Cycle Commerce As An Ecosystem

By John Thackara
John Thackara reviews new products, services and ingredients needed to help a cycle commerce ecosystem flourish in India’s cities, towns and villages.

The SunWater Project: Advanced Solar Technology for Poor Farmers

By Paul Polak
Paul Polak on SunWater: a radically affordable solar water pump that will transform small plot agriculture and help bring the world's poorest families out of poverty.

8 Ways to Grow New York’s Design Sector

By Center for an Urban Future
New York City is home to more designers than any other U.S, city and a top location in the world for cutting-edge design. NYCxDESIGN — the city’s first citywide design festival, launching this week —builds on much of that activity to increase awareness about what design is and what it can do. But there is more the city can do to solidify New York’s claim as a capital of design.

Transforming Solar Pumping to Eliminate Rural Poverty

By Paul Polak
Paul Polak explores how we might reduce water shortages by employing solar pumping and eliminating rural poverty.

Harnessing the Power of Surprise

By Soren Kaplan
Breakthroughs share three common characteristics: they challenge fundamental assumptions about existing products, services, business models, or organizations; they transform existing ways of doing business by rewriting rules or revolutionizing current practices; and they apply resources in entirely new ways, whether people, knowledge, relationships, or technology.

A Roof, A Skill, A Market

By John Thackara
The Nubian Vault Association has evolved a unique approach to housing in West Africa that creates three kinds of value within local economies: a roof, a skill and a market.