Deshpande Foundation: Innovation for Scalable Impact
The world has come a long way in addressing the major issues we faced in the past. We have eradicated smallpox, lifted millions out of poverty, and increased life expectancy around the globe. Yet we are still faced with many challenges around the world. Income and wealth disparity has significantly increased in the current century. While two billion of the world’s population enjoy a middle class or better existence with adequate resources and disposable income to cover their needs, over 5 billion have scant livelihoods and are still struggling to meet the many daily challenges. Despite its economic success, the US, like India, has pockets of underserved populations that are still struggling to achieve the American dream. Addressing the challenges of these two different segments require distinctly different approaches.
To address the opportunities for people with disposable income, one needs to lead with innovation, identify unique ideas, approaches, and products and ensure that they will satisfy their needs. However, new technologies and products by themselves are not adequate unless it includes a deep understanding of the customer, the domain and its context. The solutions need to be uniquely innovative in highly competitive markets. The Deshpande Foundation approach for this segment brings together deep innovation with understanding the relevance of the idea for the intended audience to create economic or social impact.
Deshpande Foundation Head Office
"The difference between a vibrant community and an impoverished community is how many people are excited about solving problems. By encouraging problem solvers, you create an entrepreneurial ecosystem."
A beneficiat of Deshpande Foundation's philanthropic work
On the other hand, in communities with low disposable income, it is more important to have a deep understanding of the social issue and the community needs. Building community trust and understanding will lead to the appropriate solutions and required innovation. While solutions might not be unique, implementation is key. Here the Deshpande Foundation approach is to first develop an appreciation of the issue and the community and only then introduce appropriate innovation to create socially impactful solutions.
The Deshpande Foundation has come a long way, but we still have a way to go. To achieve lasting social impact requires bridging the gap between the societies where ideas thrive to the regions most in need.
The Deshpande Foundation is building a Social Innovation Platform that will allow global innovators to pilot new ideas, refine models and approaches and build sustainable solutions with the potential for national scale.
Deshpande Foundation Head Office
Join Us in Building a Future that Truly Scales Impact
The Deshpande Foundation India’s Hubballi Sandbox is an empowering ecosystem encouraging an entrepreneurial culture to problem-solving in the community. It is a living laboratory for catalysts to test ideas, make changes and eventually develop truly scalable solutions that will address the pressing social challenges of the 1.1 billion living in rural and smaller metros of India.We believe everyone should be given the opportunity, resources, and support to turn their dream of starting a business into a reality. We work with individuals across a wide range of industries who may be in the idea stage, have a hobby they want to take to the next level, or those looking to pivot and grow an existing business. We foster deep partnership and engagement with the local community, business leaders and volunteers. We are currently in 8 locations in 2018 with plans to expand nationally.
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