Design to Improve Life: The Learning Lab @ Index

Foldable school bags and soap on a string that makes washing hands fun and prevents theft. These were some of the business ideas students from around the world presented at the Index: Design Challenge in Copenhagen in February 2011 - where the the Danish BOP Learning Lab contributed as a knowledge partner. The challenge is a biennial call to global design and business students, inviting them to address “challenges that represent not only crucial issues in today’s world, but critical steps to our survival in a world students will one day inherit.” This year the award partnered with UNICEF Supply Division and chose the theme “Designing for Education.”

From a pool of more than 1000 students from 29 countries 6 were chosen and invited to Copenhagen to present their ideas. During an intensive workshop the nominated students revised and refined their concepts.

Besides assembling talented students the workshop attracted a group of high-profile stakeholders whom in very different ways could support the student’s efforts and share knowledge amongst each other. Participants included among others representatives from the UN, the Rockefeller Foundation, The World Economic Forum as well as social entrepreneurs and global and Danish companies that in different ways are involved in the intersection between business and development.

The BOP Learning Lab supported the process by helping the students develop business models that can bring the products on the markets in developing countries. In addition the Learning Lab used the event to create links to a range of interesting projects and partners that can potentially support Danish companies in their BOP-ventures.

More information http://www.designtoimprovelife.dk/designchallenge/about.php