Dear Colleagues,
From mobile phone microscopes to urban waste solutions, this issue of the State of the Lab provides exciting
snapshots from year two at the Development Impact Lab (DIL). We highlight a few of the promising
technologies in our pipeline, as well as field-tested solutions that are now moving to market. We also capture
reflections from our first annual conference, which presented novel techniques for revealing consumer
demand for pro-poor innovations. Finally, we spotlight some of the up-and-coming innovators involved in the
Lab – both at our headquarters in Berkeley, and in the broader ecosystem.
Over the last year, we have expanded our portfolio of innovations, to 35 pilots and projects in 15 countries.
These projects span the pipeline – from early-stage design to scaling out of the university in the form of
nonprofits and for-profits. The projects provide novel solutions for energy, water, health, housing,
governance, and other priority development sectors. We have also seeded new ideas by supporting travel
exchanges between researchers and practitioners around the globe.
In addition, DIL has launched a new field and area of study, Development Engineering, which connects
engineering design with insights from development economics and other social sciences. In the coming year,
we will continue to serve as an interdisciplinary hub connecting researchers, students, and development
practitioners working to tackle global poverty. We invite you to stay engaged with DIL through our events,
newsletters, and social media.
Sincerely,
The DIL Team
dil.berkeley.edu | @DevImpactLab | [email protected]
IN THIS ISSUE
USAID Ensures More Students Worldwide Ideate for Social Impact
Student Spotlight: Kate Fenimore, From Film Editor to Health Change Maker
Revealing Demand for Pro-Poor Innovations
DIL Explore Travel Grants: Small Grants With a Large Impact
Seminars Unite Engineering and Development Economics
Ask the Expert: Mentors Donate Time for DIL Innovators
Postdocs Advance Development Engineering Research
Community Cellular Networks: Providing Cellular Coverage to Rural Communities
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