Design for the Developing World: Energy

Wednesday, February 24

6:30pm to 8:30pm

Open to Hub members and the general public

1.6 Billion

The number of people worldwide without access to electricity

2.4 Billion

The number of people relying on wood, dung and crop residue for cooking and heating

1.5 Million

The number of lives claimed each year through indoor air pollution due to the use of such solid fuels.

2

The numbers of hours needed on a Thursday evening to begin designing solutions to these challenges!

Please join us on the evening of Thursday 24th February as we delve deep into sustainable energy for the developing world and its potential to provide significant economic, health and environmental benefits. Rather than just focusing on the technology, we’re examining the design of energy solutions that are financially sustainable, scalable and most importantly fit the needs of the end user.

Part 1: Discuss (6:15-7:15pm)
We will be joined by a diverse range of social entrepreneurs, engineers and consultants that have developed energy solutions across the developing world. They will be spilling the beans on what works, what doesn’t and what we can learnt from other sectors and markets. Participants include Heather Fleming from Catapult Design – the SF based non-profit design firm that has developed solutions for energy and healthcare in Africa, India and Latin America.

Part 2: Design (7:15-8:30pm)
After our lively discussion, we’re moving straight into an intense design charrette. In small teams we will be developing potential  solutions to energy related challenges posed by Hub members (from refrigeration in Africa to solar power for IT centers in India and much more) all against the clock.

Participants:

Heather Fleming, CEO/Co-founder, Catapult Design (www.catapultdesign.org)
Heather is a designer, an engineer, and an entrepreneur motivated by social inequality. In 2005, she helped found and then led a volunteer group of engineers and designers focused on humanitarian design projects via Engineers Without Borders (EWB). In July 2008 Heather was named a 2008 Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow, a program aimed at high-potential young leaders with new approaches for transformational impact, for her work with both EWB and Catapult Design. She previously worked in the Silicon Valley product development consulting world and has six years experience working with multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop, and deliver product solutions for a diverse range of companies.  Heather also lectures the class “Design for Sustainability” at Stanford University in the Mechanical Engineering department. Heather has a BS in Product Design from Stanford University.

Andree Sosler,

Executive Director, The Darfur Stoves Project

Andree has extensive experience in Africa-focused grassroots and economic development initiatives. As Program Associate at the Trickle Up Program, she oversaw grassroots microfinance projects in Benin, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Uganda. Most recently, Andree was an Associate at the OTF Group, a strategy consulting firm that advises organizations, countries and regions on competitiveness. In this position, Andree led OTF’s projects in Republic of Congo and Angola, and contributed to the firm’s work advising the Government of Rwanda on private sector development. Andree earned an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and an AB in Development Studies from Brown University.

Mitra Ardron,
Founder / Executive Director, Natural Innovation

Mitra has been working for many years on commercialising and scaling green innovations, he brings skills in assessing innovations for viability and finding routes to completing the technology, and deploying it into a market. Most recently, he provided business support to ">Urban Ecological Systems  to raise finance, and complete their crucial first sale. He setup and managed Australia's fastest growing solar photovoltaic supplier. In the late '80's he was a founder of the Association for ">Progressive Communications  and ">GreenNet  which pioneered the early development of the internet and its use internationally - especially in developing countries - by non-profits, and change-agents. He was also acting CEO of ">Papyrus Australia, and helped found ">Zeo International.Mitra still occasionally provides consulting services to VC's and Angels on the technical and business evaluation of potential cleantech investments. Mitra has lived and worked in India, and Russia.

Kevin Braithwaite – (un)moderator

Kevin is an advisor to cleantech, mobile and web ventures focused on social and environmental impact in developing and emerging markets. Since 2007, Kevin has been a mentor for finalists in the California Clean Tech Open (CCTO) creating products and services for developing world markets. He is also a director and co-founder of RootSpace, a social venture incubator in Beirut, Lebanon, that works to foster sustainable social and economic development through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. Kevin has founded and built multiple technology companies and advised a wide range of early stage investors, incubators, universities, multinational corporations and non-profits. Kevin is a passionate member of The Hub in Berkeley/SF/London and wants you to join too!

The Hub is a space for social innovators to work, meet, connect, and inspire. Members come to The Hub to collaborate, access market opportunites and capital, build community, and scale ideas. We are a place-based and online community of entrepreneurs, freelancers, artists, funders, students, mentors, community leaders...amazing people doing incredible things. We borrowed from the best of a members club, business incubator, idea lab, and the comforts of home to create a different kind of space. A habitat for innovators.