In “Tech Meets Good,” I write about the power of technology to solve seemingly complex problems around poverty, hunger, education and other issues affecting human welfare worldwide. The Tech Museum of Innovation, located in San Jose, Calif., actually goes many steps further to recognize innovative leaders of this technology in its annual Tech Awards — awarding $250,000 to five lucky technologists. In the face of these complex problems, the winners present solutions that make you say, “I wish I had thought of that!”
Last month, the Tech Museum held its annual awards recognizing these do-gooders. The five recipients hail from the United States, Namibia, the United Kingdom and India. Among the winners’ inventions: converting an invasive shrub into fuel and restoring habitats at the same time in Africa; using DVD technology to help teachers in disadvantaged schools in India and Bagladesh; and developing a new earthquake-resistant construction technique for developing countries that saves lives regardless of the income level of the homeowner.
Here’s the full list of this year’s winners of the $50,000 prizes:
- Intel Environment Award: Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia). Learn more.
- Accenture Economic Development Award: DESI Power: Decentralised Energy Systems India (India). Learn more.
- Microsoft Education Award: Digital StudyHall (Bangladesh, India). Learn more.
- Katherine M. Swanson Equality Award: Build Change (United States). Learn more.
- Fogarty Institute for Innovation Health Award: Marc Koska, Star Syringe (41 countries including Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Denmark, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka). Learn more.
All of us at Tonic applaud these winners (yippie!) and are pleased to see the full list of nominees include a number of projects about which we’ve written in this column including Sunlabob Renewable Energy, Practical Action and The Portable Light Project. The Tech Museum of Innovation is now taking nominations for its 2009 awards; nominations are open until March 2009. Is your idea worthy for nomination? It could be worth $50,000!
“Tech Meets Good” is a regular feature at Tonic News. If you have cool examples of technology doing good in our world, please email dan[at]tonic.com.