investments in AI have reshaped the technology landscape in a matter of months. According to the ADTL researchers, annual reporting cycles often move slower than the technological changes they aim to measure.
The new platform aims to provide a faster signal of these shifts.

The Technology Momentum Index tracks 8 critical technologies

At the centre of the platform is the Technology Momentum Index (TMI). This index measures how attention around specific technologies evolves across countries and over time. To calculate the index, the platform analyses global news coverage using the GDELT Global Knowledge Graph. This is a large database that tracks millions of news articles each day in more than 100 languages. The index combines different indicators on attention, acceleration, shock, persistence, and sentiments around technology development and deployment.
The Technological Power Atlas currently monitors 8 technology domains: artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, biotechnology, cybersecurity, clean energy and digital infrastructure.

The platform compares developments across 15 major economies across the globe. The countries observed are the United States, China, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, India and Singapore.
According to Narayan, ‘The goal is not to replace existing innovation indices, but to complement them with a more dynamic indicator of technological change’.

Amsterdam as testing ground

The platform was first presented at Startup Village Amsterdam, located at the heart of the Amsterdam Science Park. The site hosts numerous deep-tech start-ups and research programmes in areas such as AI and quantum technology. The Netherlands also plays an important role in global technology supply chains. For example, the Dutch company ASML is the world’s only manufacturer of EUV lithography machines used to produce the most advanced semiconductors.
According to the researchers, this environment makes Amsterdam a natural place to discuss tools for understanding global technology dynamics.

Early-stages of an open research platform

‘Understanding technological change should not be limited to organisations that can afford expensive data platforms. By making the Technology Momentum Index open and accessible, we hope to create a shared analytical tool for governments, researchers and civil society’, explains Narayan.

The Technological Power Atlas and its Technology Momentum Index are still in an experimental stage. The full methodology, including the formula, weighting approach and validation method, is currently being prepared for publication. However, the research team emphasises that the results should be interpreted as research indicators rather than definitive rankings.

About the Amsterdam Digital Transformation Lab

The Amsterdam Digital Transformation Lab (ADTL) is a research lab at UvA Economics and Business. ADTL conducts applied and theoretical research on digital transformation, platform economics, technology governance, and innovation policy. Its research agenda spans academic publication, policy engagement, and tool development, with active partnerships with corporate companies, government institutions, and research organisations across Europe and internationally.