Technology acceleration program for sustainable development: SDC contribution to EPFL’s Tech4Dev program phase II and to ETH4D phase II, 2024 - 2027

Beneficiaries (technology users) in partners countries in the global South

Researchers from the global South as well as Swiss academics engaged in North-South collaboration at EPFL and ETH

Research-, governmental-, non-governmental- and business- partners in the global South

Outcome 1: impact-oriented and need-based solutions addressing global challenges and advancing poverty eradication are developed

Outcome 2: an expanding network of committed stakeholders supporting sustainability and scaling of the proposed solutions beyond the program is created

Outcome 3: knowledge and behavioral change of key stakeholders, incl. local governments, NGOs and researchers is increased

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Outcome 1: (i) a number of relevant research projects are launched and sustained; (ii) the development and transfer of research projects in the field is accelerated; (iii) transdisciplinary partnerships with universities in the global South as well as with NGOs / industry and governmental institutions are launched and (iv) students, researchers and broader public participate in SDG relevant courses and events.

Outcome 2: (i) development actors which support the scaling of sustainable solutions (Swiss and LMICs actors) are engaged; (ii) the transition of projects to the right scale actor are supported; (iii) development organizations are equipped with relevant solutions and (iv) start-ups are funded to scale innovations in the global South.

Outcome 3: (i) researchers, NGOs, local partners and development actors are engaged and committed throughout the program; (ii) coaching is provided to ensure efficient, effective and equitable research cooperation with LMICs.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Tech4Dev and ETH4D are still young research initiatives seeking to develop knowledge, expertise and capacities of both universities to address societal challenges in the global South. According to the 2023 external evaluation the following insights are key:

• While facing classical development challenges in bringing technological innovations to society and implement them at scale, the scope and clarity of the research-to-development cycle is critical (“funnel approach”)
• Strong and trusted partnerships between NGOs, research labs and local governments are essential to achieve real impact and the universities start-up creation experience has proven highly valuable
• Substantive projects have been realized during phase 1: be it the development and testing of a low-cost seismic isolation system using rubber spheres, a study showing that iron deficiency anemia (IDA) having major impact on the efficacy of vaccines or the development of a resilient shelter solution for the South Sudan population affected by flooding involving local entities, with the potential of scaling

KFPE (scnat), the SOR4D program and with selected TRANSFORM partners

Occasionally with other EPFL or ETH initiatives like NADEL or the Essential Tech Center