LAUNCH (Innovation Challenge)

LAUNCH is a program sponsored by NASA, Nike, US Agency for International Development, and the US Department of State that seeks sustainable innovations through quasi-annual challenges, forums, and a business accelerator. The program began in 2010 and has since focused on themes such as energy, health, water, and waste solutions.[1]

History

2010: LAUNCH Water and LAUNCH Health

Launch was founded in 2010 by NASA, Nike, USAID, and the US Department of State. The inaugural event, LAUNCH: Water, was held at the NASA Kennedy Space Station in March 2010 and highlighted innovations and research related to water sustainability. Some of the innovations included bacterial water sensing, a floating contaminant sensor network, and evaporation-based underground irrigation technology.[2][3]

The second LAUNCH forum, LAUNCH: Health, took place in October of that same year, also at the Kennedy Space Center. This challenge highlighted innovations in optimal nutrition (access, choice, and quality of nutritious food and required nutrients), primary preventive health care, and ways to improve fitness and lifestyle choices.[4]

2011: LAUNCH Energy

The LAUNCH: Energy forum took place in November 2011 at the Kennedy Space Center and highlighted innovations in sustainable energy systems.[5] The forum featured innovations in fuel cell technology, electricity management, and clean cookstoves.[6][7]

2012: LAUNCH Beyond Waste

LAUNCH Beyond waste took place in 2012 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. This cycle highlighted nine innovations in the fields of waste-to-energy, ‘eWaste’, ‘upcycling’ and recycling, agricultural waste and conservation, medical waste, sustainable chemicals and materials, and improved sanitation. The forum also included sessions about how to accelerate these innovations towards real-world implementation.[8]

In 2012, LAUNCH: Health Innovator Samuel Sia's company OPKO Health was awarded a contract to implement their diagnostic platform on the international space station.[9] Numerous LAUNCH: Beyond Waste innovators were recognized for their projects in the fall of 2012. Joseph Aramburu was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneurs for project re:char and Ashnu Gupta was named India's Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum for his company Goonj.[10]Attero Recycling (India): Nitin Gupta - India's leading provider of end-to-end electronic and electrical goods e-Waste management servicesf

2013: LAUNCH Systems and Micro-Challenge

In May 2013 LAUNCH convened first the LAUNCH 2020 Summit in Beaverton Oregon, a two-day event showcasing unique approaches to sustainability challenges with over 150 companies, NGOs, academics, and manufacturers in attendance. The summit also unveiled the LAUNCH 2013 Challenge Statement.[1][11]

LAUNCH: Systems Forum will take place in September 2013 at the Jet Propulsion Lab and will have a focus on transforming fabrics manufacturing to increase equity and sustainability. In 2013 LAUNCH also accepted submissions for its first 'micro-challenge,' directed at student researchers and entrepreneurs. The Micro-Challenge has a focus on capturing data from the materials supply chain and using it to better understand the materials system.[12] In 2013 LAUNCH was highlighted by Harvard's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation as one of the 'Top 25 Innovators in Government' putting it in contention for the Ford Foundation's 'Innovators In Government' Award unveilled in the fall of 2013.[13] In May 2013, LAUNCH alumnus SEaB Energy won the Resource Revolution Award in the Category 'Energy from Waste.'[14]

List of Innovators

Innovator Year Forum Project Name
Susan Addy 2010 Water ElectroChemical Arsenic Remediation
Ron Garan 2010 Water Manna Energy Limited
Julien Harou 2010 Water HydroPlatform
Shahram Javey 2010 Water The Barnacle
Stephen Kennedy Smith 2010 Water Large-Scale Vertical Hydroponic Ag System
April Rinne 2010 Water WaterCredit
Mark Sobsey 2010 Water Low-Cost Bacterial Water Tests
Andrew Tinka 2010 Water Floating Sensor Network
Mark Tonken 2010 Water Subsurface Vapor Transfer Irrigation
Mark van Iersel 2010 Water Affordable Soil Moisture Sensors
Jonathan Attwood 2010 Health Zamzee
Dieterich Lawson 2010 Health Medic Mobile
Aydogan Ozcan 2010 Health LUCAS
Ramesh Raskar 2010 Health NETRA
Ben Reis 2010 Health HealthySocial / Food Hero
Matt Sanders 2010 Health iMetrikus MediCompass Connect
Samuel Sia 2010 Health mChip
Erick Toledo 2010 Health The Chlorine Bank
Gijsbert van de Wijdeven 2010 Health Bioneedle Technologies Group
David Van Sickle 2010 Health Asthmapolis
Mark Bryant 2011 Energy Thermofluidics
Sorin Grama 2011 Energy Promethean Power Systems
Burt Hammer 2011 Energy Hydrovolts
Craig Jacobson 2011 Energy Point Source Power
Yashraj Khaitan 2011 Energy Smart DC Microgrids
Nina Marsalek 2011 Energy Solanterns Initiative
Ashutosh Misra 2011 Energy ITN Energy Systems
Jamie Simon 2011 Energy Powerzoa
Rene Nunez Suarez 2011 Energy Turbococina
Frank Wang 2011 Energy NanoTune Technologies
Jason Aramburu 2012 Beyond Waste re:char
Joseph Atnafu 2012 Beyond Waste Sanergy
Lisa Dyson 2012 Beyond Waste Kiverdi
Brooke Farrell 2012 Beyond Waste RecycleMatch
Nitin Gupta 2012 Beyond Waste Attero Recycling
Anshu Gupta 2012 Beyond Waste Goonj
Sandra Sassow 2012 Beyond Waste SEaB Energy
Jeff Toolan 2012 Beyond Waste Pylantis
Kiah Williams 2012 Beyond Waste SIRUM
Mark Browne 2013 Systems Benign by Design
Rana Gupta 2013 Systems Geckskin
Sam Harrington 2013 Systems Mushroom Materials
Oliver Heintz 2013 Systems Bark Cloth
Suzanne Lee 2013 Systems Biocouture
Jay Nalbach 2013 Systems CRAiLAR
Felix Puller 2013 Systems Qmilk
Candice Reffe 2013 Systems Blue Flower Initiative
Akshay Sethi 2013 Systems Ambercycle Recycling
Tara Sutherland 2013 Systems CSIRO (Artificial Honey Bee Silks)

[15][16][17][18]

References

  1. 1 2 http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/news/press_release.asp?docTag=201304251928BIZWIRE_USPRX____BW6914&feedID=600&press_symbol=212856
  2. ↑ http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/mar/HQ_10-061_launch_water.html
  3. ↑ http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/03/11/nasas-latest-launch-focuses-water-sustainability-0
  4. ↑ http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/stp/centennial_challenges/launch_health_prt.htm
  5. ↑ http://inventforhumanity.org/2011/blog/launch-energy-forum-2011/
  6. ↑ http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2011/11/12/launch-energy-forum-update-mission-control
  7. ↑ http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2011/11/13/launch-energy-forum-fueling-ideas-propelling-innovation
  8. ↑ http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/02/launching-ideas-waste-less-tomorrow
  9. ↑ http://investor.opko.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=701899
  10. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ekeg45kfk/jason-aramburu-27/
  11. ↑ http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-profits/index.ssf/2013/04/sustainability_partners_nike_n.html
  12. ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/09/nike-nasa-challenge_n_3246503.html
  13. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2013/05/01/harvards-ash-center-announces-top-25-innovations-in-government/
  14. ↑ http://resourcerevolution.net/awards/
  15. ↑ http://www.launch.org/challenges/waste
  16. ↑ http://www.launch.org/challenges/energy
  17. ↑ http://www.launch.org/challenges/health
  18. ↑ http://www.launch.org/challenges/water


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