09 December 2010

MIT Development Ventures 2010 ~ Final Projects

Excellent to have final presentations this morning in our emerging market innovations class, MIT Development Ventures! This is the 10th year Professor Alex (Sandy) Pentland and I have run this entrepreneurial action lab! Some two dozen new venture concepts this year, including both for- and non-profit, across multiple sectors including health, energy, education, commerce, and civic. In order of presentation, we have (plus start geo-locations)...
  • Volta Ventures ~ Cost-effective Housing (Africa)
  • Up4Good ~ Mobilizing Volunteerism (US, Sri Lanka)
  • Tsunami Transfers ~ Lower-cost Remittances (Africa, Asia)
  • Supply Change ~ Fair-Trade Fruits (Paraguay, LatAm)
  • SULICO ~ Community-centered Energy Services (Africa)
  • STEMspring ~ Project-based Education (US)
  • SOSHL ~ Interest-driven Dinner Network (US)
  • Sourcemap ~ Supplier Sustainability Tools (Global)
  • Shaffaf Pani ~ Clean Water Distribution (Pakistan)
  • SafeTaxi ~ Transportation Security Services (Turkey)
  • Runado ~ Informal Courier Services (MENA)
  • VOTEP ~ Voice-enabled Internet (Ghana)
  • Pinka ~ Empowering Girls w/ Sports (Mexico, LatAm)
  • OAJ ~ Medical Tourism Services (Iran, MENA)
  • Niébé Milk ~ Vegetal Cowpea Dairy Products (Africa)
  • MOBEX ~ Branchless Banking (Pakistan)
  • C5 Bio ~ Microbial Suger-to-Isoprene Processing (Brazil)
  • Lashining ~ Beauty, Education, Happiness (China)
  • GamEdu ~ Games for Teaching Business Skills (Brazil)
  • Sound Logic ~ Audio-based Education Solutions (Asia)
  • DevEnergy ~ Waste-to-Energy Solutions (Asia, Africa)
  • The Common Origin ~ International Music (Africa)
  • Media Lab Africa Initiative ~ Boosting Ties (Africa)
  • QuickCheck ~ Rural Health Kiosks (Egypt, MENA)
Several of these have prototypes, websites, trial-runs, and substantive action-plans going forward!

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