Recent statistics reveal that the world population is growing at an alarming rate. As a result, resources have become scarce, which, in turn, prompts humans to be more creative and come up with new inventions. You can see many great mind-blowing innovations here: www.bazaargadgets.com/se.
Many human inventions are based on either substituting the scarce resources or improving human livelihood. Different countries have fully embraced the idea of frugal innovations. Here are top four countries leading in this trend:
- India
India is the leading country with numerous innovations across the world. Its first great innovation was discovered when the country was hit by a huge earthquake that claimed over two thousand people and left forty thousand homeless. It is during this time that engineer Mansukhbhai Prajapati decided to design a low-cost clay fridge that required no electricity. Prajapati’s new invention was a part of the growing trend in the Indian community known as “frugal innovation”.
India was hit by yet another catastrophe in 1975 where the country suffered from major flooding, bringing the province of Bihar at a standstill. The rising waters in several parts of the country made it difficult for daily commuters. Mohammed Saidullah, who made daily trips to town to sell honey, was forced to pay expensive fares for boat rides. Because he was losing more money than earning them, he locked himself away for three days and constructed an amphibious bicycle. The bicycle allowed him to contend with the increasing annual monsoon. Its design was uniquely modified with retractable floats which were attached to the sides of each wheel. The amazing invention earned him several awards, including the National Innovation Foundation’s Lifetime Award.
- Kenya
Kenya has discovered a unique method of sending and receiving funds using mobile phones. This sophisticated project is known as M-PESA. Since its introduction by the mobile phone operator Safaricom, the country registered over nine million users and conducted more transactions domestically as compared to those done by Western Union internationally. The success of M-PESA can be deduced from several factors such as:
- Conducive environment offered by the pre-existing conditions in the country
- Innovative business execution strategies, which significantly boosted the country’s M-PESA performance
- Exceptional service designs
- The Netherlands
The Netherlands invented the leading laundry brand known as Omo. It is their belief that children are able to learn and develop as they grow to make rich memories and new life experiences. However, these experiences are made through play and mostly in dirt-oriented places. As a result, the country has embarked on a mission to create a play-friendly world where the children can make lifetime memories in a healthy environment. After years of research, they have finally come up with detergents such as Omo, Persil, Surf Excel, and Skip. These detergents use sophisticated technology that is capable of removing tough stains and dirt from clothes.
- USA
The United States was the first country to come up with a mission-based organization that is dedicated to allowing people to access the web on their mobile phones. They have done this through the invention of Firefox OS, which is capable of functioning in mobile phones. Since its invention in 2013, Firefox OS devices are now available on sale in over fifteen markets. In addition, the company has expanded its manufacturing borders and is now available in four global operators and device manufacturers from other three companies.
Final Thoughts
More-for-more business models are expected to become obsolete as many customers no longer opt for expensive products. Moreover, the limited natural resources are pushing people to sustain growth by doing more with less.
Necessity is indeed the mother of all inventions. Humans from all over the world have come up with new and more diverse methods to improve available resources. The goal of frugal innovation is to heal the fractured world and find a way to help the population without spending a lot of money.