The question isn’t ‘why’ but ‘why the heck hasn’t this been done before?’

Having civil society organizations collaborating with universities and private commercial companies in an effort to develop innovative, low-cost solutions for the third world is a simple idea. But as simple ideas come – this is one of the better.

Developing simple low-cost solutions to combat poverty is by no means a new idea. It has its roots in the 1970s, when economists and designers looked for simple, low-cost solutions to combat poverty.  A number of ideas have been developed over the years and show that innovative cost-effective solutions can increase access to food and water, energy, education, healthcare, revenue-generating activities, and affordable transportation for those who need them the most.

However, it is only within the last few years that working relationships involving Civil Society Organizations, Universities and Commercial Companies have begun to evolve. They have created new solutions based on high-tech knowledge, experience and best practice, which – combined with local knowledge and insight – have solved previously insurmountable challenges in daily life.

Despite a number of positive experiences, only a very limited number of strategic partnerships actually exist. This is mainly due to a lack of knowledge at universities and in private sectors about needs and possibilities in the third world and due to the tendency for civil society organizations to keep commercial interests at an arm’s length.

This means that those who need it the most are kept away from the innovative process and that the gap between the rich and poor of this world is widening.

Access2innovation aims at developing knowledge and creating hands-on products that are:

* Better than existing solutions
* Cheaper than existing or comparable solutions
* Sustainable
* True to the Code of Conduct for relief and development aid