The Mindset Shift Needed to Tackle Big Global Challenges | Bernhard Kowatsch | TED

Summary

The video emphasizes the potential of innovation and technology to tackle some of the world's biggest challenges, such as global hunger. It discusses how traditional thinking often limits our approach to these issues, but highlights successful initiatives like the 'Share the Meal' app and the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator. These projects leverage technology, such as blockchain and food fortification, to make a significant impact. The speaker encourages individuals, companies, and start-ups to harness innovation to address global problems, underscoring the positive impact already made.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Innovation and technology are powerful tools that can be harnessed to address global challenges like hunger and climate change.
• 🌐 The barrier to tackling these challenges is often our traditional thinking, not the lack of solutions.
• 🍽️ Global hunger affects up to 811 million people, and it's a problem that can be addressed through innovative approaches.
• 📱 The 'Share the Meal' app exemplifies how technology can make a difference by allowing users to feed a child in need with a simple tap on their smartphone.
• 🎉 'Share the Meal' has been successful, with over 130 million meals shared and recognition as an app of the year in 2020 by Apple and Google.
• 💡 The World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator was created to support social entrepreneurs and scale innovations that can disrupt global hunger.
• 🔗 Blockchain technology is being used to facilitate aid distribution, allowing refugees to purchase food with a secure and neutral system.
• 🌱 Food fortification is crucial for populations lacking access to a healthy diet, and Sanku's internet-enabled machine is addressing this need in Africa.
• 📈 Since its inception in 2015, the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator has doubled its impact each year, reaching 8.6 million people in 2021.
• 🌟 Accelerated innovation and technology can have a significant impact on global challenges, and collective action can lead to solutions.

Q & A

What is the main argument presented in the script about addressing global challenges?

The main argument is that innovation and technology can be leveraged to tackle some of the world's biggest challenges, such as global hunger and climate change, by changing our traditional thinking and applying solutions similar to those used in global business challenges.

What is the significance of the number 811 million mentioned in the script?

The number 811 million represents the estimated population of people on the planet who are hungry, highlighting the severity of the global hunger issue.

What is the 'Share the Meal' app, and how does it work?

The 'Share the Meal' app is a platform that allows users to donate 80 cents with a single tap on their smartphone to provide a meal for a child in need. It has been successful, with over 130 million meals shared by six million users worldwide.

Why was the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator established?

The World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator was established to replicate Silicon Valley's success in supporting start-ups but with a focus on global social impact, particularly to disrupt global hunger.

How does the Building Blocks innovation utilize blockchain technology?

Building Blocks uses blockchain technology to enable refugees to purchase food in stores. Aid organizations transfer money to individual blockchain accounts, and individuals can then shop and pay using iris scans or other authentication methods.

What is the impact of the Building Blocks innovation on refugees?

Building Blocks has reached about one million people, transferring over 300 million dollars of cash, to those in urgent need of food, providing them with a dignified and efficient way to access food.

What is the role of food fortification in addressing malnutrition?

Food fortification involves adding critical nutrients to staple foods, which is crucial for people who lack access to a healthy diet or cannot afford it. It helps combat malnutrition by ensuring essential nutrients are available in everyday foods.

How does Sanku's internet-enabled machine contribute to food fortification in Africa?

Sanku's machine fortifies maize flour at small mills in Africa, providing fortified, nutritious flour to clients at no additional cost. This market-based model helps reach up to three million people with essential nutrients.

What has been the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator's impact since its inception in 2015?

Since 2015, the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator has doubled the number of people reached every year through its supported innovations, positively impacting the lives of 8.6 million people in 2021 alone.

What other global problems does the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator address besides hunger?

The World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator also runs accelerator programs for other global issues such as primary health care, vaccine delivery, and gender equality.

What is the call to action for individuals, companies, and start-up founders as presented in the script?

The script encourages individuals, companies, and start-up founders to take action by leveraging innovation and technology to make a meaningful impact on the world's biggest challenges.

Outlines

00:00

🍽️ Innovation in Tackling Global Hunger

The speaker begins by challenging traditional thinking about addressing global challenges like hunger and climate change. They argue that innovation and technology are not just for consumer convenience but can be powerful tools in tackling these issues. The speaker introduces the app 'Share the Meal,' which allows users to donate 80 cents to feed a child for a day with a simple tap on their smartphone. The app has been successful, with over 130 million meals shared by six million users worldwide. The speaker also discusses the establishment of the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator, which aims to support social entrepreneurs and nonprofit innovations to disrupt global hunger. Examples of such innovations include 'Building Blocks,' a blockchain-based system that enables refugees to purchase food, and 'Sanku,' a social business that fortifies maize flour with essential nutrients at small mills in Africa.

05:00

🌟 The Impact of Technological Innovation on Hunger

The speaker reflects on the initial skepticism about using innovation and technology to combat global hunger and shares the success of the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator since its inception in 2015. The program has been able to double the number of people reached annually through supported innovations. By 2021, it had positively impacted the lives of 8.6 million people. The speaker emphasizes the potential for individuals, companies, and start-ups to make a significant impact through innovation and technology. They conclude by highlighting the accelerator's expansion to address other global issues such as primary health care, vaccine delivery, and gender equality, inviting the audience to consider the broader implications of taking action in these areas.

Keywords

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. In the context of the video, innovation is presented as a key driver for addressing global challenges such as hunger and climate change. The speaker emphasizes that traditional thinking is a barrier, and by innovating, we can find new solutions to these problems. An example from the script is the development of the 'Share the Meal' app, which uses innovative technology to combat hunger by allowing users to donate meals with a simple tap on their smartphones.

💡Technology

Technology encompasses the collection of tools, systems, or processes used to achieve a specific outcome or to solve a problem. The video script suggests that technology is not just about the latest apps or gadgets but can be harnessed to tackle significant global issues. The 'Share the Meal' app is a technological innovation that facilitates the donation of meals to hungry children, demonstrating how technology can be used for social good.

💡Global Hunger

Global hunger refers to the state where a significant portion of the world's population does not have reliable access to a sufficient amount of affordable, nutritious food. The video highlights that global hunger affects up to 811 million people and is a pressing issue that needs innovative solutions. The speaker argues that technology and innovation can play a crucial role in alleviating this problem, as evidenced by the 'Share the Meal' initiative, which uses technology to enable individuals to contribute to ending hunger.

💡Nonprofit Organization

A nonprofit organization is a group that operates for purposes other than making a profit, typically to address social, educational, religious, or environmental issues. In the video, the speaker initially questions why we think traditionally about global challenges and suggests that nonprofit organizations like the United Nations World Food Programme are at the forefront of using innovative approaches to solve problems like hunger.

💡Social Entrepreneur

A social entrepreneur is someone who pursues innovative solutions to social problems and seeks to create sustainable, scalable change. The video script mentions the lack of support mechanisms for social entrepreneurs compared to traditional start-ups. The speaker's journey in founding 'Share the Meal' and later establishing the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator exemplifies the role of a social entrepreneur in driving social impact.

💡Start-up Accelerator

A start-up accelerator is a program designed to support early-stage, growth-driven start-ups with resources, mentorship, and funding. The video discusses the creation of the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator, which is a start-up accelerator with a unique focus on global social impact. It helps start-ups and nonprofit innovations scale up to disrupt global hunger, showcasing a different model of acceleration aimed at social good rather than profit.

💡Blockchain

Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed ledger technology that allows data to be stored across multiple computers in a secure and tamper-proof manner. In the video, blockchain is highlighted as a technology used in an innovation called 'Building Blocks,' which enables refugees to purchase food using a neutral blockchain network. This example illustrates how blockchain can be used for social good, beyond its common association with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

💡Food Fortification

Food fortification is the process of adding essential vitamins and minerals to staple foods to improve their nutritional value. The video mentions 'Sanku,' a social business that developed an internet-enabled machine to fortify maize flour at small mills in Africa. This innovation is an example of how technology can be used to enhance the nutritional content of food, particularly for populations with limited access to diverse and nutritious diets.

💡Social Business

A social business is a type of organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being, rather than maximizing profits for external shareholders. 'Sanku' is cited in the video as a social business that provides a market-based model to supply fortified, nutritious flour at no additional cost to small mills in Africa, reaching millions of people and demonstrating the power of social business in addressing global challenges.

💡Global Social Impact

Global social impact refers to the positive effects that initiatives, programs, or policies have on a global scale, particularly in terms of social welfare and environmental sustainability. The video emphasizes the goal of the World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator to replicate the success of Silicon Valley start-ups but with a focus on creating global social impact. The various innovations and technologies discussed in the script are all aimed at achieving this broader goal of improving conditions for people worldwide.

Highlights

Innovation and technology can help tackle global challenges like hunger and climate change.

Global hunger affects up to 811 million people who lack sufficient daily calories.

The United Nations World Food Programme can feed a child for a full day with just 80 cents.

The app 'Share the Meal' allows users to share a meal with a child in need for 80 cents via smartphone.

Share the Meal has facilitated the sharing of over 130 million meals globally.

The World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator supports social entrepreneurs to disrupt global hunger.

Blockchain technology is used to enable refugees to purchase food in stores.

Building Blocks, a blockchain-based innovation, facilitates aid distribution to refugees.

Food fortification is crucial for people lacking access to a healthy diet.

Sanku's internet-enabled machine fortifies maize flour at small mills in Africa, providing nutritious flour.

Innovation and technology have the potential to solve some of the world's biggest challenges.

The World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator has doubled its reach annually since 2015.

In 2021, the accelerator positively impacted the lives of 8.6 million people.

Accelerator programs are now addressing global issues like primary health care, vaccine delivery, and gender equality.

Individuals, companies, and start-ups can leverage innovation and technology for global good.

Transcripts

When you think about innovation and technology,

you're most likely thinking about the latest app on your smartphone,

or maybe you think about rockets going into space.

But what about some of the world's biggest challenges,

like global hunger or climate change?

They can seem overwhelming or, you know,

maybe you just think there should be a nonprofit organization

that takes care of that.

But why is it that we think so traditionally

about some of the world's biggest challenges?

I believe innovation and technology

can help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges.

The barrier is our own thinking.

And there's something about this where big global challenges

are no different than big global business challenges.

So let's change that.

Let's talk about one of those topics, global hunger.

Hunger may seem like a remote problem for you,

but the effects of it are pretty drastic.

Hunger means you do not have enough calories on a daily basis

to live a healthy life.

And there is up to 811 million people on the planet who are hungry.

So what can we do about it?

I think innovation and technology is the answer.

A couple of years ago,

a friend and I realized that United Nations World Food Programme

can feed a child for a full day for only 80 cents.

We were shocked.

We thought, if more people knew about this,

if we made it easy,

imagine you were having dinner with your friends

and you're enjoying yourselves,

wouldn't you want to share your meal with a child in need?

And that's exactly why we founded an app called Share the Meal.

It's so simple.

With one tap on your smartphone,

you can share your meal with a child in need for only 80 cents.

And I'm excited to tell you it's working.

Over 130 million meals have been shared so far

by six million app users across the globe.

And Share the Meal was even an app of the year in 2020

by both Apple and Google.

(Applause)

When we started Share the Meal,

we had to push really hard to make it a reality.

There just weren't so many support mechanisms out there

to support social entrepreneurs,

when you compare it, for instance,

with the number of start-up accelerators for for-profit ventures.

Coming from that inspiration,

I got the opportunity to start the World Food Programme’s

Innovation Accelerator,

exactly with the goal of replicating what Silicon Valley does well,

but for global social impact.

It's a start-up accelerator that supports start-ups

and nonprofit innovations globally

and helps them scale to disrupt global hunger.

So let's look at two of those examples.

The first one is about blockchain.

Now, when you think about blockchain,

you may think about Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies,

but that's not how we think of it.

We use blockchain technology so that refugees can go into stores

and purchase food.

It's an innovation called Building Blocks.

And why blockchain?

Blockchain helps because it's not my blockchain

or your blockchain,

it's the neutral blockchain network.

And that way it makes collaboration among aid organizations much easier.

And how does it work?

Every month,

aid organizations transfer money to individual blockchain accounts,

and then that individual can go into a store,

shop for the groceries

and at the checkout they pay with the iris scan

or with another authentication method.

That innovation had first been submitted to us

by a World Food Programme finance officer

who participated in our innovation boot camp.

He then developed a prototype and tested it

only two months after starting,

in Pakistan with about 100 people,

and the next pilot was already with 10,000 refugees in Jordan.

And that was so successful,

that that solution scaled to over 100,000 people

within seven months.

And right now, Building Blocks is reaching about one million people,

transferring over 300 million dollars of cash

to people in urgent need of food.

(Applause)

And here's another example.

Did you know that corn flakes and a lot of other cereals

have added vitamins and minerals?

That's called food fortification,

when you add critical nutrients to staple foods we eat every day.

That's particularly important when people do not have access to a healthy diet

or maybe they cannot afford it.

This is where social business called Sanku comes in.

Sanku has developed an internet-enabled machine

that fortifies maize flour at small mills in Africa.

Now they have a market-based model that helps provide fortified,

nutritious flour to their clients

of the small mills at no additional cost.

Right now it's reaching up to three million people

and scaling further.

So, does it work?

Can accelerated innovation and technology help us tackle

some of the world's biggest challenges?

When we first started the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator,

it seemed like a crazy idea

that innovation and technology can help us make a meaningful impact

on global hunger.

But since starting in 2015,

we've consistently doubled the number of people reached every year

through the innovations that we've supported.

In 2021, we've positively impacted the lives of 8.6 million people already.

And now we even run accelerator programs for other global problems

like primary health care,

vaccine delivery or gender equality.

Imagine what the impact could be

if you take action today as an individual,

as a company, or maybe as a start-up founder.

Innovation and technology can enable so much good in the world,

and together we can solve the world's biggest challenges.

Thank you.

(Applause)