Forerunner (noun)

1. A person or thing that goes before and indicates the coming of another.
2. A person or thing that is the first of its kind or the first to do something.

Origin:

Late middle english: from old french forrerunneur, from for- (from latin pro- "before") + rerunneur "runner again", from re- "again" + runne "runner" (from runnen "to ru.n")

Examples:

1. The new technology was a forerunner of many more advancements to come.
2. He was a forerunner of the civil rights movement.
3. She was a forerunner of women's rights.
4. The new product was a forerunner of its kind.
5. The new design was a forerunner of future trends.