- By 2080, people aged 65 or older are projected to outnumber children under 18 worldwide, yet society is largely unprepared for this demographic shift.
- New report identifies five key trends and proposes 10 critical actions to prepare societies for the impact of demographic transitions.
- World Economic Forum's UpLink to launch new Innovation challenge, calling for start-ups that promote financial resilience, equitable healthy ageing and lifelong fulfilment in Asia.
- Read the new report here and apply to the UpLink Innovation Challenge here .
Hong Kong, SAR, China, 26 March 2025 - A new World Economic Forum report, Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends , reveals how innovation is reshaping economic resilience in ageing societies. With demographic shifts accelerating, businesses, policymakers and institutions must adapt financial and social systems for long-term sustainability.
Developed in collaboration with Mercer and over 50 public and private sector organizations, the report highlights key trends and solutions to help societies navigate this transformation. It outlines how governments, employers, civil society and financial institutions can integrate innovation into existing frameworks to create a more equitable, sustainable and financially resilient future.
"The UN projects that by 2080 individuals aged 65 or older will outnumber children under 18, marking a fundamental demographic shift. But there are ways to prepare and even improve people's financial resilience," said Haleh Nazeri, Lead, Longevity Economy, World Economic Forum. "The innovations exist - now it is about scaling and adapting new approaches in critical areas like decumulation, investing and long-term care to help create a more equitable and inclusive system."
Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends
The report identifies five areas essential for individual financial resilience and economic sustainability, with case studies from the public and private sector that showcase innovative approaches to address a demographic transformation.
1. Building resilient public retirement systems - Modernizing pension and retirement plans to accommodate ageing populations and expanding financial inclusion for informal workers
2. From accumulation to decumulation - Strengthen financial security in later life as growing responsibility is placed on the individual to manage their own retirement spending
3. Role of the employer in financial well-being - Examining how investing in employee financial health is a corporate priority and opportunity
4. Economics of caregiving and long-term care - Addressing the financial and structural challenges of providing care in an ageing society.
5. Pathways for economic growth - Unlocking opportunities for workforce participation and long-term financial growth
Across these five key trends, the report outlines 10 critical actions for policymakers, employers, financial institutions and civil society to navigate the demographic transition while fostering economic resilience. The calls to action range from pension systems to caregiving and flexible work structures.
The report emphasizes that innovative ideas, cross-sector collaboration and a fundamental shift in perspective are essential to transforming this demographic transition into a driver of economic growth.
Examples of Key Actions
- Modernizing retirement and social security systems to support longer lives and evolving career paths: Policymakers should assess and recommend updates to social security/pension policy based on demographic and workforce trends
- Expanding access to financial products and protection for gig and informal workers: Employers could partner with financial institutions to offer customized retirement and insurance solutions for contract workers
- Encouraging auto-enrolment and behavioural nudges to increase retirement savings participation: Financial institutions should provide infrastructure and advisory services to facilitate seamless auto-enrolment in retirement products
"People living longer is a sign of progress in our society, but it comes with challenges in areas like health care and access, retirement, and workforce," said Pat Tomlinson, Mercer's President and CEO. "By investing in innovative financial models and employee benefits as well as supporting life-long skill building, we can help shape a future in which people can thrive at any age and businesses and economies remain resilient to changing demographics."
UpLink Innovation Challenge
UpLink, a World Economic Forum initiative, is supporting early-stage, impact-focused start-ups to scale their solutions to tackle the world's most urgent challenges. As part of this mission, UpLink is partnering with Manulife and the Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems to launch Innovating for Asia's Demographic Future, which calls for start-ups that promote multi-generational financial resilience, equitable healthy ageing and lifelong fulfilment across populations in Asia.
The three-year partnership will address the demographic and financial challenges of global ageing to help more people live longer, healthier and better lives. Early-stage innovators scaling global longevity solutions focused on finance, health and well-being in Asia can apply here . Applications are open until 28 April 2025.
