unicef innovation labs
TRANSCRIPT
INNOVATION LABSUNICEF
Part 1:
WHAT IS AN INNOVATION LAB?
UNICEF Innovation Labs
Innovation Labs bring together the best minds from private
sector, academia and development to co-create and solve some
of the world’s most pressing challenges
•ambitious model for collaboration
•idea incubation with a focus on social impact work
•a space to test new ways of reaching and involving children
and their communities in local and national development
•works with other types of labs, in other institutions, to avoid
duplication of product or process
health and child survival
designers
engineers
programmers
technical experts
development specialists
youth
inventors
educators
promising trainees
academia
private sector
civil society
Lab Network
There are research and development innovation Labs in Uganda,
Kosovo and Zimbabwe, with plans in the near future for another
nine countries to join the network.
These hubs for innovation and collaboration will be able to
connect to other innovation networks and incubators and share
their processes and outputs.
MIT Media Lab
Un Techo para mi País (UTPMP) in Latin America
Praekalt Lab in Nigeria
Limbe Lab in Cameroon
Instedd Lab in Cambodia
IIT Lab in India
iHub in Kenya
Kosovo
Madagascar
Zimbabwe
Uganda
This type of south-south collaboration creates space &
opportunity for sustainable social innovation
physical products
partnerships
software development
example:
• solar-powered computer kiosks for rural areas
• handheld water testing devices for post-emergency use
• mobile and web-based platforms to improve service
delivery and enhance data collection systems
• tools to empower local populations with information for
advocacy and action
Goal + Principles
Each Lab may have a different programmatic focus,
but all of them will share a set of common principles
and methodologies that emphasize:
open-source solutions
collaboration
user-centered design
building on experience
scalability
openness to all interested parties
sustainability
Part 2:
About three labs
>>Description for Labs in
UGANDAKOSOVOZIMBABWE
Launch year
Partners
Project Type
2010
Aalto Univ., Makerere Univ., ThoughtWorks, UNICEF, WHO, Global Pulse
• Physical products for rural access to information
• Developing mobile phone systems for realtime feedback loops
Launch year
Partners
Project Type
2010
University of Pristina, University of Business and Technology, IPKO,
Disney,MIT, Kosovo institutions, UN Agencies in Kosovo
• Co-creation of open source products and technological solutions for Kosovo institutions
• Youth-driven projects designed to catalyze positive social change
• Mobilize and enable broad-based youth participation through the Youth Advocacy Platform
Launch year
Partners
Project Type
2010
University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Bio-medical Research Training Institute
(BRTI), Zimbabwe Statistical Authority (ZIMSTATS), Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe
(MRCZ), National AIDS Council(NAC), Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Ministry Labour
and Social Services,Ministry of Education, RTI International, London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University College of London (UCL), Pangaea and Battelle
The CCORE has its focus on 5 key thematic areas, including the areas of maternal newborn
child health and nutrition, health systems strengthening, social protection including
livelihoods, water and sanitation and basic education with HIV as cross cutting
Collaborating Centre for Operational Research and Evaluation (CCORE)