Developing World Special Interest Group

Cambridge Network’s new Developing World special interest group explores the challenges of affordability and sustainability, as consumers in the developing world rapidly become the greatest segment of the market.

It is clear that the technologies and products used in the West – which depend on unrestricted access to resources like water and energy, and which often generate excessive waste – will not be appropriate for these consumers. The group will investigate:

·         Water scarcity as agriculture, industry and domestic users compete will require reformulation of products like soap, better reuse of water in cultivation and production and design of goods and buildings for off-grid local communities.

·          Air quality in industrializing urban centres is threatened by uncontrolled production, logistics and consumer transport. Technologies to reformulate products ,clean-up processes, filter air and monitor quality are needed.

·         Waste management: Consumer affordability of small (e.g. sachet) products and limited waste logistics in developing countries requires better design of products and packaging and implementation of local waste handling.

·          Increasing value-add in agriculture and industry: Developing world countries need to add more value to exportable commodities (e.g. agriculture, minerals) and industrial goods, both to influence design to serve local realities and increase the share of value retained for an expanding population. 

·         Hygiene and healthcare: Affordable healthcare that reduces infant mortality and improves quality of life encourages a virtuous circle of education and value-creation locally .

Implementing solutions in a way that benefits developing world economies such  as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China and India will be a common theme, with active participation from governments and investors from these economies.

The group’s inaugural meeting takes place on Thursday November 11th. Championed by Cambridge Network Founder members PA Consulting and Unilever, it will introduce the challenges and opportunities of resource use in the developing world, identify challenges to raise quality of life in a way that is affordable and sustainable, and link those to key technological advances.

Details of this event and further meetings planned for 2011 will be posted on this website shortly. Cambridge Network special interest groups are open to all corporate members.

If you have technologies you would like to showcase in a presentation slot at the SIG meetings, please email Matt.Schofield@cambridgenetwork.co.uk.