Frugal Innovation: Core Competencies to Address Global Sustainability

The call for global sustainability is echoed by societal, environmental, and economic needs across the globe. In answering this call, a design innovation process that properly considers the needs and context of citizens in the developing world is necessary in order to develop appropriate, adaptable, affordable, and accessible solutions, products and services. This process, called “Frugal Innovation,” is rapidly becoming a standard against which sustainable solutions are assessed. Through an exploration of Frugal Innovation Core Competencies (Frugal Innovation Lab, Santa Clara University), and corresponding case studies of field solutions, a model is presented to begin sustainably addressing global human needs.