Four Innovators At GES 2017 Who Want To Change The World
Beyond Ivanka and Modi: The innovators at GES2017 who want to change the world
An futuristic ambulance catering to rural heathcare, a company which makes biodegradable sanitary napkins and a 13-year old boy who wants to save the environment and teach people about autism through his apps. While India-U.S. diplomatic ties may have been the highlight of the the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 in Hyderabad, at its heart were the thousands of innovators trying to build businesses which are also socially conscious.
The three-day summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by Ivanka Trump, advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, was aimed at bringing innovators and entrepreneurs under one roof and saw a plethora of interesting stories.
Here are the highlights:
A Cart-Like Ambulance To Aid Rural Healthcare
Retired Wing Commander Dr. Lavanian showcased his ‘ambupod’. The low cost carrier works as a mobile ambulance which can provide basic critical care and be used as a basic dispenser of medical services in rural areas. Its narrow frame allows maneuverability in the narrowest of lanes. At Rs 5 lakh, it is priced at one fifth the cost of a regular ambulance, claims Dr Lavanian. The carrier can be hooked to a car, a motorbike or even a pack of dogs!
A Safer Alternative To Regular Sanitary Napkins
At Rs 20 per napkin, Saathi’s biodegradable sanitary napkins are more expensive than the regular brands available in the market. Tarun Bothra, Co Founder of Saathi, who makes these biodegradable sanitary napkins from banana fiber, said the product is available at subsidised rates for women in rural areas who don’t have access to sanitary napkins .
“Sanitary napkins stand in landfills for 500 years because most of them are made out of plastic while this is made out of agrowaste”, Bothra said. Saathi’s environment-friendly version will not only turn into biomass within six months but also provide additional income to banana farmer, he added.
Turning Ads Into Educational Content
Vijay Kantheria wants to reduce the impact of harmful advertisements on children. The founder of Cerebroz Edu Tree came to GES 2017 looking for funding for his device which replaces advertisements with educational content.
“We are not an ad blocker,” explains Kantheria. “We want to replace something negative with something positive”. The device is currently available at Rs 9,400.
A 13-Year-Old Veteran Of Five Apps
That a spirit of innovation that can truly make a change was perhaps best reflected in the enthusiasm of 13-year-old Hamish Finlayson. The serial entrepreneur already has 5 apps to his credit including one to save turtles, clean up beaches and create awareness about autism. Hamish and his father suffer from autism and want to educate the world so that ‘autistic people are not treated like monsters’. His next project is a video game that teaches children how to cross the road safely.