Industrial catalysis is considered as one of the most important technical skills of mankind. The current transformation towards net-zero requires new chemical process technologies to enable the transition towards energy vector molecules like ammonia, methanol, DME and others. Catalysts are at the heart of most chemical plants, and like the microchip in a computing device, will decide on its performance. With this analogy in mind, and other striking similarities to the world of computer engineering, the talk is meant to offer a new perspective on the crucial role of catalysts and innovation.