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ROBIN VERMEULEN
we developed
A ROADMAP FOR THE PRE-INCUBATION OF STARTUPS IN THE BASE OF THE PYRAMID.
year
role
2014
International Design Research, Co-Creation, Design Thinking
Design thinking can be applied to a broad array of challenges. For example for building up a sustainable society. Together with three other industrial designers I executed a research on using design thinking for setting up new startups in the South African Base of the Pyramid. Based on the design thinking principles, we created a roadmap for setting up small business enterprises within townships which should stimulate the local economy in a sustainable manner.
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The roadmap is based on the design process that we, as industrial designers, use. Constant iterations make it an ongoing cycle. The cycle of Butterfly Works was used as a basis.
The roadmap is meant to be used in an early stage of setting up a business, by a “pre-incubator”, which is a company that helps recognising the possibilities of translating an idea into a solid business plan. Using pre-incubators in the Base of the Pyramid stimulates sustainable startups, being substitutes for charity.
The research was part of Study Tour Ke Nako, a three week journey along companies and initiatives related to industrial design in South Africa.
© 2020, Robin Vermeulen. Designed and coded with Macaw