New technologies and products fail all the time — but sometimes those failures turn into something unexpected. In this episode, we’re exploring 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? It's now a powerful tool in manufacturing and industry.

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

We’ll also talk with a venture capitalist who’s evaluating 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, the leading provider of end-to-end customer-centric technology solutions dedicated solely to serving the energy ecosystem. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.