At the start of 2026, Ark Invest CEO and CIO Cathie Wood released the "Big Ideas 2026" report. This is the tenth edition of the firm's flagship research series. Wood stated the report aims to identify and interpret the technologies reshaping the global economy. As exponential technologies converge, markets transform, and new opportunities emerge, the firm is committed to finding key signals and focusing on long-term innovation platforms. Wood stated that the "technology revolution" is expected to contribute an average of over 7% in real GDP growth by the end of this decade. She also mentioned anticipating a "startup boom" in the United States and discussed her outlook for Tesla and views on deregulation. Wood explained that Ark's research team annually filters through short-term market noise to identify significant signals, concentrating on long-term innovation platforms where exponential technological convergence, industry transformation, and new opportunities arise. "The 'Big Ideas 2026' report isn't a reaction to the market," Wood said. "It aims to identify transformative trends that aren't yet obvious. Over the past decade, we've seen investors often underestimate the most transformative innovations because they don't fit the short-term mainstream narrative. 'Big Ideas 2026' aims to help investors cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters." The core theme of this year's report is Acceleration. Ark Invest points out that AI advancements have now extended far beyond software, reshaping physical systems, scientific discovery, capital formation, and overall economic productivity. From AI-native biology transforming healthcare, to intelligent machines redefining labor, and digital networks restructuring financial infrastructure, Ark highlights its research underscores that innovation is expanding and interacting more deeply at an unprecedented pace. Based on research into public and private markets, the "Big Ideas 2026" report reveals that innovation often develops well before traditional metrics fully capture it. It is aimed at global investors, business leaders, policymakers, and anyone seeking a clearer view of the future direction of innovation. "For a decade, 'Big Ideas' has served as a signal," said Brett Winton, Chief Futurist at Ark Invest. "By filtering out short-term distractions and focusing on cost curves, adoption dynamics, and technological convergence, our goal is to understand how the future is being built, not just how it's being priced." In this year's report, Ark explores 13 big ideas spanning AI, robotics, energy, blockchain, space, and biology, demonstrating how breakthroughs once viewed in isolation are converging and accelerating global change, sharing investment themes for 2026 that investors should watch. This follows the firm's strong 2025 performance, where its ETFs outperformed the S&P 500. The highly anticipated 10th annual "Big Ideas" list from Ark Invest includes: **13 Big Ideas for 2026** 1. **The Great Acceleration:** The convergence of AI, robotics, energy storage, and blockchain is set to drive a step-change in global economic growth, a central theme in this domain. 2. **AI Infrastructure:** Massive investment in data centers, specialized chips, and computing power extends beyond just software to the hardware enabling it. 3. **AI Consumer OS:** AI is transforming from a novelty into an integrated, essential tool for managing personal data and consumer experiences. 4. **AI Productivity:** Leveraging AI agents to accelerate software development, customer service, and enterprise workflows. 5. **Bitcoin:** Viewed as a "fiduciary duty" in portfolios and the "ultimate diversification tool," with Bitcoin ETFs playing a significant role. 6. **Tokenized Assets:** Blockchain-based financial assets are growing rapidly, projected to surge from $19 billion to $11 trillion by 2030. 7. **DeFi Applications:** Continued innovation in financial infrastructure bypassing traditional intermediaries. 8. **Multi-omics:** AI-native biology and DNA sequencing are transforming healthcare, shifting from disease management to curative treatments. 9. **Reusable Rockets:** Reducing space launch costs, enabling satellite connectivity to cover 100% of the Earth's land area. 10. **Robotics:** Autonomous machines and humanoid robots are transforming labor, boosting productivity in industry and homes. 11. **Distributed Energy:** The necessity for localized, renewable energy to power AI data centers. 12. **Autonomous Mobility:** The transition from human-driven to autonomous vehicle fleets, especially in dense urban areas. 13. **Autonomous Logistics:** Fully automated, AI-driven long-haul trucking and last-mile delivery. Ark's portfolios are primarily organized around these themes. As of early 2026, top holdings in the flagship ARKK ETF include Tesla (TSLA), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), Roku (ROKU), Coinbase (COIN), and Tempus AI (TEM). Key companies mentioned across various ideas include: * **AI:** Alphabet (GOOGL/Waymo), Palantir (PLTR), CoreWeave. * **Genomics:** Illumina (ILMN), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP), 10x Genomics (TXG), Beam Therapeutics (BEAM). * **Crypto/Fintech:** Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD), Circle. * **Automation:** Tesla (TSLA), Pony AI. **Core Macroeconomic Views** * **"Coiled Spring" Economy:** The U.S. economy is poised for a rebound after a "rolling recession" from 2023-2025, driven by lower interest rates and tech-led productivity gains. * **Deflationary Prosperity:** Contrary to conventional wisdom, Ark believes technological innovation will create "benign" deflation, where rapidly falling costs of technologies (AI, batteries) drive massive adoption. * **Reaganomics on Steroids:** Wood describes the anticipated policy environment under the Trump administration as analogous to the 1980s, favoring deregulation and tax cuts. * **Energy Constraint:** Every exponentially growing technology relies on power; hence, massive investment in nuclear, solar, and grid infrastructure is critical. **The Great Acceleration is central to several themes** "The Great Acceleration" is listed as one of the 13 big ideas for 2026, but it's a theme central to multiple technologies including AI, public blockchains, robotics, energy storage, and multi-omics. The report states: "This technology revolution should bring about another step-function change in real GDP growth." Ark Invest suggests that capital investment in disruptive innovation platforms could boost annualized real GDP growth by 1.9 percentage points this decade, citing projects like robotaxis, next-gen data centers, and AI agents. **Ark ETF Investment Opportunities** Ark offers several thematic ETFs covering the major themes of 2026: * **Ark Innovation ETF (BATS: ARKK):** The flagship product. * **Ark Next Generation Internet ETF (BATS: ARKW):** Likely covers many of this year's big ideas. * **Ark Genomic Revolution ETF (BATS: ARKG):** Focuses more specifically on the Multi-omics big idea. * **Ark Space & Defense Innovation ETF (BATS: ARKX):** Covers the Reusable Rockets theme. * **Ark Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (BATS: ARKQ):** Holdings cover Robotics and Autonomous Mobility big ideas, plus others. * **Ark Blockchain & Financial Innovation ETF (BATS: ARKF):** Covers themes like Bitcoin, Tokenized Assets, and DeFi Applications. * **Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS: ARKB):** Covers the firm's Bitcoin big idea. U.S. ETFs and public companies currently hold 12% of Bitcoin's total supply, with Bitcoin ETF balances projected to grow 19.7% and corporate Bitcoin holdings to grow 73% through 2025. Among the six major Ark ETFs, Ark Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF and Ark Space & Defense Innovation ETF performed best, with returns of 49.8% and 49.2% respectively in 2025. **Stock Investment Opportunities** The "Big Ideas 2026" report lists several public companies it identifies as key to the 2026 themes that investors might consider alongside Ark Invest. * Coinbase Global (NASDAQ: COIN), Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL), and Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ: HOOD) are all listed as avenues to participate in tokenized assets. * For the "Multi-omics Big Idea" (highlighting the "profound change" AI-native biology could bring to healthcare), Ark recommends several stocks aligned with the theme: Illumina Inc (NASDAQ: ILMN), CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP), 10x Genomics (NASDAQ: TXG), Tempus AI (NASDAQ: TEM), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IONS), Quantum Si (NASDAQ: QSI), Nurix Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NRIX), 908 Devices Inc (NASDAQ: MASS), and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RARE). * Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL), is cited as a disrupter in Autonomous Mobility, putting pressure on Uber and Lyft's market share. * Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) receives mentions throughout the "Big Ideas 2026" report and plays a central role in multiple 2026 "Big Ideas," including Autonomous Mobility, Distributed Energy, Autonomous Logistics, and Robotics. Tesla remains Ark Invest's single largest holding and a top holding across several of its ETFs.