Kopernik is constantly on the lookout for more efficient ways to deliver affordable, simple technologies such as solar lights, water filters and clean cookstoves to residents of the most remote areas of the developing world. Reaching those areas goes beyond the typical planes, trains and automobiles and can require anything from motorbikes to canoes—all of which involve an extra expense that is passed on to the consumer.
“Looking at the share of global GDP projection, it is clear that the center of gravity is shifting to non-OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries,” and companies “need to work in these diverse environments,” said Toshihiro Nakamura, cofounder and CEO of Kopernik, an online marketplace of simple innovative technologies designed especially for developing countries.
Nakamura was among the people invited to speak at the symposium held March 22 by the Global Organization for Leadership and Diversity.
One example of a high-impact, simple water technology is evident in a recent project by Kopernik in Bali, Indonesia. In collaboration with the East Bali Poverty Project and funded by T-Point, Kopernik distributed 25 Nazava water filters to six schools located in remote mountain hamlets in Desa Ban (Ban Village). Kopernik went into the schools and taught the students how to use the water filters as well as the importance of drinking clean water. Prior to distribution, most children drank two or three glasses of unboiled, untreated water per day. Now, with simple water filter technologies, the students can drink eight glasses of safe drinking water a day and avoid dangerous waterborne illnesses that at best keep them out of school and at worst threaten their lives.
Envirofit biomass cooking system, a cleaner energy biomass cookstove that reduces smoke and harmful gases by up to 80%, reduces biomass fuel use by up to 60% and reduces cooking time by up to 50%. Adspecs - self-adjustable lenses allow third world recipients to correct their own vision.
“The myth of Japanese government efficiency has collapsed,” says Toshi Nakamura, leader of Kopernik, an on-line market place offering technological solutions to problems in rural communities in developing nations.
“Up until the middle of the nineties people had faith in the government’s technocrats to drive the economy and provide social services,” he tells IPS. “This is no longer the case and people realised that a number of social issues had to, and can be tackled by ordinary citizens.”
Prior to the conference, panelist Nakamura described his hopes for the conference: "This is a great initiative that is bringing together the most creative minds and hands-on practitioners in the intersection of simple technology and international development ... Kopernik focuses on distribution to the last mile and we are looking forward to working together with the Scaling Development Ventures community to exchange learnings and solve some of the biggest challenges facing the developing world today," he said.
Kopernik, a Bali-based nonprofit organization, is also active in solving problems related to poverty in developing countries.
“Under conventional aid programs, innovative technology and local needs often don’t meet while costing a lot,” Nakamura, 38, said. “The result is aid hardly reaching remote villages, where aid is earnestly desired and needed. I wanted to create a system to change such a situation.”
Bali TV covers the launch of a safe drinking water campaign in Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, a joint initiative of Kopernik, Nazava Water Filters, Aqua for All and Stichting Grenzeloos Salland. The campaign is making safe drinking water more accessible in Bali through promoting the use of Nazava water filters. As part of the launch event, each family in Nyuh Kuning received a Nazava filter. [In Indonesian].
As a for-profit social enterprise, d.light is changing the world of humanitarian aid. Partnerships with equally unique non-profit organizations like Kopernik – recently recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative – display their impact.
As the old saying goes, “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” When Kopernik and d.light come together they don’t just give away lifesaving d.lights, they also employ locals, called ‘tech agents,’ to sell them at a rate subsidized by donations.
To access the most in need, Kopernik connects technology providers, local distribution networks and funders. Since its founding in 2009, Kopernik has implemented nearly 50 projects in 11 countries, bringing the benefits of life-changing technologies to over 84,000 people - including 20,000 people in Indonesia alone.
Presenting four open source appropriate technology (OSAT) case studies of organizations at the forefront of open collaborative technologies for sustainable development: Practical Action, Kopernik, Engineering for Change, and The Appropedia Foundation.
Today is a day dedicated to the eradication of poverty – a simple statement for a very complex problem. But what if the solution is simple? The eradication of poverty could be simple, life-changing technologies.
Maya Brahmam blogs about TEDxSendai, moderated by Toshi Nakamura, Co-founder and CEO of Kopernik, a technology marketplace for the developing world.
The Will to Create Project highlights how ideas arise and are brought to life by entrepreneurs working creatively to tackle some of society's greatest challenges. Host Paul Gubbins interview Ewa Wojkowska and Toshi Nakamura, founders of Kopernik.
Bali Advertiser does a feature spread on Kopernik's work with life-changing technologies in developing countries and the Kopernik technology showroom in its headquarter in Bali.
Renowned channel NHK World featured Kopernik's work and an interview with Co-Founder Toshi Nakamura at every hour.
Top Class, a Korean monthly magazine of renowned Chosun Daily, features Kopernik CEO and Co-Founder Toshi Nakamura under its "Success" column. In this interview, Toshi advocates for a more decentralized, business approach to development aid and a better understanding of the needs of the developing market for a sustainable distribution of life-changing technologies.
Article written in Korean.
This is part two of a two-part series taking a look at important trends in finance-related mobile technology in the developing world.
Across the developing world, the revolution in mobile telecommunications technology is driving massive changes in access to financial services. Kopernik is featured as one of the leading initiatives.
Toshi Nakamura goes 'the last mile' to help the poor.
Two non-profit organisations, Kopernik and Pekka, work together to help Indonesian women headed households break out of the poverty cycle.
This research explores what it takes for technology initiatives to reach and economically benefit women in developing countries through market-based strategies that have the potential for achieving scale and financial sustainability. Kopernik is one of the leading initiatives that were studied.
"Ewa Wojkowska is the co-founder of an organization that connects communities with much-needed technology. Wojkowska was moved to act when she saw aid groups with the best intentions fail to adequately connect on the ground with the communities that needed their help."
On the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on 17 May, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme hosted a live online chat with Ewa. This article highlights three staff members' prior involvement with the United Nations and links to the full chat.
Ian Sanders reports from the 2012 Do Lectures for "The Entrepreneurs", a weekly program on Monocle 24 online radio, putting the spotlight on those driving innovation in their industries, plus where to invest, business news and tips from those who have succeeded. He interviews a couple of the event's speakers, including Toshi from Kopernik. To listen, play archive #29.
Scientist Without Borders published Willow Paule's photo essay of the three-day training workshop held by Kopernik for women technology agents in Lombok, Indonesia. One of Willow's photographs from the event also took second place in Scientist Without Border's photo contest.
A powerful new diaspora from down under is rising up. They live offshore but their hearts and minds are connected to home. Ewa is included in this new generation of young professionals reaching international success.
Ewa Wojkowska, in her Black Innovation Awards Talk in Jakarta, invites Indonesian product designers to participate and innovate in creating technologies that can solve various social problems in their home country and change the lives of those in need. The Black Innovation Awards is accepting submissions for innovative ideas until 18 May, and the winner will win a trip to 100%DesignShanghai.
Article written in Bahasa Indonesia.
The Lovina Pages, a monthly bulletin for the Northern Bali community, interviews Cindy about her role in Kopernik and the technologies that Kopernik distributes to communities in the last mile.
The Center for Applied Innovation, a Chicago based 501(C)3 non-profit organization, announced today a collaboration with Kopernik, an online marketplace of innovative, life-changing technologies designed for the developing world.
This collaboration has resulted in the presentation of ten Kopernik campaigns during the Invent for Humanity Technology Transfer Exchange Fair, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland on January 23-25, 2012.
"Kopernik brings technology to those in the developing world by connecting companies manufacturing the technologies with local organizations working on the ground with the funders who want to make a difference. Since starting in Feb. 2010, Kopernik has already implemented 41 projects in 11 countries and reached 52,000 people. [...] The organization’s flagship project is the widow project in Indonesia, where business opportunities are being created for about 20,000 women."
Dewita Soeharjono, the voice behind Ecotwist, interviews Toshi after the Startup for Good Challenge at Mashable's Social Good Summit.
Matthew Bishop, a member of the panel of judges of the Startup for Good Challenge, highlights the 8 finalists in the competition, which includes Kopernik.
The notion that change requires a model, and that certain models are more effective than others, was the driving force behind Change Model, a two-day conference held at New York University in conjunction with the Grameen Creative Lab where Kopernik's co-founder Toshi was a speaker.
Startups that are building or using technology to make a positive impact on the world will compete for a chance to present at the Social Good Summit and win a $10,000 cash prize for their company. Kopernik is a finalist.
The Huffington Post spotlights Kopernik among the non-profits launching innovative approaches in the annual meeting of Clinton Global Initiative.
Everything Internet talks with Gordon Little about technologies and ongoing projects featured on the website and what's next for Kopernik.
While in Jakarta, Toshi and Ewa were interviewed by Green Radio, part of the Radio 68H network of community radios throughout Indonesia.
Co-founder Ewa gave a talk at TEDxJakarta, discussing Kopernik projects located in Indonesia that distribute locally manufactured technologies.
Ewa Wojkowska, after a decade with the UN, decided to establish Kopernik.info, a nonprofit online venture that brings life-changing technology to disadvantaged communities in developing nations.
Australian Ewa Wojkowska and Toshi Nakamura founded Kopernik, an on-line marketplace of innovative, life-changing technologies designed for the developing world. But they never thought that this resource was going to be needed by Nakamura’s affluent home country Japan.
TV Tokyo featured Kopernik and the technologies that it disseminates, including Q Drum, self adjustable lenses and solar lights.
Co-founder Toshi spoke at TEDxTokyo, sharing his experience in Japanese innovation and foreign aid, and show how the devastating tsunami in Tohoku can present an opportunity.
Poland's most widely read newspaper, Gazeta featured Kopernik and its founders.
NHK World's Asia 7 Days programme featured Kopernik's activities in Timor-Leste, and emergency response to the tsunami victims in Japan.
...crowdfunding sites, however, offer something new. Scroll through these sites and you will find catalogs of dozens or even hundreds of small projects, each with its own mini-site, for potential donors to consider. ... Thekopernik.org offers high-tech products for the poor: solar lights for Nigerian farming families, or a bio-sand water filtration unit for a village in East Timor.
Nikkei newspaper in Japan featured Kopernik's model and its recent activities in Japan in response to the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Co-founders of Kopernik, Ewa and Toshi opened the TEDxWarsaw! Video will be shared as soon as it is up.
Kopernik's project to support Papuan indigenous community was featured by Bakti news
Ewa Wojkowska was honored as an Ashoka ChangemakeHER, Changemakers's inaugural celebration of the world's most influentual and inspiring women.
“The Kopernik is a next-gen online charity initiative that lets you choose exactly which projects and technologies you wish to put your money towards. It's also quite an amazing repository of emerging survival and sustainable living technology.
Ewa was chosen as one of the 50 future leaders of Australia, an event organised by Advance.
Kopernik is a technology marketplace that connects life-changing innovations to the people who need them in the developing world. Co-Founder Ewa Wojkowska explains how and why it came about.
'In the last few years, with the help of its distinguished partners, ExxonMobil has reached out to thousands of women in many developing countries through grants and investments.'
'During their stints as U.N. workers, Ewa Wojkowska and Toshihiro Nakamura realized that many technologies that could help the world’s poor could not find their way to those who needed them, and those who needed them were usually unaware of the technologies’ existence.'
Kopernik was awarded a prestigious runner up prize for the clean tech category of Tech Crunch's Crunchies Award.
Toshihiro Nakamura, co-founder and CEO of the NPO Kopernik, believes the country could be putting its tech savvy to better use, creating products with the power to profoundly affect the lives of the poor.
Founded by a pair of World Bank and UN Development Fund alums, Kopernik uses the model to connect innovative humanitarian designs and technologies with the communities that would benefit from them, allowing local organizations to take the fulfillment of their needs into their own hands.
Toshi participated in NHK Mission programme that featured a Japanese company that embarks on producing affordable prosthetics for the poor in the Philippines.
Kopernik is a unique social model in that it provides awareness and access of innovative technologies to organizations in developing countries and helps them procure these products through crowdsourced microfunding, while also enabling technology providers to scale, reach out to more people and bring their costs down.
What is needed is nothing too sophisticated: Just simple yet practical products can go a long way to making daily life a lot easier if it augments one's livelihood.
"Our involvement with Ashoka's Changemakers was key in securing this grant and has opened up so many other new opportunities for Kopernik," said Ewa Wojkowska, Kopernik's co-founder.
If you don't fancy the traditional wedding crockery, silverware and cooking equipment, perhaps it's time to turn over your gift list over to a cause loftier than that of household appliances.
Ever wanted to change the world? Ewa Wojkowska, Australian co-founder of New York-based Kopernik is bringing innovative technologies to developing communities in East Timor, Africa and elsewhere.
An innovative distribution approach is being pursued by The Kopernik, an online store that connects individuals, companies, and local distributers. Companies post product descriptions, and on-the-ground distributors choose appropriate technologies to meet local needs from a "menu," articulating how they intend to use the technology in a short proposal that gets posted on Kopernik's website.
Access to basic necessities like clean water and electricity can be addressed effectively and Kopernik has found the solution.
The Kopernik is an online marketplace bringing together technology developers, donors and beneficiaries to provide basic necessities through technology to families in the developing world. I recently had a chance to connect with Scott White, the Business Development Specialist at Kopernik, to learn more.
If you would like to help humanitarian design projects to reach people who urgently need them, you can do so through a new Web site, www.thekopernik.org. Founded by a group of former United Nations workers, Kopernik, named after the Renaissance astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus, asks for donations (large and small) to contribute toward the cost of specific projects.
Sometimes, utter frustration can lead to solutions – as it did when 30-somethings Ewa Wojkowska and Toshihiro Nakamura realized that the barriers of cost and distribution of innovative technological products that could improve the quality of life in developing countries kept them from getting to where they were most needed.
Toshi was interviewed on NHK’s ‘Project Wisdom‘. It’s a global debate program on African development. He was in good company with other panelists including Paul Collier (Oxford), Matt Flannery (Kiva) and Fred Swaniker (African leadership Academy).
One of the most challenging aspects of humanitarian aid is connecting those who generate innovative solutions with those who need them. That's where Kopernik comes in: a grassroots platform designed to help bring breakthrough technologies to developing nations.
This session was part of The ExxonMobil Women and Development Roundtable Series.
There are some interesting technologies featured and a short piece about how Kopernik helps to distribute them.
“A smart solution to get technology into the hands of those who need it.”
“Ten years ago Ewa Wojkowska arrived in East Timor with her sleeves rolled up as an Australian volunteer for an NGO.
“Copernicus changed the way people viewed the world. Kopernik is changing the approach to development. Social Venture Kopernik uses crowd sourcing and crowd funding to connect progressive technologies, poor communities and a global network of donors.”
Alan Brough interviews Ewa Wojkowska, Co-Founder of Kopernik.
“A new website follows the increasingly familiar model of funding socially progressive design and technology projects a few dollars at a time.” Click to read more
“…breakthrough products, all of them invented in the last 5 o 10 years, are examples of what can be done when technology is designed for the poor.”
“We became bothered by the lack of innovation and new ideas in solving development challenges. It was the same people and the same projects being tried from place to place."
That's where startup Kopernik comes in. Founded by two ex-UN staff members, Ewa Wojkowska and Toshi Nakamura, Kopernik is a marketplace for what the duo calls life-changing technology. Their site promotes matchmaking between NGOs and other social change organizations with specific needs and the makers and designers of products-for-good.”
“Take a look at this new Cause Integrated company, Kopenerik. Kopernik connects innovative technologies, poor communities & individual donors to help facilitate the transfer of these technologies to the communities that need the
“With so much ingenious technology being developed by social entrepreneurs around the world, one of the great remaining challenges is figuring out how to make it available to the people who need it—first by letting them know that it exists, and then by raising the money to pay for it.”
A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of meeting Toshi Nakamura, co-founder of Kopernik, an interesting venture that addresses this very issue and launched a little over a week ago.
“The main concept behind Kopernik is the realization that amazing, life-changing technologies are out there, but are not reaching those who really need them”
“The name, of course, comes from Copernicus, the Polish Renaissance astronomer who busted the geocentric model of the universe and completely changed the way people perceived the way around them — an aspirational metaphor for Kopernik’s ambition to revolutionize how people see and understand the biggest challenges the world faces today.”
“Vintage copy of a Salinger novel? Ghosts in a jar? Nowadays, you can buy just about anything on the interwebs. That includes the coolest new gadgets – at least, for most of us. But what about high-tech goods for the developing world?”
“Kopernik have just launched a new web platform connecting you with poor communities and technologies that might be needed there via an online store. I cannot emphasize enough that is this is long long overdue and that we should all be embarrassed that this hasn’t happened before.”
“Kopernik is a group of former UN workers and today, Feb 19th, they are launching Kopernik—www.thekopernik.org—an online store of technology designed for the developing world.”
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