Why Does Worse Technology Keep Winning?

DeepTech is built on the assumption that better technology wins. Yet superior systems often lose to weaker incumbents because technical capability alone does not guarantee trust, adoption, or institutional acceptance. Using digital voting as a particularly revealing example, this Ripple explores why even technologies that appear more efficient or capable struggle to replace established systems. Together, we will discuss what really drives adoption – from regulation and institutional trust to distribution, narrative, and social acceptance – and what this means for founders, investors, and policymakers building the next generation of technologies.

Speaker

Stephanie Wissmann

Researcher , Universität der Bundeswehr

Florian Glatz

Vice President, European Ethereum Institute

Tracks