The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has announced the regional winners of the 2021 ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW), the international accelerator of hardware innovations for social good. Three entrepreneurs who presented their design prototypes emerged as regional winners from a field of eight finalists representing North America, Europe, and Africa. The winners will share (USD) $30,000 in seed grants and receive technical support to help bring their designs to market.
The 2021 ASME ISHOW USA winners are:
- Conservation X Labs (Washington, D.C., USA) for “The Sentinel.” Sentinel is a hardware and software platform that retrofits existing devices used in wildlife conservation, such as trail cameras and acoustic recorders, enhancing how conservationists use advanced tools, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning models, and act on important events.
- JK Engineering, part of SelfChill cooperation (Stuttgart, Germany), led by a former E4C Fellow, for its “SolarIce Maker 50.” This device produces 50 kilograms of ice blocks daily, combining solar power with innovative control and efficient operation; The product is engineered to work in tropical climates and designed to be manufactured with local material using SelfChill technology and natural refrigerant, assembled and maintained in the target countries with the help of trained staff. With a PAYG option, customers with limited finances can make monthly mobile payments for ice blocks as a service.
- Project Prana (Cambridge, Mass., USA) for its “iSAVE (Individualized System for Augmenting Ventilator Efficacy).” iSAVE is a low-cost ventilator multiplexor that repurposes existing medical flow valves to allow a single ventilator to provide personalized support to at least two patients with independent control of volume and pressure for each patient and safety measures to accommodate sudden patient deterioration and prevent cross-contamination.
“Social enterprises, now more than ever, need the support of the global impact community,” says Iana Aranda, President of E4C and Director of ASME’s Engineering Global Development sector, which houses ISHOW. “Social entrepreneurs across the world, including many ISHOW ventures, are on the frontlines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and advancement of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. We are fiercely focused on providing these innovators with accessible platforms for capacity building, expert engagement and co-design of scaling strategies suited for the new normal. Ensuring their success through this global crisis is of paramount importance.”
In addition to the three grand prize winners, the product with the most votes in social media for each regional event is named the “Fan Favorite,’’ and receives $1,000 (USD). The fan favorite prize is made possible and in memory of Byron G. Schieber Jr. M.S., PE, Professor Emeritus QCCNY, and Ruth L. Schieber. The 2021 ISHOW Kenya “Fan Favorite” winner is JK Engineering, part of SelfChill cooperation (Stuttgart, Germany) for its “SolarIce Maker 50”.
More information on the ISHOW USA 2021 finalists can be found on the ASME ISHOW website. A virtual ISHOW for finalists in India was held in May and an event for finalists in Africa (ISHOW Kenya) took place in June.
From ISHOW Kenya: A Kenyan Startup’s Ventilator May Bridge Local Demand
ASME ISHOW annually matches up to 30 carefully selected innovators with curated industry experts to ensure that the proposed hardware solutions are technologically, environmentally, culturally, and financially sustainable. ASME’s panel of judges and experts includes successful entrepreneurs, academics, engineers, designers, investors, and industry representatives from leading organizations in India, Kenya, and the United States. These subject matter experts provide technical and strategic guidance based on ISHOW’s four key pillars: customer/user knowledge, hardware validation, manufacturing optimization, and implementation strategy.
ASME is grateful to The Lemelson Foundation for its continued support of the ISHOW with a three-year strategic investment and to ISHOW implementation partners around the globe. Learn more about ISHOW’s global impact in this dynamic dashboard.
Hear from ISHOW 2020 winners about their experiences. Follow the journeys of other ISHOW alumni including PayGo Energy, PlenOptika, Himalayan Rocket Stove, SAYeTECH and others here.
