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On the upper east side of Manhattan, in a place where an espresso cup costs $79, you will find a courtyard full of inventions designed not for the fabulously rich, but for people who do not have access to basic goods and services. This courtyard is in the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and the exhibit is called “Design for the Other 90%.”
The particular day I visited happened to be at the end of my first week at Acumen Fund as a Summer Associate. Keeping in mind Acumen’s mission and the various backgrounds of Acumen’s investees, I wanted to see how these ideas to provide goods and services to the poor through design innovations and market approaches become reality. Among the inventions were devices such as the One-Laptop-per-Child project, StarSight solar-powered street lamp and wireless communications device, and the MoneyMaker Block press. When I came across the drip irrigation system from IDE India, one of Acumen’s investees, a smile came across my face. After learning about it this past week, here it was in “practice”!
Although not the same as going into the field to see how these designs are being used, the exhibit was still a helpful complement to the press that have recently reported on social entrepreneurship and the world of venture philanthropy. Seeing how ideas translate into design innovation and production gives the museum visitor an opportunity to see the hurdles that need to be crossed and the context in which these products are created.
The exhibit itself does not contain much detail on the designs, but the Museum website provides a wealth of knowledge on the exhibit as well as on the topic of social entrepreneurship. When visiting the Museum, make sure to view the website as well to have a more informative trip. The exhibit will be on view until September 23, 2007.
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