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.

In a week where the true nature of democracy is front and center, when citizens vote their conscience and leadership changes in response to the will of the people, one can’t help but take great pride in the ability of every individual to participate in the system.

I find some irony then that in this technologically advanced and connected world in which we live, there is so little opportunity for individuals to participate in the material advancement of the numerous critical challenges and needs that affect all of us.  Routes to meaningful engagement are often difficult to identify, match, and integrate into our lives. All too often, we are left with financial donations as the only currency for participation. I will argue that in fact creativity and ingenuity are the most valuable assets lacking in the system today, not access to financial means. And for many of us, lending our intellectual means in support of the efforts and challenges about which we care most may be the most fulfilling.

I would like to introduce a new term into our innovation dialogue: the Citizen Innovator. Highly creative and inventive individuals have had monumental impacts throughout history, the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, and Sir Isaac Newton. Often considered giants in their day, these are the archetypal Citizen Innovators, often the beneficiaries of great patronage, with resources and substantial freedom to roam in creative circles, these individuals have inspired many … they were also few in number.

With the convergence of technology (internet, social networking, communications), increases in standards of living and education, and a more global awareness than at any time in history, I believe there are now legions of Citizen Innovators around the world ready, willing, and able to invest their relevant experience, knowledge, creative talents and hunger for problem solving toward the important challenges of our time. Some will engage simply to make a difference, others for financial gains. But make no mistake, they are changing the way we innovate, from corporate research and product development to improving the human condition and reinventing government.

This emergence of Citizen Innovators represents a shift from the few to the many. They stand ready to tackle problems big and small and are at the heart of an unstoppable movement that is recasting the role of the individual in society. This is an empowerment movement and represents the most democratic of ideas: that we as individuals have a necessary and vital role to play in shaping our world – and in some cases an obligation. We at InnoCentive are proud to be part of this movement and to be working with Citizen Innovators from every corner of the world and from every walk of life.

Go Citizen Innovators!

Many of you have been impacted by the story of 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. When you purchase a light from them, they match your purchase and send a light to the location of your choice. SunNight Solar posted a Challenge to the InnoCentive Marketplace to improve their existing light, so that it could illuminate an entire room as well as work as a handheld flashlight. The Challenge was solved and the company has already begun production of these improved lights, less than a year after posting the Challenge. I recently asked Mark for an update on this exciting project - his thoughts are below:

My name is Mark Bent, and I posted the Challenge to improve the design of my original solar flashlight on Innocentive.  This need for improvement came as a direct result of feedback from World Bank and Department of Energy field research on my lights in Africa.  People liked the original device, but it did not replace a kerosene lantern, because it did not light up a room.  After trying, and failing, to develop a light which had this feature, I turned to Innocentive, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.

Within the next ten days - by the end of October 2008, we will have a second factory come on line to produce our lights - the original factory cannot keep up with the demand.  Via Innocentive, our electronics and other components are pretty amazing and the lights have been very, very welcomed by the consumer and are in use worldwide.

We are starting up a new program to get these lights to our military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan - the SL-2 - SunLight 2, or SuperBoGo, was so well received by the Marines and soldiers, we wanted to do another program to get them more lights - please see http://www.warlights.com/.  These will be camouflage lights - not a good idea to carry bright orange lights in a war zone and the combat soldiers probably would not appreciate the pink lights much either.

We continue to improve this model and will be coming out with variations in the very near future, both in appearance and in function - lights which cure jaundice in infants via blue LEDs will be the next light and we have many more versions planned.

Thanks InnoCentive and thanks to all of the customers who support our BoGo Lights and other social programs.

Best regards,

Mark

CEO - SunNight Solar
Mark Bent

http://www.sunnightsolar.com/blog/

Bob Fucci is InnoCentive’s SAP relationship manager. He has been at TechEd in Berlin this week, getting to know the European SAP community.

Greetings from Berlin!  As I write this, TechEd Berlin is wrapping up. The conference was attended by more than 10,000 SAP customers, partners, and prospects.  It’s a great testimony to SAP customer loyalty and the “trusted advisor” status SAP has earned.

It is a very interesting and fluid community. People seem to be trying to foster and develop an atmosphere of creativity and independence while at the same time finding a meaningful contribution to corporate performance. It’s quite interesting to see.

To my surprise, InnoCentive was the only SAP Partner highlighted by both Zia Yusuf and Leo Apothker during their keynote presentations. Both of them talked about the strategic nature of the partnership and urged attendees to visit our booth. SAP also announced that SDN members who register as Solvers will receive SDN points - a significant number of new registrations happened as a result.

At past SAP events, sales and customers drove the direction and the purpose of the discussion. The sales “white space” was filled with partners and the single focus is to sell more to clients. That’s less true at TechEd. The premium is about education - the “white space” is new and different ways to collaborate. It is much more about “individual brands”, personal stories, shared experiences and for InnoCentive the challenge to tap into that and build the story will be critical.

Our partner manager Martin Raepple, from SAP, won a “Top Achiever” award and was recognized in the keynote session. Congratulations Martin. Martin and I also posted a video that helps describe our partnership and our goals going forward.

Overall this event really opened my eyes to the opportunities presented by the partnership, and the enthusiasm of our global SAP audience.  Thanks to my SAP hosts for a terrific week!

Bob

I am an American student currently working towards a master’s degree at BOKU (Universität für Bodenkultur/
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Science) in Vienna. I spent the previous year studying at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. I am enrolled in a two-year scholarship program, entitled the European Master in Animal Breeding and Genetics (EM-ABG). This Erasmus Mundus program gives international students an opportunity to obtain graduate degrees through European universities. Following completion of my degree, I hope to work as a conservation biologist for a zoo, preferably aiding in the design and implementation of breeding programs for endangered species.

Through the Erasmus Mundus program, I have learned to appreciate the impact of cooperation between researchers with various perspectives. In my opinion, this cooperation is also an important aspect of the unique solving opportunities offered through InnoCentive.

I received my undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University, and my concentration was animal physiology. I drew on my understanding of physiology, and on my practical knowledge of animal care and handling, to solve the Challenge titled “Animal Disease Marker.” The challenge was to describe a non-invasive marker for Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORLs). I am excited about my idea being put into practice, and benefiting not only the Seeker, but also, on a practical level, veterinarians, and also cats suffering from this condition. 

I am grateful to InnoCentive for giving scientists such as myself the opportunity (and motivation) to step a bit outside of our areas of expertise, and to develop creative solutions for thought-provoking problems on a wide range of topics. I first learned about InnoCentive from a fellow scientist, and I’ve gone on to tell many other people about InnoCentive, recommending that they check out the site. I have submitted a solution for another challenge recently, and I intend to try many more in the future.