ANNUAL REPORT
2019
OUR PURPOSE & TEAM
Catapult Design believes that all people, everywhere, should have access to thoughtful and inspired goods and services that suit their needs and their wallet. Our mission is to ensure that products and services aimed at marginalized communities are forward thinking, accessible, and people-centered. We accomplish this through three main activities: DESIGN supports organizations developing innovative products and services for low-income and marginalized consumers with design and commercialization services. We help our partners explore, prototype, and realize great products driving social change. EDUCATION develops innovation capacity within organizations developing or supporting the development of products and services for low-income consumers. RESEARCH investigates and disseminates research focused on the acceleration and accessibility of quality market-based solutions to poverty.
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HELLO FROM CATAPULT
CATAPULT PROJECTS
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Pit Latrine Excavation
Project ACTION
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Change Labs Work
ASME ISHOW
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Impact.Engineered
FINANCIALS, DONORS & FUNDERS
HELLO FROM CATAPULT’S NEW CEO
2019 was a year of many changes. After an extensive search, we are excited to have found Catapult’s next Chief Executive Officer and we couldn’t be happier. Angela Hariche brings with her a diverse background in social impact, design and product development, along with a strong track record in leading global, multi-disciplinary teams. She has extensive experience in the international development space working with the United Nations, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the philanthropic sector and start-ups. Angela has led major initiatives for the Sustainable Development Goals in Liberia, Indonesia, India, Ghana, Kenya, Bangladesh, the US (and others) by leading research, product design and execution as well as building networks and platforms for progress in the area. She has also led teams of designers and strategists as managing director of the global design and creative agency, Pearlfisher and co-founded boutique media company, Two Lane Films.
“I am humbled and excited to join this fantastic organization at a time when the entire design for impact movement is just beginning to come of age. I see a future where wellbeing and resilience all over the world are developed and sustained through innovative design. Catapult’s growth will strive to contribute to this next era of the design for development movement with sharp focus on co-creating highly impactful programs, products, and services which will result in contributing to a more sustainable future for all. It is a very exciting time for designers and I am overjoyed to support them in their mission.”
Angela Hariche
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ADVISORY BOARD
CATAPULT STAFF
Lauren Peters
Dawn Danby
Chair, Board of Directors Salesforce
Spherical
Angela Hariche Incoming CEO
Anand Narayan
David Kaisel
Heather Fleming
Treasurer, Board of Directors IP Spring
DK Design Research
Outgoing CEO/ Co-founder
Madiha Kotb
Evan Thomas
ASME
UC Boulder & SweetSense
Catherine Lovazzano
Scott Boylston
Design for Sustainability, SCAD
OUR LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nadine Foik Design Manager
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NEW BOARD POSITIONS Lauren Peters Lague was elected as Chair and Anand Narayan as Treasurer to Catapult’s Board of Directors. Lauren and Anand both joined Catapult as Board members in 2018. Lauren’s years of experience in art direction and marketing strategy, along with her drive and passion for social impact have played a significant role in Catapult’s development over the past 10 years. As Director of Design Strategies at Salesforce, Lauren leads cross-disciplinary teams in aligning on the company’s portfolio of business. From initial research and stakeholder interviews to strategic direction and project kickoff, Lauren skillfully navigates the unknown to lead teams through the often challenging discovery process.
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Anand’s background in engineering, his experience in product development in India as the Head of SELCO Labs, and his years contributing to ASME’s Engineering for Global Development initiatives make him a perfect addition to the Catapult leadership team. With his can-do attitude and passion for social impact work, Anand never hesitates to lend his support to Catapult -- whether that is as technical advisor at the annual ASME Innovation Showcase or as Catapult’s Board member.
Since we are all over the world, we thought it would be a good idea to bring key Catapulters to a strategic retreat in Mexico City. Mexico provided inspiring design, food, and atmosphere to usher us through long days of 2020 strategy sessions and exciting program alignments. We are taking the necessary time to listen, discuss, challenge, and reflect on current practices and discourse at the intersection of design, engineering, global
development, and local social impact work. Stay tuned for more on Catapult’s strategy for 2020 and beyond!
CATAPULT STRATEGY
With new leadership at the helm, Catapulters got together to talk strategy for current projects and overall future direction.
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OUR PROJECTS
Our projects span the water, sanitation, health, energy, agriculture, transport/mobility, food security, and entrepreneurship sectors across Africa, Asia, North and South America. In every instance, we study and immerse ourselves in local contexts to gain insight into how a product or service integrates into daily life. We then conceptualize solutions and create prototypes to test directly alongside users to inform the final design. Finally, we analyze the market systems and business models that enable solutions to thrive and evolve.
Consequently, an engineering research team at North Carolina State (NC State) University received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve a prototype and field test a novel pit latrine excavation technology that is capable of accessing remote areas. To advance the technology developed by the research
team into a commercial product, NC State and Catapult teamed up to improve the pit latrine excavation device from a human factors and manufacturing lens. Together we took NC State’s technology a significant step closer towards a commercial product and viable solution for improved fecal sludge management. We also increased their capacity to communicate the value-add and details of their product both internally and externally. Further rounds of testing are currently underway in Rwanda, Madagascar, and Ghana to prove their technology, and we continue to support them in these efforts. Location: Kenya
Pit Latrine Excavation
According to a 2013 study, an estimated 1.7 billion people, primarily in developing nations, rely on pit latrines for daily sanitation. A pit latrine is a simply a hole in the ground that collects feces and waste. While the positive health impacts of using a well-designed latrine are well documented, proper management of the resulting fecal sludge remains a persistent challenge in many developing nations.
North Carolina State University ncsu.edu
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Project ACTION
Voluntary family planning is one of the great public health advances of the past century. Enabling women to make informed decisions about whether and when to have children reduces unintended pregnancies as well as maternal and newborn deaths. It also increases educational and economic opportunities for women and leads to healthier families and communities.
human-centered designers, market researchers, and technical advisers will engage with users/ non-users, influencers, and providers in India and Uganda, along with contraceptive funders and developers to develop targeted business cases and investment strategies to inform and drive innovation in female contraceptives, validated by demand forecasting and market potential.
Some women do not access or use contraceptives for a variety of reasons, even when they want to avoid pregnancy. They may have misconceptions about their risk of becoming pregnant, or be deterred by the cost, inconvenience, or concerns about side effects. In some cases, opposition from family members or a limited range of available methods can be a key factor in non-use. Additionally, some current users might also be unsatisfied by current options. Continued innovation in contraceptive technology is needed to address these barriers and meet the demands of women in different circumstances and at different stages of their lives.
Location: India & Uganda
In 2017, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invested in the CT Innovation Lab project (see futureofct.org) to imagine the future of women’s contraception. The project leveraged human-centered design methodologies to facilitate insightdriven ideation in order to generate new product ideas in women’s contraceptive technology. Building on this work, Catapult Design has partnered with Matchboxology and PSI to better understand and prioritize unmet needs of women as they relate to modern contraceptive methods in order to catalyze opportunities and innovation in product development. Our team of
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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gatesfoundation.org
Change Labs is a Native-led organization supporting Native entrepreneurs by providing creative workspace, tools, resources, and community. While Catapult’s outgoing CEO and cofounder, Heather Fleming, is now focusing all her creative energy to Change Labs, we’re excited to be part of this exciting venture.
With a long history of bartering and trade, indigenous communities have been at the forefront of entrepreneurship and creativity for centuries. At Change Labs, we believe in the ingenuity and resilience of our Native communities, which is why we decided to create Rez Rising. This platform connects you with entrepreneurs who may live down the road and sell breakfast burritos at the local flea market, or with your relative back home who makes beautiful jewelry.
2019 Business Incubator Cohort: Earlier this summer, we gathered at Change Labs headquarters in Tuba City to sift through dozens of applications for the summer 2019 Change Labs business incubator. Spread out in front of our eyes, it was an inspiring vision of our Native economy in all of its resourceful, inventive, and entrepreneurial splendor, but it sure made for some tough decisions.
For decades, Native business owners have been excluded from national and global economies due to the persistent lack of infrastructure on many reservations to establish an online presence or a storefront. Rez Rising is a first-of-its-kind tool that brings much needed visibility to these businesses.
Native Businesses to Watch in 2019: This summer we are proud to see 12 Native business owners graduate from our incubator with flying colors. These visionary, driven, and hardworking entrepreneurs are spreading their wings across many sectors of the Navajo economy, from food service and catering, to the tourism industry, to equipment repair, to traditional arts and crafts, and meeting real needs for goods and services in their communities.
Change Labs rezrising.org
Location: Navajo Nation
Supporting Native Entrepreneurship
Rez Rising, an initiative of Change Labs, is an online collection of more than 531 Native-owned businesses across the Southwest.
Location: Navajo Nation Change Labs nativestartup.org
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ASME ISHOW 2019
Nadine to add group pic that includes Angela (from ISHOW DC)
This year Catapult continued its work with the American Society for Mechanical Engineers Innovation Showcase (ASME ISHOW), a global competition for hardware-led social innovators in North and South America, Asia, and Africa. The ASME ISHOW is intended to raise awareness of hardware innovators, convene technical and industry experts, and build a pipeline of social entrepreneurs taking physical products to market. ISHOW winners gain access to technical advice, seed capital, and design and engineering support by Catapult. Catapult takes the time to learn about each team’s unique challenges to then provide tailored technical design expertise, ranging from prototype development to visual communications.
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Three winning companies in each region shared the prize package and attended a global ISHOW Bootcamp: Unnati, Taal, Himalayan Rocket Stove (India); GrainMate,
MultiCrop Thresher, Maziwa Chiller (Kenya); Kukua, Aguadapt, WerlWind (USA). The 2019 ISHOW marked our fifth year of partnership with ASME on this critical event highlighting the challenges of hardware innovation. We look forward to continuing work with ASME in 2020. Locations: Kenya, India, USA American Society for Mechanical Engineers thisishardware.org
During the ISHOW Bootcamp (part of Impact.Engineered), 2019 ASME ISHOW winners received a tailored and comprehensive design and engineering review delivered by industry experts, including Catapulters. Additionally, teams had a chance to build their network, showcase and pitch their innovation to impact investors, and earn up to $50K in seed grants and in-kind support to help achieve their next stage of development.
Impact. Engineered
Impact.Engineered, an annual exclusive event was co-sponsored by ASME and E4C to recognize and amplify the role of engineering in solving global challenges. The event took place at NYU Tandon School of Engineering on October 9, 2019 and featured a day program with a series of panel discussions, networking, tech showcase, and evening reception.
Catapult provided design and engineering support -- ranging from prototype development to visual communications -- that starts with learning about each ISHOW winner team’s unique challenges and providing tailored technical design expertise. Location: USA American Society for Mechanical Engineers & Engineering for Change impact-engineered.org
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2019 FINANCIALS
REVENUE Earned Income Donations & Grants Other Income Total Revenue
$971,963 $36,741 $271 $1,008,704
EXPENSES Program Management Fundraising Total Expenses
NET REVENUE
$764,073 $237,430 $0 $1,001,503
$7,201
ASSETS Cash Accounts Receivable Donations Receivable Prepaid Expenses Total Assets
$384,280 $105,129 $0 $497 $489,906
LIABILITY Accounts Payable
NET ASSETS Net Assets (beg. of year) Net Assets (end of year) Change in Net Assets
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$10,250
$479,656 $472,455 $479,656 $7,201
Anurupa Rao Rajiv Bhatia Robert Neuwirth
National Endowment of the Arts W.K. Kellogg Foundation
CONTRACTS American Society for Mechanical Engineers Engineering for Change Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation North Carolina State University
A big thank you to all of our donors, funders, clients, and general supporters!
DONORS, FUNDERS, CLIENTS
GRANTS
DONATIONS
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