Lunchtime Talk: Tackling the Most Pressing Global Problems

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Over 80% of all Singaporeans live in public housing estates, of which over 90% own these homes.

However, public housing in Singapore is a whole different concept to what developing countries have. billionBricks is set up in Singapore not just because it is a design and innovation hub, but more importantly, it is the only city of its size which has nearly no homeless people.

Today, brillionBricks is providing shelters to the homeless in Canada, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, and the United States.

The session will cover these key areas:

• Why are the best minds not solving the world's biggest problems?

• How can companies use technologies to solve social problems?

• How can billionBricks help you understand the needs of people in developing countries, and create solutions that will improve their livelihoods?

  
  

Agenda

12.00pm Introduction

12.15pm Lunch & Learn

12.45pm Q&A

1.00pm End

About the speaker

Prasoon Kumar - Co-founder and CEO, billionBricks

About the company:

billionBricks is a one-of-a-kind non-profit innovation studio that uses design as primary tool to solve one of the most pressing global problems: homelessness. Headquartered in Singapore, they design and provide shelter and infrastructure solutions for the homeless and vulnerable that are scalable, sustainable, and able to create opportunities for communities to emerge out of poverty. This approach empowers communities to replicate their solutions on their own, and reduce dependencies on support, creating ownership and pride, and unlocking untapped potential for change.

Their first product, weatherHYDE is an insulated, reversible, lightweight and women-friendly emergency shelter designed to save lives of the homeless in extreme weather. Ashton Kutcher called it, ‘innovation at its finest’ when its social media campaign went viral with over 40 million views. Their second product, powerHYDE is world’s first solar home for the homeless which produces enough energy to pay for itself. In addition, they have also built schools, homes and been active in disaster relief. Since their founding in 2013, they have rehabilitated more than 2,500 homeless in India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Nepal, United States and Europe.