Posts Tagged ‘innovation’

Aspen Design Summit 2009

Aspen Design Summit

“We envision a select group of 60 designers, change leaders, NGOs,
foundations and experts coming together to engage actively in
opportunities to demonstrate design thinking in crafting solutions
for large social problems, as well as to use existing networks and
programs to accelerate change.”

The impressive list of attendees of the Aspen Design Summit next week will be collaborating to come up with design solutions and create concrete two-year implementation plans for 5-6 new projects. The themes include poverty, health care and education and collaborating organizations include UNICEF, the Mayo Clinic, and the Center for Disease Control. The Summit will include considerable dialogue and discussion of role of the design industry in leading social change initiatives. The goals of the event are ambitious and promising, and I wish I could be there. Hopefully its outcomes will be visible in the near future.

Learn more about the Aspen Design Summit »

PopTech Accelerator

Transforming World-Changing Ideas Into Action.

“The PopTech Accelerator facilitates interdisciplinary,
world-changing projects that use new tools and embody
new approaches to significant global challenges.”

PopTech Accelerator has taken an active leap in the creative use of technology to help discover solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. I am very inspired by their collaborative approach and definitely looking forward to seeing the outcome of their projects. Hopefully other innovative thinkers can gain insight from PopTech’s approach to process, and we will start seeing more projects transforming world-changing ideas into action in the near future.

Learn more about PopTech Accelerator »

Project Masiluleke

Project Masiluleke

PopTech Accelerator’s first project, Masiluleke (”helping hand” in Zulu), recently launched it’s first phase in October by sending out 1 million text messages. The project’s goal is to fight the HIV epidemic in Africa through innovative mobile technology and software. The intial focus is on KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, where HIV+ rates are some of the highest in the world. They plan to eventually spread the program throughout Africa. Project Masiluleke is a collaboration of frog design, Pop!tech, iTeach, Praekelt, Aricent, Nokia Siemens and others.

Learn more about Project Masiluleke »