Emergence and Importance of Innovation Hotspots

By C P Gurnani*, CEO, Mahindra Satyam

As I look forward to participating in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2011 in Dalian (People’s Republic of China), I am very excited about participating in the panel discussion on “Embracing Disruptive Innovation”. The meeting is a key global business congregation in Asia and I am looking forward to exchanging thoughts with the attendees at the event. The takeaways from the event are sure to have a positive impact on the industry.

As you may have noticed, there are times when we come across an innovation and ask ourselves whether we can encounter such a thing in future. I feel that an innovative mindset is something that cannot be filled up or emptied out! That’s why we find more and more innovations coming our way as we move on.

As the world copes with new economic challenges, we can look forward to Innovation as the savior. Today, Disrupting Innovation – an innovation that helps create a new market and value network, and eventually goes on to disrupt an existing market and value network, displacing an earlier technology there – is emerging.

Let me throw some light on some of the disruptive innovations from India in recent times. These are the innovations that have the potential to improve a product/service in ways the market doesn’t usually expect. And surprisingly, these innovations cost a fraction and meet the needs of a different set of customers:

Nano Ganesh – Ignition through a Cell Phone
Under Nano Ganesh, Tata Teleservices helps farmers to operate their irrigation pumps from remote locations. This GSM Mobile-based remote control system is exclusively for use with water pump sets in agriculture areas. A farmer has to simply dial a number dedicated for a Nano Ganesh pump set, and then punch his ‘on’ or ‘off’ code for the control of the pump set. The device comes handy in the rural area where power outages are quite frequent.

Mitticool: A Fridge for the Poor

Mitticool is a clay fridge that does not require electricity and keeps food fresh too. It works on the principle of evaporation. Water from the upper chambers drips down the sides and gets evaporated leaving the chambers cool. This keeps food, vegetables and even milk fresh naturally for days.

Sakshat – a low-cost handheld computer (tablet)
The latest example of frugal Indian innovation is a low-cost handheld computer that the government says will cost only 1,500 rupees (about $35).

e-Choupal
An initiative by India‘s leading FMCG, ITC, e-Choupal has been a powerful innovation in passing on benefits to farmers. By providing them with farming information and services, timely and relevant weather information, transparent price discovery and access to wider markets, e-Choupal has provided power to the farmers. It has educated the poor and uneducated farmers on how to conduct e-commerce transactions and take decisions on when and where to sell their produce to maximize profits, while eliminating unscrupulous middlemen.

There are several such examples that have the power to transform the world. We at the Mahindra Group stand by the power of innovation, and are constantly working towards enabling entrepreneurship.  Stay tuned for my next blog, wherein I will share how the Mahindra Group is supporting and fostering innovative entrepreneurs.

*C P Gurnani is CEO of Mahindra Satyam. He is attending the upcoming World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions held in Dalian, China 14-16 September 2011.