Grassroots Innovation Quiz & Flashcards for Social Enterprise

Study Notes

Dr. Um from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, is a professor with a keen interest in grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship.
He has 9 patents to his credit, including the fastest patent granted in India in 2018 for biodegradable straws from coconut leaves.
His startup, Blessings Private Limited, is incubated at Christ University and co-funded by 7 students, providing employment opportunities to women in coastal India.

Grassroots innovation can bring about significant change in the lives of common people, according to Dr. Um.
Small innovations, especially university-level projects, can be translated into commercial enterprises with a positive impact on earnings.

Dr. Um's team devised a low-cost baby incubator, resembling a sleeping bag, which maintains a constant temperature of 37°C when hot water is added.
This innovation has saved the lives of over 2 lakh babies in rural areas and is now used in several countries, including Africa.

One needs to be empathetic and understand the pain of the people to be motivated to solve their problems through innovation.
It requires coming out of one's comfort zone and working towards providing solutions.

Dr. Um observed that villages without electricity had multiple cell phones, which were charged in nearby cities.
He installed solar power panels in villages, providing prepaid electricity through smart grids and meters, reducing power consumption.

Christ University's innovation and incubation center developed biodegradable drinking straws from natural fallen coconut leaves.
The straws are sold in 11 countries, providing income-generating opportunities to women in coastal India.

Universities can come up with innovations that solve local and global problems, as seen in the examples of biodegradable straws and low-cost baby incubators.
Students and faculty can develop products and solutions that mitigate global problems, especially in rural areas.

Innovations need to be understood in their local contexts, as seen in the example of a baby monitoring device that was initially rejected by pregnant women due to social stigma.
The device was modified to resemble a bead, making it more acceptable to the community.

Rural communities are capable of being great innovators and problem solvers, but need support and empowerment.
The Honeybee Network aims to strengthen the creativity of grassroots communities, individual innovators, and developmental volunteer organizations.

The proposed framework for entrepreneurial transformation is based on three assumptions: poor communities are not poor in their minds, emerging India requires new synergy among skills, social, ecological, and cultural capital, and support for generating durable micro-enterprises.
This framework can eventually operate independently, reducing the need for employment programs.

Dr. Um is a professor from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, with a strong interest in grassroots innovation and entrepreneurship.
He has 9 patents to his credit, including the fastest patent granted in India in 2018 for biodegradable straws from coconut leaves.
He is the founder of Blessings Private Limited, a startup incubated at Christ University, co-funded by 7 students, providing employment opportunities to women in coastal India.

Grassroots innovation can bring about significant change in the lives of common people.
Small innovations, especially university-level projects, can be translated into commercial enterprises with a positive impact on earnings.

Dr. Um's team developed a low-cost baby incubator, resembling a sleeping bag, which maintains a constant temperature of 37°C when hot water is added.
This innovation has saved the lives of over 2 lakh babies in rural areas and is now used in several countries, including Africa.

To be motivated to solve problems through innovation, one needs to be empathetic and understand the pain of the people.
It requires coming out of one's comfort zone and working towards providing solutions.

Dr. Um observed that villages without electricity had multiple cell phones, which were charged in nearby cities.
He installed solar power panels in villages, providing prepaid electricity through smart grids and meters, reducing power consumption.

Christ University's innovation and incubation center developed biodegradable drinking straws from natural fallen coconut leaves.
The straws are sold in 11 countries, providing income-generating opportunities to women in coastal India.

Universities can develop innovations that solve local and global problems, as seen in the examples of biodegradable straws and low-cost baby incubators.
Students and faculty can develop products and solutions that mitigate global problems, especially in rural areas.

Innovations need to be understood in their local contexts, as seen in the example of a baby monitoring device that was initially rejected by pregnant women due to social stigma.
The device was modified to resemble a bead, making it more acceptable to the community.

Rural communities are capable of being great innovators and problem solvers, but need support and empowerment.
The Honeybee Network aims to strengthen the creativity of grassroots communities, individual innovators, and developmental volunteer organizations.

The proposed framework for entrepreneurial transformation is based on three assumptions: poor communities are not poor in their minds, emerging India requires new synergy among skills, social, ecological, and cultural capital, and support for generating durable micro-enterprises.
This framework can eventually operate independently, reducing the need for employment programs.