New technologies and products fail all the time, but sometimes those failures turn into something great and unexpected. In this episode, we’ll explore the surprising ways that technology evolves.

Remember Segway, the personal transporter that became a cultural joke? Turns out, it’s a major force behind the scooter revolution.

Remember Google Glass, the augmented-reality glasses that freaked everyone out and became an object of scorn? Well, it’s now a powerful tool in the manufacturing industry.

Uplight has a few examples of technology investments that didn’t pan out—but they paved way to other interesting areas of product development. We’ll revisit a few of them.

We’ll also talk with a venture capitalist who evaluates all kinds of consumer technologies—some without an obvious application in energy—that could benefit the way utilities’ deliver services.

Guests featured in this episode:

• Steven Levy, journalist and editor-at-large for WIRED
• Lindsay Luger, partner at Energy Impact Partners

Resources:

• Steven Levy’s article on the startling second act for Google Glass
• CNN feature on Segway’s surprising impact on the scooter revolution

ILLUMINATORS is brought to you by Uplight, a software and analytics leader changing the way the world uses energy. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.