Perspectives on Innovation

We recently posted a Challenge from Enterprise Works/VITA, which seeks to help households in developing nations harvest and store rain water.  While we know that InnoCentive Solvers are particularly motivated by the opportunity to help others and make a positive impact on the world, we were amazed at how quickly the word spread about this Challenge.  Within a few weeks of posting we have almost 700 open project rooms.  I recently sat down with Don Feil, CEO of Enterprise Works/VITA to get some background on his organization, the Challenge and the end goal for the solution:

Hi Don - thanks for taking the time to talk with us.  Can you tell me a bit about your organization?

Sure - happy to be here.  Enterprise Works/VITA is a recognized leader in the transfer of skills and technology through the private sector that offer solutions to low income populations, farmers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers in developing economies. Over the past 35 years EWV has demonstrated that poor households will invest in improving their living conditions if they are offered appropriate products at a price they can afford and that also provide economic benefits.  We are seeking to replicate with rainwater harvesting what we have done with improved cook stoves, manually drilled wells, water filters, treadle pumps and other products, and that is to provide consumers with an affordable solution to a problem facing millions of households.

What are the specific challenges that this solution is expected to address?

The  Challenge seeks to address the over riding constraint that prevents households from benefiting from rainwater harvesting, which is the initial investment in a storage system.  Rain falls just about everywhere and except for the driest places in the world it falls in quantities that are worth harvesting for use, especially when other sources are  unreliable, distant or contaminated.  The quality of rainwater  is generally considered to be good and it is recognized as an improved water source by the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring program for the Millennium Development Goals.  A low cost storage solution has the potential market of millions of clients and can provide benefits to millions of households.

Once the solution is found, how will the new storage systems be produced?

That will depend on the  technology that  is selected and could vary from  mass manufacturing  to local production by small scale entrepreneurs.

Where will this solution be implemented?

Initially the solution will be implemented on a pilot scale in a developing country where there is a significant need for clean water and where the market, environmental, and policy conditions are favorable for large scale uptake of rainwater harvesting by households.  The pilot will demonstrate the  necessary strategies to promote rainwater harvesting and to develop a sustainable supply chain. Based on results from the pilot we will then expand it to other countries.

What appealed to you about the InnoCentive model?

Since we never intended to do this with our own hands, we looked for a company that we felt had the integrity to represent us properly and one that could also deliver a solution to our Challenge.  After discussions with InnoCentive we felt that this was the right fit for us.

Veteran Solvers and new Solvers alike have told us that they enjoy looking through the new Challenges each week. So tell us - what is your favorite Challenge? Which one was the toughest, or the hardest to ignore? Was there one that made you laugh, or peaked your interest? Tell us!

Our Client Services team reviews thousands of Challenge Solutions each year and they asked me to share with you some of the tips they’ve come up with based on their experience. Please feel free to leave a comment for me if you find one of these particularly helpful, or if you have any of your own to share.

Tip #1: You can download the Solution Submission Form and Solver Submission Guideline documents for your use. To access these documents, click on the “Submit a Solution” button located within the Project Room of a Challenge.

Tip #2: Carefully re-read the Challenge description and make sure that you completely understand both the goal of the Challenge, the Technical Requirements, and the required deliverables as stated under the heading “Project Criteria” in the Challenge statement.

Tip #3: As a rule of thumb, the most successful submissions are organized as small articles, like you might see in a newspaper. We recommend starting with a Summary or Introduction that describes the essence of your idea in one short paragraph stating precisely what your submission is all about.

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Business Week is featuring a recent interview with CEO Dwayne Spradlin as this week’s Innovation of the Week Podcast. Innovation Department editor Reena Jana asks how InnoCentive remains on the cutting edge of innovation. Listen to it here and tell us what you think!

Some of you may already know about SunNight Solar, and their BoGo light (Buy One, Give One). Founded by former US Diplomat Mark Bent, SunNight Solar uses the latest scientific advances in solar and lighting technology to provide light to people in developing countries like Africa and Peru. When you purchase a light from them, they match your purchase and send a light to the location of your choice. Well, I thought you might be interested to know that thanks to the diligent work of Russell McMahon (a Solver in New Zealand) SunNight Solar was able to improve their existing light so that it will illuminate an entire room as well as work as a handheld flashlight. They call it the SuperBogo. The company has already begun production of these lights, less than a year after posting the Challenge on the InnoCentive website. They are due to be available in August of this year. We’re thrilled to be a part of SunNight Solar’s work, and are proud to see our Solvers getting involved in these Challenges that really make a difference!

If you’d like to learn more about the BoGo light, visit the BoGo Light website.
For more from Mark Bent on his work with InnoCentive, watch this YouTube video.

If you have recently worked on a Challenge that really made an impact on you, we’d love to hear about it. Please post your comments below.

Liz