This has been a wonderful ride, working with all of our intrapreneurs through weekdays and weekends- seeing the passion, the search for teammates, the long brainstorming meetings, the late night submissions on a Saturday!

 

The competition was open for just 5 weeks, and we received 46 ideas, with over 100 intrapreneurs backing them, on diverse social problems, ranging from third gender rights, disability inclusion, rehabilitating returnee migrants, preventing violence against women, ensuring care for the elderly population, strengthening livelihoods of the vulnerable communities, emotional and physical fitness, reducing water wastage, and many more!

 

Please let us take this opportunity to thank all of our participants, for being part of history. This was not easy, looking for teammates, working on ideas, and specially: filling out that very long form- all in such a short time.

 

But we want to make sure we do all we can to make it worth it for you.

 

As we are thrilled to announce the ideas moving forward to next round, we also want to tell you that Social Innovation Lab is always here to make sure you turn your ideas into real projects, in case your ideas haven’t gone to the next round. We want this to be the starting point of your journey with bracX. Please let us know if you want to work on them further- anytime.

 

With this, we’d like to share the list of ideas moving forward to Round 2 of bracX: BRAC’s first employee innovation platform (In no particular order):

 

 

• Oikotaan: An artificial intelligence based early warning system to prevent violence against women in Bangladesh

Team: Khandaker Fakhrul Alam,(Senior Programme Manager Programme Development and Fund Raising, CEP), Nandita Hore (Manager, Strategy and Business Development, Enterprises), Nowshin Mehzabin Chowdhury (Deputy Manager, Knowledge Management, Communications and Programme Development | UDP)

• Quack Quack!: A cost-effective duck farming model and value chain for economic empowerment for women living in Haor.

Team: Mohammad Nur Hossain Siddique (Deputy Manager, Cashless Branch, Integrated Development Programme), Razwanul Islam (Manager, Brand, BRAC Enterprises), Mohammad Shahadat Hossain (Manager, AFSP, Integrated Development Program)

 

• PI: A business model that produces low cost livestock feed utilising organic waste to cultivate Black Soldier Fly (BSF)

 

Team: Albaab Habib (Senior Manager, BRAC Education Programme), Kaniz Fatema  (Manager, Fundraising, BRAC Education Programme)

• Butterfly+ Working Mothers+ BracPack: A community run day care model that connects senior citizens with children and community women.
  
  

Team:

Butterfly: Rafiath Rashid Mithila (Head of Early Childhood Development Programme, BRAC International), Mahenaw Wara (Programme Manager, Skills Development Programme), Working Mothers: Azad Rahman (Programme Head, ASC), BRACPack: Sarah-Jane Saltmarsh (Head of Programme and Enterprise Communications, Communications), Tanjilut Tasnuba  (Assistant General Manager, Social Enterprise, BRAC Education Programme), Naima Islam (Manager, HR Partner, Microfinance)

(Please note that our juries recommended that we develop a model combining the three ideas in creating better child care model for Bangladesh- hence the long list of names!)

• Amasome: A micro-savings based model through franchised retail stores for the low-income earners in urban areas.

Team: Panuel Rozario Prince (Capacity Development Manager, BRAC Microfinance Programme), Monoar Alim (Business Analyst, BRAC Microfinance Programme), Tahmina Khanam (Deputy Manager, BRAC Migration Programme)

• Red Roof: A low cost shuttle service from hospitals to inter district public transport stops at scheduled interval for people with medical needs.

Team: Dr. Muhammad Ariful Haque (Senior Manager, Health Nutrition and Population Programme), Dr. Mahfuza Rifat (Programme Head, Health Nutrition and Population Programme), and Monirul Islam (Manager (Field Operations), Health Nutrition and Population Programme)

• Problem Solvers: A platform connecting donors with patients in need of urgent support by allowing micro donations.

 

Team: Touhidul Islam (Software Engineer, Technology Division), Tausif Ahmed Ishtiaque (Deputy Manager, Procurement)

• Learning By Doing: A model for strengthening resilience in the climate vulnerable areas by empowering women through introducing aqua-geoponics and hydroponics methods.

 

Team: Md. Bodrud-Doza (Senior Officer, BRAC DMCC), Md Ashadudzaman Asad (Senior Manager, BRAC Disaster Management and Climate Change Programme)

• Minerva : A digital platform that connects underprivileged students with mentors and tutors online.

Team: Nakiba Bari (Designer, Advocacy for Social Change), Saurin Ahmed (Communications Specialist, Communications), Nafisa Islam (Deputy Manager, PRL)

• Tranquility: A workplace based intervention to ensure emotional well-being of BRAC employees.

Team: Tahmina Hadi (Senior Sector Specialist, Disaster Management and Climate Change (DMCC))

 

CONGRATULATIONS to the top ten teams for making it to round 2!

 

Our jury members were highly impressed with their thoughtful answers, interesting insights and innovative ideas to solve problems they deeply care about.

 

We look forward to working with all of you in the upcoming months, starting with our innovation bootcamp from July 22nd to July 24th- that is designed specifically to help us unlearn, question our assumptions, and prep for the exciting round of prototyping.

 

We will get back to you with more updates.

 

#ThinkOutside

Photo: Taken during bracX ‘Meet and greet session’ during Round 0