We can’t change complex systems one project at a time.
Instead of scattering resources across countless initiatives, we unite investors, innovators, and implementers around ONE critical systemic challenge at a time.
Focused.
Highly-structured.
Transformative.
Systemic.
In addition to leveraging our network to accelerate single-point technologies, we can also leverage it to create and scale more systemic solutions which require a unique mix of different technologies.
Think in terms of large, complex challenges that are so vexing in scope and scale that no single technology not technology provider can hope to provide the answer. Witness issues such as environmental degradation, rapid urbanization, social unrest from wealth and religious gaps, and the rise in contagious diseases.
Because of their breadth and complexity, traditional approaches for solving these types of issues typically fail to deliver the desired results.
A new approach is required. One that pulls together the best and brightest and fuels their effort with the tools, technologies, and capital necessary to find and scale a solution.
See it as a modern-day equivalent of the 1940s Manhattan-project, except rather than a race to create the first atomic bomb, it’s the quest to solve an issue like finding a way to remove all the plastic from our oceans.
We call these Innovation Challenges, and Katerva is uniquely qualified to design and manage them
INNOVATION CHALLENGE PROCESS
Define
The process begins with a clearly defined problem to which no known solution exists yet if one was to be found it would significantly and measurably improve the lives of millions.
Collaborate
With the problem clearly defined, it’s time to identify and engage key operatives and partner organizations with a vested interest in resolving it.
Baseline
Researchers and data analysts to establish context and a knowledge baseline for addressing the problem. Their work is shared with other Challenge participants for knowledge exchange and exploration of specific areas to probe for solutions and insights into best practice, novel practice, and emergent opportunities.
Discover
This stage allows the Challenge participants to use their baseline understanding, intellectual curiosity, and personal / professional networks to search for solutions that can address the problem directly, or in combination with other potential solutions. This may result in finding a product, tool, application, or approach that already exists, or potentially some promising research that can be translated into an active solution.
Evaluate
Narrow the list of ideas and solutions. This is done in collaboration with key opinion leaders, market experts, and industry mavens and takes into account overall potential impact, feasibility of implementation, viability of business metrics, and end- user desirability. This part of the process culminates in presentations to an esteemed group of judges who choose the opportunities that move onto the next stage of the process.
Imagineer
Working in partnership with the client and relevant partners, the team assembles the key component parts into a holistic and systemic solution that creates the desired outcome.
Scale
Working in partnership with the client and relevant partners, this final stage of the process is focused on (a) determining funding requirements for implementation and scaling; (b) negotiating commercial terms between solution providers and investors; and then helping structure and syndicate any resultant deals. The end goal is societal impact, sustainability, and market appropriate economics.
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK
Projects involving key members of the Katerva team include:
Water Management Challenge
CONTEXT: The year is 2015. California is in the midst of the worst drought in its history. 80% of all available freshwater goes to its farming community where demand greatly exceeds supply.
CHALLENGE: Reduce the amount of water we give to our farming community by a minimum of 10% while holding output and quality constant.
The Africa50 Innovation Challenge
Africa50s quest to identify the most promising solutions for last mile internet connectivity in Africa.
