Perspectives on Innovation

Daniel Castro recently won the Economist-InnoCentive Healthcare Information Economy Challenge. This Challenge was part of the Economist Challenge Series and as the winner, Daniel was invited to present his solution at the Economist Ideas Economy Information event, which took place in Santa Clara in June of 2011. Daniel’s winning solution can be viewed here.

I’m a senior analyst at a Washington, DC-based think tank where I work on a variety of policy issues related to information technology. Generally, I look at how different types of public policy can help spur the adoption and use of technology that help improve economic productivity and quality of life. My key focus is on information policy, such as privacy and security, and I am especially interested in how policymakers can help spur more innovation through the use of data.

Before beginning my career at the think tank, I worked at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) where I audited information security controls at various government agencies. Working in government gave me a great opportunity to see how government policies are implemented firsthand, an experience which is invaluable in my current job. My academic background is fairly diverse: I received a B.S. in Foreign Service at Georgetown University before switching gears and obtaining an M.S. in information security from Carnegie Mellon University. I have found that having both strong technical expertise and a background in the liberal arts has given me many opportunities to pursue the projects that most interest me. (more…)

Solver since 2009

Occupation: CEO of Cizzle Biotech
Education: PhD in molecular biology; JD
Residence: United Kingdom
Challenges Awarded: 2

1. Control of Bubble Size in Carbonated Beverages ($15,000 Challenge)
2. Stabilizing an Oil and Food-Seasoning Suspension ($25,000 Challenge)

I stumbled onto InnoCentive while visiting nature.com. I’ve won two InnoCentive Challenges and while the monetary award is nice, equally fulfilling is the satisfaction of solving a significant, real-world problem. You might find it interesting to know that you don’t have to be an ‘expert’ in the field of a particular Challenge to be successful. Take me, for example. I have a PhD in molecular biology but my successful Challenges were in engineering. All you need is a passion for learning and new ideas. Even if you do not win an award, you can’t lose because in any case you will learn something new.

For most of my career, you could say I have been in the business of ideas. During a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, I decided I wanted an alternative career in science and ended up choosing intellectual property. My first job in patents was at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a place I highly recommend for those wanting to move away from the bench but stay on the cutting edge of science. One of the great perks of working in patents, whether at a patent office, a law firm, or in-house, is that you get to see new inventions long before most others.

If you want to move into intellectual property, it is a good idea to have a law degree, so in addition to my day job, I went to law school at night. Going back to college for yet another degree (I already had a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree) and doing so on top of a full time job was not what I would describe as a pleasant, albeit however necessary, experience. Since law school, I have worked exclusively in biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Recently, I had the opportunity to work abroad and jumped at the chance. I now live in the UK and I’m the CEO of Cizzle Biotech, a spin-out of the University of York. Needless to say, I don’t have as much time these days to work on Challenges, so please, take my place and best of luck.

Solver since 2009

Occupation: Freelancer in pharmaceutical business research
Education: PhD in pharmaceutical technology
Residence: Japan
Challenges Awarded: 2

1. Definition of Region for Clinical Trials ($10,000 Challenge)
2. Literature Examples of API/Excipient Incompatibility ($10,000 Challenge)

I am a freelancer working in pharmaceutical business research domain. I first learned about InnoCentive in 2002 during my master’s program. Since then I have always been interested in InnoCentive, however I could not find time to work on Challenges due to my research work.

After my bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Delhi University, I pursued my master’s and doctoral studies from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Punjab, India. After completing my education, I worked for a Knowledge Process Outsourcing company in Delhi where I worked in the life sciences and healthcare division. Though I kept looking at Challenges, I could not focus on solving them because of time constraints. It was only after moving to Japan in 2009 and becoming a freelancer that I worked my way back to InnoCentive while visiting nature.com.

I attempted to solve problems not only related to my subject but also other interesting Challenges where I could fit my ideas perfectly. Initially, when I submitted my solution for an Ideation Challenge, I was never confident that I would hit the target. But the award for my first solution gave me the confidence to explore more and each Challenge brings with it bounty of learning and knowledge, whether I win or not.

Solving these Challenges gives me immense satisfaction and provides me with a chance to get my ideas out to the global community. InnoCentive has not only given me an opportunity to successfully apply my skills in solving Challenges but also created awareness. I strongly believe that knowledge never goes to waste and because of some Challenges I have become sensitive to issues which did not bother me before. At times we take many things for granted or do not realize the depth of the situation. Challenges posted on InnoCentive such as those related to PET bottle caps are not only interesting but also bring to light the underlying problems.

InnoCentive provides a very constructive platform for working minds from all over the world. Solvers are not limited by geography, profession, or educational background, so problems are seen with different perspectives. For Solvers, it is an opportunity to work on realistic and complex industrial issues which they may not face personally and also to look beyond their focus areas. There are no limitations or restrictions of how you approach the problem and it is totally upon your intellect and creativity to solve it.

Among the many other forums working on similar business models, I feel InnoCentive clearly stands out. Their staff is very supportive and the whole process from viewing the Challenge, to submitting the solution and then getting the award is completely uncomplicated and genuine. I sometimes wish I could know the real solution that answered the Challenge, especially for Ideation Challenges, just for curiosity’s sake. I am proud to be a member of InnoCentive family and hope to contribute in future Challenges.

Jose Luis Susa Rincon is the winner of the NESTA Challenge Transforming Parental Engagement in the Way Young People Learn.

I am an Electronic Engineer, with a background in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. My degree as an Electronic Engineer was in Colombia in 2008 from the University: “Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito”. I also have a Masters Degree in Engineering from the “Ecole National d’Ingenieurs de Brest” in France (2008) where I worked at Ensta’s Laboratory of Cognitive Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

Since 2007 I have been working, especially, in robotic research and mobile robots applications, like a “Robot Guard”. Moreover, at the moment I am trying to apply the robotics on the education field in Colombia.

I knew about InnoCentive in 2008, since that moment, it means to me an opportunity to be creative, like an opened door to start my way to change the world. There, I have seen many challenges and I have been interested in some of them; finally my father Jose Felix Susa (Coordinator of the International Institute of high abilities in Latin America and Central America) and me worked together for one, and we won! I have to recognize my father’s work in this Challenge, his experience in Education, Special Talented Children, Intelligence Development and all their invaluable knowledge in these fields made us the best team for achieve this bid.

I always fancied being an inventor, because of that I chose Engineering as my profession: to re-invent the world. I believe in the capacity of innovation in each one of us as a human characteristic, we just need to believe in our ideas, believe that each new idea could make the difference in this world. That’s why I always encourage the people to do something, invent something and make better our environment. I think that everything is possible and I work for become one idea in a fact.

What about me?

Ok, I’m a funny guy, who is always thinking about different stuff and has something to say (at least very often). I like listen to music, go dancing or to the cinema, especially if they have sci-fi movies, I love to travel, and sleep.

I have a good family and we spend good times together in Colombia, where we live by the moment. However, I’m planning go to study abroad the country. I think, like most of people, that we are in this world for one thing: Be Happy. So, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” like the song, therefore I try to do that and living every day as the last day. As a result, I have lots of lovely times with my loved ones.

Well, this is a short description of me. Now you know a little more about me.

Cheers!

Mario Alejandro Rosato is the winner of the second  Economist-InnoCentive Challenge, The Capture of Atmospheric Carbon to Address Global Warming. He presented his winning plan at The Economist’s Ideas Economy: Intelligent Infrastructure Event on February 16-17 in New York, NY.

I was born in La Plata, Argentina in 1961, to a family of Italian nationals. I built my first thermal solar panel at the age of 16 and as undergraduate assistant collaborated with several department chairs. I obtained a scholarship on renewable energy in Italy in 1986 and graduated in electric, electronic and environmental engineering in 1988.  Just a year later, I became a Professor of Renewable Energies. My thesis on wind turbine design was published as a book in Spain in 1992, sponsored by the European Community.

In 1990 I relocated to Italy and worked for several companies, sometimes in business areas that had nothing to do with my professional background. Research on renewable energies was the first love of my life and you know, one always remembers the first love…

I finally founded Sustainable Technologies SL in 2009 and a friend told me about InnoCentive. I decided to try and since then, I have been awarded a prize sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation (Rain Harvesting in Kerala) and one of The Economist on The Capture of Atmospheric Carbon to Address Global Warming.  Two prizes out of five proposals submitted, in a tough competitive environment. Quite stimulating, don´t you think?

Apart from InnoCentive, I won some prizes from Caixa Manresa and Innovacat and am currently (Feb. 2011) in competition for the Entrepreneur XXI Prize in Spain.

The good thing with InnoCentive compared to other similar competitions of ideas is that the anonymous proposal system ensures full meritocracy. In InnoCentive, your ideas are worth what they represent and contain, regardless of where you obtained your diploma or your nationality or ethnic origins.  Also for companies, the system allows consistent savings in R&D costs and ensures “out of the box” thinking, finally independent from the “academic endogamy” of many organizations.

Definitely, I will keep competing. Welcome and good luck to all!