WINTER 2016-2017
that PedalTap is now looking to partner with other organizations that share their vision of lowering the spread of infection through promoting proper hand hygiene while also conserving water. Ultimately, the team hopes to build partnerships that will enable them to secure their own workshop and increase their capacity for mass production of the PedalTap.
In addition to seeking new partnerships, PedalTap continues to enter their product in various competitions. In November 2016, Nakibaala said,“[ The ] PedalTap team is also very excited and preparing to take part in the TechCon Innovation Marketplace. We are determined to be the winners of this year’ s marketplace.”
TechCon is an annual conference hosted by the Higher Education Solutions Network and USAID. The convention brings together a wide range of people from students and development experts to entrepreneurs and researchers. One feature of TechCon is the Innovation Marketplace in which young innovators and students compete as individuals or teams in one of two categories:“ products & services” or“ research.” The final round of winners from each category will win financial and / or mentorship support.
This year, PedalTap attended TechCon at MIT from November 10-12 where they won $ 1,500 in the“ products & services” category.
Sarah Bernardo is a writer at the Blum Center for Developing Economies.
Celebrating 10 Years of Big Ideas
When the Big Ideas Contest launched ten years ago, it was a novel concept: give teams of students with potential breakthrough ideas small sums of money and a variety of supports and see what happens. Over the past decade, a lot has happened.
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