BC Research

1. BC Research Submitted By, Ajai. U Aswin Kumar HemechandraBabu. T VijayaSundaraPandiyan. G RagupatiKesari Das Sanjay Malode 25.11.2012

2. “I am Govt. official. I should do something for the grass-root innovators. I have some money reserved for them.” • Recommend how the Govt. should support the grass-root innovators • Suggestions should be practical and the impact of your recommendation should be commensurate with the output • The basic premise is that the steps taken by the Govt. depends upon the socio-cultural and economic environment

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rAptCU__g8shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rAptCU__g8s

4. An Example - Load Carrier for Labor Designed & created by VikramDinubhai Panchal of The National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad in 2011 • This winning product was made at a miniscule cost of Rs. 300 and has potential to affect lives of millions of people across the globe • “Load carrier for labor” project aims to improve the working condition of laborers and workers at many places globally like construction site, factories, ports, railway stations, etc • Strong materials which area available and familiar sources for the construction, like bamboo, raw metal and recycled plastic • To take his design idea ahead, Panchal is on the look out to find a sponsor who can help market or a manufacture his creation to ensure it reaches the end user • “I would like to make this design principle more versatile by using metal and plastic. I am open for any organization who is interested in sponsoring, marketing or manufacturing.”

6. Missing Pieces.. Policy • Grassroots innovation requires adaptable, locally inclusive policies — quite different to the mainstream Assistance • The Innovator cannot do it himself – He needs assistance from various stakeholders Protection • The competition and business opportunity might bring in corporate competition and copying issues Reaching • Local development is the primary agenda and taking it to needed audience is difficult Incentive Strong incentive structure to innovators – Not alone the successful innovators but the failing ones as well

7. Across the world • AFRICA • India and Africa are on scientific collaboration esp. Egypt, Nigeria, Tunitia & India • Areas of work • capacity building • science, • technology and innovation for development;  • knowledge transfer adoption • For e.g.. • In Nigeria, Village processing centers focus on self sustenance and addressing inefficiencies CHINA "It's clear that the Party is resolute in pressing ahead with reform. But the challenge is how to make a sound top-level design that inspires and respects grassroots innovation” – Yu pei, World Researcher “Three-level council mechanism" in Shicheng town in Guangdong province - Improved Rural Governance Shanzhai is an open platform for grassroots innovation: Apple, Nokia, and Samsung smartphones get copied, but the knockoffs adapt the original designs in ways that appeal to Chinese customers.

8. Across the world SOUTH AMERICA International Development Research centre (IDRC) funds and encourages grass root innovation as parent organization to nurture them Large Programmes like Social Technology Network are involved in setting up institutional framework to encourage grass root innovations Localized initiatives are prominent. For eg. CEDECAP (Centro de Demostración y Capacitación en Tecnologías Apropiadas.) encourages innovations on clean energy in Peru rural areas RUSSIA TEST (Teplitsa, rus. Greenhouse, of Social Technologies) is a greenhouse for social innovation and initiatives. Now is a popular hub for social entrepreneurs to get noticed. Strelka is the most prominent space for young people to create something great and start thinking in a whole new communicative way. Crowdfunding through websites and reality events have been the trends of encouraging grass root innovation Rysyny, rynda.org, tugeza are either platforms or the ideas themselves

9. Business Incubation It’s a process aimed at supporting the development and scaling of growth oriented early stage enterprises. It looks after the need and provides opportunities Creates Connections Provides Support Systems

10. Incubator Services • Incubator Services • Help with business basics • Networking activities • Marketing assistance • Help with accounting/financial management • Access to bank loans, loan funds and guarantee programs • Links to higher education resources • Links to strategic partners • Access to angel investors or venture capital • Comprehensive business training programs • Advisory boards and mentors • Management team identification • Technology commercialization assistance • Help with regulatory compliance • Intellectual property management

11. Few Examples SOCIETY OF RESEARCH AND INITIATIVES FOR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND INSTITUTIONS (SRISTI) • Provides organizational, intellectual and logistics support to Honey Bee Network • Mentoring, online support through collaborators • Conceptualization of indiainnovates.com, the portal meant for providing a virtual platform for product incubation and licensing support. • Arranged village kiosks for promotion • Systematically documenting, disseminating and developing grassroots green innovations, providing intellectual property rights protection to grassroots innovators

12. National Innovation Foundation (NIF) • Filed over 550 patents on behalf of the innovators • Provided risk capital for 178 projects • Reward system to encourage innovators Other International Foundations : • Prolinnova (Promoting Local Innovation in ecologically oriented agriculture and Natural Resource Management) • International Network on Appropriate Technology; and Annual International Conference on Appropriate Technology • Asia-Pacific National Innovation Systems Online Resource Centre • Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) • Centre of Science for Villages (CSV) • China Innovation Network (CHIN) Tianjin University • The National Grassroots Innovation Databank – Malaysia • Social Technologies Network – Brazil (Red de Tecnologias Sociales)

13. Suggestions Core Issues • Awareness • Reach • Seed funds • Business expertise • IP

14. Thank You !!!