Technology for Rural Innovation is on the mind of veteran, 80 year old, inventor, Paul Polak. During the last few decades he has started numerous initiatives to work for the poor in the developing world like his foot pedal water pump. His latest initiative through his company SunWater is affordable solar water pumps. He plans to build and test a cost effective solar water pump for developing countries which would enable farmers to irrigate their lands and produce more crops and earn more income, thus giving them a chance of a better life. Though solar pumps are available but this is different in the sense that it aims to make it cheap to build and affordable. The idea conceptually is to use mirrors to reflect sunlight on to a solar panel, thus increasing their efficiency. See the video for their crowd funding effort which explains the concept.
What is wonderful is that Paul advocates seeing the global poor not as people without money but without opportunities to do business. He also sees it as a virgin market that requires affordable products and innovative solutions.
– Harsh Thapar
Also read :
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2009-01-12/paul-polak-global-poverty-fighterbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
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