Why predict trends, especially market ones? To make them serve us as a society. That’s the belief of Natalia Hatalska, a trend analyst and one of the speakers at the autumn edition of Impact’21. Natalia Hatalska is one of the most influential and recognized experts in the field of trend analysis, forecasting, and research. Her specialty lies at the intersection of the market and technology. She was recognized by the “Financial Times” on the New Europe 100 list, which features one hundred individuals from our region of Europe who are changing society, politics, and business by presenting new approaches to dominant problems. She was also recognized in the “Who Does Polish Business Listen To?” ranking and has repeatedly received the Audience Award at the Congress of Researchers of the Polish Society for Opinion and Market Research. “Wysokie Obcasy” named her one of the 50 most influential women in Poland. The organization dedicated to encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in technology, Geek Girls Carrots, identified Natalia Hatalska as a role model for women in new technologies. She was also awarded the Digital Shaper title in the visionary category – given to individuals who make an exceptional contribution to the development of the digital economy in Poland. The Institute for Trend Forecasting In 2015, she founded infuture.institute. It is a forecasting institute. What does this mean? The institute focuses on defining key trends, describing them, and indicating their consequences for the economy, market categories, or specific brands. Natalia Hatalska herself says about the establishment of infuture.institute: “I have been professionally analyzing trends and what might happen in the future for 15 years. Previously, I did it on my own, as a so-called ‘shadow consultant.’ But in 2015, I decided I wanted to do it on a larger scale.” It was then that she brought the future research institute to life. Today, infuture.institute comprises an interdisciplinary team of anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists. It conducts research in the FMCG, pharmaceutical, and medical industries, as well as manufacturing. It utilizes methods widely recognized in this field of research while also developing its own. What Awaits Us in the Age of Paradoxes? Natalia Hatalska presents her analyses not only as a researcher and columnist but also as an author. Her latest book, titled “Age of Paradoxes. Will Technology Save Us?”, was recently published. What can we expect from the analyst's latest publication? “First and foremost, I would like as many people as possible to realize how technology has changed today – from a simple tool to a complex system that influences our lives, our choices, our freedom, human rights, and democracy. The more aware people are of this state of affairs, the better for society as a whole. Only in this way can we make informed choices,” Hatalska states. We Must Predict the Future to Be Able to Face It And skillful decision-making is the key to success in times characterized by the climate crisis on one hand and unprecedented technological development on the other. What does the future and trend specialist say about what awaits us? Especially in the context that we may not yet have any ready solutions for future challenges? “Forecasting the future has never been about presenting ready-made scenarios that are bound to happen. Forecasting the future is about showing the direction in which the future is heading and answering the question, here and now, whether this direction is beneficial for us,” the researcher points out. This uncertainty is by no means a cause for pessimism. Instead, Natalia Hatalska emphasizes that the shape of the future largely depends on our actions, which is why we must accurately predict the direction of certain trends to either strengthen them or prevent them. As the specialist says: “the future begins today; it depends on our current choices and decisions. This is also the basis of our optimism regarding the future – to predict it early enough to address the emerging problems just as early.” And since at the Impact’21 conference we look into the future, predict trends and tendencies, Natalia Hatalska could not be absent. She will therefore be a guest at the autumn edition in Poznań. We invite you on October 27th and 28th.