In 1994, Japanese engineer Masahiro Hara, working at Denso Wave (a subsidiary of Toyota), invented the QR code as a faster, smarter alternative to the traditional barcode.

The new design was groundbreaking: it could store up to 100 times more data than a standard barcode, scan almost instantly from any direction, and even function when partially damaged. Hara's innovation immediately solved the modern manufacturing dilemma of tracking numerous parts efficiently.

Crucially, rather than charging for the technology or keeping it proprietary, Denso Wave decided to make the QR code open and free for everyone to use. This act of generosity allowed the technology to spread rapidly and globally, becoming ubiquitous in everything from mobile payments and e-tickets to restaurant menus and public health tracking.

Every time you scan a QR code, you are using the work of an engineer who prioritized solving a global problem and sharing his solution freely with the world..

A greatest opportunity that not used to give it free to others