HUL 714 – Inclusive Innovation

Faculty: Ambuj Sagar & P.V.M. Rao

Teaching Assistant: Surabhi Yadav

Course LTP Structure : 2-0-4

Contents:

The course familiarizes students with key concepts in innovation, including various elements of the innovation cycle going all the way from need identification to deployment. Key aspects relating to inclusive innovation - the public goods nature of many basic needs, user and market characteristics, delivery and scaling-up considerations, and the role of partnerships and policies - will receive particular focus. The students will also be introduced to the state-of-the-art thinking in organizing for innovation, especially for bottom of the pyramid. This theoretical knowledge will be complemented with hands-on exercises aimed to familiarize students with some of the key issues in coming up with technologies and products for the marginalized, including user needs and context analysis, ideation involving user interaction and co-creation, and assessment of potential of technology for success.

Major component of the course (>50%) is a project to be carried out in multi-disciplinary teams of 3 to 4 students.

Guest Faculty:

Harish Hande (Selco), Dr.Anand Sivaraman (Remidio Innovation Solutions), Kirk Smith (Professor, University of California, Berkley), Dr Jonathan Pillai (THSTI), Sorin Grama, (Co-founder, Promethean Power Systems), Mr. Ramendra Baoni, (Co-founder, Ecco Solar).

Case Studies:

Selco Solar India (http://www.selco-india.com/); Remidio Innovative Solutions (http://www.remidio.com/); MedicMobile (http://medicmobile.org/); Promethean Power Systems (http://www.coolectrica.com/); Digital Green (http://www.digitalgreen.org/); Planet Read (http://www.planetread.org/)

Sample projects undertaken in this course:

1. Improving the access to water in urban slums Video

2. Crowd sourced proofreading for blind Video

3. Stimulating savings among the urban poor

4. Modular shelters for construction workers

5. Public grievance redressal system Video

6. Providing storage options for fruit vendors Video

7. Providing sleeping options for Rickshawallas in the city Video

8. Storage needs of street vendors Video

9. Use of ICT to supplement teachers and students in teaching/learning process

10. Reducing indoor air pollution caused due to unclean burning of solid fuels.

11. Development of communication channel which can direct/link the developmental problems of urban slums to the relevant problem-solvers

12. Safe and affordable transport and pre-hospital care of patients in urban areas

13. A platform to assess the performance of legislators for greater civic engagement for more transparent and efficient democratic process.

14. Development of affordable and efficient treatment options of patients suffering from Severe Mental Illness (SMIs)

15. Making the internet accessible and inclusive while working within the constraints of current infrastructure and upcoming projects.

16. A mechanism get better price for garlic farmers in Rajasthan