Shows
The Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#22 Vertical Mobility Reimagined: The Story of Mitsubishi’s M-Use®DescriptionIn this episode, we explore Mitsubishi Electric’s M-Use® model, a bold shift from selling elevators to delivering elevator-as-a-service. Instead of owning the equipment, building owners pay for performance—guaranteed uptime, predictive maintenance, and long-term reliability. We unpack how Mitsubishi designed the model, why it resonates with Europe’s push toward circularity, and what makes M-Use® a standout example of outcome-based servitization. We also dive into the benefits for customers, the strategic advantages for Mitsubishi, and what this innovation reveals about the future of asset-heavy industries moving toward service-driven business models.Key Word...
2026-01-2711 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#28 From Copiers to Services: Xerox’s Long Road to ServicesDescriptionFor decades, Xerox was synonymous with copiers and printers. But faced with digital disruption and declining print volumes, Xerox embarked on a long and often turbulent journey to reinvent itself as a services-led company. In this episode, we trace Xerox’s transformation from the mid-2000s to today.We examine the bold pivot into business process outsourcing through the landmark acquisition of ACS, the rapid rise of services to more than half of total revenue, and the hard lessons that followed—culminating in the 2017 spin-off of Conduent. We then explore Xerox’s post-s...
2026-01-2714 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#27 From Networks to Recurring Value: Cisco’s Service-Led TransformationDescriptionCisco Systems is best known for building the infrastructure of the internet. But since 2010, Cisco has been quietly reinventing itself—from a hardware-driven networking giant into a company powered by services, software, and recurring revenue.In this episode, we unpack how Cisco turned its traditional support business into a strategic growth engine. We trace the evolution from classic maintenance services like SMARTnet to analytics-driven “smart services,” software subscriptions, customer success models, and ultimately networking-as-a-service under the Cisco+ initiative. Along the way, we examine how offerings such as Meraki, Webex, ThousandEyes, Cisco ONE, and su...
2026-01-2718 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#26 Reinventing IBM: From Hardware Giant to Services and Software LeaderDescriptionFor much of the 20th century, IBM defined the computer industry through hardware—from mainframes to personal computers. But beginning in the mid-2000s, IBM made a series of deliberate, often painful strategic choices to reinvent itself for a very different future.In this episode, we trace IBM’s transformation from 2005 to 2025 as it exited commoditized hardware businesses and rebuilt itself around consulting, software, hybrid cloud, and artificial intelligence. We examine pivotal moments such as the sale of the PC business, the rise of IBM Global Services, the “Smarter Planet” vision, the bet on W...
2026-01-2718 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#25 Selling Outcomes, Not Machines: The Caterpillar StoryDescriptionFor most of its history, Caterpillar Inc. was defined by the machines it sold. But between 2010 and 2025, the company quietly reinvented itself—not as a hardware manufacturer, but as a digitally enabled service ecosystem.In this episode, we explore how Caterpillar transformed cyclical, asset-heavy equipment sales into stable, high-margin service revenues by connecting millions of machines, embedding analytics and AI into operations, and orchestrating a global dealer-led service network. From telematics and predictive maintenance to autonomous mining fleets, remote diagnostics, and AI-driven service recommendations, Caterpillar’s strategy shows how industrial firm...
2026-01-2718 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#24 Digital Cameras, Analog Thinking: Kodak’s Service Ecosystem CollapseDescriptionEastman Kodak is often remembered as the company that “missed digital photography.” But that story is too simple.In this episode, we unpack Kodak’s collapse through the lens of service ecosystem strategy and servitization. Despite inventing the first digital camera and leading U.S. digital camera sales in the 2000s, Kodak failed to realign its business model with how value was actually shifting in the digital age. Rather than embracing platforms, social sharing, and services, Kodak doubled down on a print-centric ecosystem logic, using digital tools to protec...
2026-01-2717 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#20 Battery as a Service — How NIO Is Reinventing Electric Vehicle OwnershipDescriptionIn this episode, we examine how NIO has redefined electric mobility through its pioneering Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model. Instead of selling cars with batteries built in, NIO separates the battery from the vehicle purchase—allowing customers to buy the car at a lower upfront price and subscribe to battery access, upgrades, and rapid swapping as a service.We explore how BaaS addresses some of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: high upfront costs, range anxiety, battery degradation, and fast-changing battery technology. With a nationwide network of automated battery swap stations, NIO enables drivers to “refu...
2026-01-2713 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#18 Lumada Platform — Reinventing Hitachi Through DataDescriptionHitachi reinvented itself through Lumada, a digital platform that transformed a century-old industrial giant into a data-driven solutions leader. We explore how Lumada connects IoT, analytics, and AI to bridge the physical and digital worlds—powering smarter energy systems, rail networks, factories, and cities. The conversation highlights Lumada not just as a technology stack, but as a business transformation engine: reshaping Hitachi’s organization, enabling co-creation with customers and partners, and shifting the company toward recurring, outcome-based digital services. From cultural change and platform monetization to global expansion and measurable business impact, this episode show...
2026-01-2715 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#19 From Medical Devices to Digital Care — Philips HealthSuite and the Platform Shift in HealthcareDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Philips reinvented itself from a world-leading medical device manufacturer into a digital health platform provider with the launch and evolution of Philips HealthSuite. Facing rising healthcare costs, chronic disease burdens, and fragmented care systems, Philips made a bold strategic move: connect devices, data, clinicians, and patients across the entire health continuum.The episode traces HealthSuite’s journey as an open, cloud-based platform enabling remote patient monitoring, population health management, telehealth, and AI-driven clinical insights. We discuss how Philips shifted from selling standalone machines to delivering outcome-oriented digital se...
2026-01-2715 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#21 Robotic-as-a-Service — How ABB changes Industrial Automation GameDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how ABB is transforming industrial automation through its Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS)approach. Long known for selling advanced industrial robots, ABB is now shifting toward outcome-based, service-led automation, where customers pay for robotic capability, performance, and uptime—rather than owning complex hardware outright.We unpack how ABB’s RaaS model lowers barriers to automation for manufacturers facing labor shortages, volatile demand, and rising costs. By combining collaborative robots, cloud connectivity, AI-driven analytics, and flexible subscription models, ABB enables factories to deploy robotics faster, scal...
2026-01-2715 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#23 Komatsu and the Rise of Smart Construction SolutionsDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Komatsu reinvented itself from a world-class maker of heavy machinery into a global provider of Smart Construction solutions. Faced with labor shortages, low productivity, and rising safety demands, Komatsu made a bold bet on digital servitization—shifting its focus from selling machines to delivering smarter, safer, and more productive construction outcomes.The episode traces Komatsu’s journey from early telematics and machine automation to a fully integrated digital jobsite vision that connects drones, 3D design models, cloud platforms, AI analytics, and...
2026-01-2717 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#17 From Power Plants to Energy Solutions: E.ON’s Reinvention in Germany’s Energiewende (2010–2025)DescriptionE.ON was once a classic European utility with big power plants, wholesale trading, and mass-market energy supply. Then Germany’s Energiewende changed everything: renewables surged, wholesale prices fell, nuclear phase-out accelerated, and customers became “prosumers.”In this episode, we unpack how E.ON responded with one of the boldest restructurings in the sector: the 2014 strategy pivot, the 2016 Uniper spin-off, and the post-2019 reshaping after the innogy deal. We trace how E.ON moved from generation-heavy exposure to a model centered on regulated distribution networks, digital infrastructure, and customer solutions—spanning smart metering...
2026-01-2615 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#14 Territorial Servitization - When Regions Turn Industry into EcosystemsDescriptionIn this episode, we explore territorial servitization, a powerful concept that shifts the focus from individual firms to regions as engines of innovation and value creation. Rather than seeing servitization as a company-level strategy, territorial servitization shows how manufacturing firms and knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) co-evolve within a territory—jointly driving productivity, innovation, employment, and long-term regional resilience.Using the wind-to-energy industry as a central case, the episode traces how leading European regions transformed wind turbine manufacturing into globally competitive renewable energy ecosystems. We examine how local service capabilities—R&D, engineering, digital moni...
2026-01-2613 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#13 John Deere - Moving towards solution-as-a-serviceDescription In this episode, we explore how John Deere has transformed itself from a legendary manufacturer of farm equipment into a provider of solutions-as-a-service for modern agriculture. We unpack how connected machines, cloud platforms, AI, and subscription-based tools are redefining how value is created on the farm.The conversation traces John Deere’s shift toward smart, data-driven farming through platforms like connected telematics, digital farm management systems, and AI-powered innovations such as targeted spraying and autonomous operations. Rather than selling iron alone, Deere now delivers continuous value—helping farmers reduc...
2026-01-2616 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#16 From Turbines to Services – How Vestas Became a Global Energy Solutions ProviderDescriptionIn this episode, we dive into the strategic transformation of Vestas—once known purely as a wind turbine manufacturer—into a global leader in energy solutions and lifecycle services. We explore how, over the past decade, Vestas grew its service business into a €3.7B+ segment with a €36B+ backlog, offering predictive maintenance, multibrand servicing, lifetime extensions, and digital optimization across 150+ GW of turbines worldwide.You’ll learn how Vestas moved from selling hardware to delivering outcomes—positioning services not just as a support function, but as the company’s most stable, high-margin growth engine. This e...
2026-01-2614 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#15 Navigating Disruption: How TomTom Transformed from Hardware Devices to Data ServicesDescription:In this episode, we dive into the remarkable journey of TomTom—from dominating Europe’s consumer GPS market to becoming a global leader in location technology services. Facing the collapse of the portable navigation device (PND) market amid smartphone disruption and tech giants like Google, TomTom executed one of the most ambitious digital servitization pivots in the tech industry. We explore how the company shifted from a B2C hardware model to a B2B software and data platform through strategic acquisitions, service innovation, partnerships with Apple, Microsoft, and automakers, and the development of its grou...
2026-01-2615 min
Mission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#57 Wecyclers: Turning Trash into Cash in LagosDescriptionWhat if cleaning up a city could also put money in people’s pockets?This episode explores the inspiring case of Wecyclers, a Lagos-based social enterprise that uses incentives to change behavior, create jobs, and build a circular economy in one of Africa’s largest megacities. Founded in 2012, Wecyclers was born out of Lagos’s dual crisis of unmanaged waste and urban poverty—and a simple but powerful idea: reward households for recycling.We trace how Wecyclers built a community-centered recycling system using low-cost cargo bikes, SMS and mobile technology, and a points...
2026-01-2413 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#53 Honeysuckers of Bangalore: How Informal Innovation Filled an Urban Sanitation GapDescriptionWhen nearly 60% of a city isn’t connected to sewers, what happens to the waste?This episode examines the rise of Bangalore’s honeysuckers—informal vacuum truck operators who emerged to manage fecal sludge in a city where municipal sanitation systems failed to keep pace with rapid urban growth. Operating in regulatory grey zones, these small private entrepreneurs stepped in to provide a critical public health service: emptying septic tanks and pit latrines for millions of households.We explore how the honeysuckers program evolved as a bottom-up response to institutional neglect, functi...
2026-01-2305 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#54 Off-Grid Water in Haiti: How Decentralized Solutions Are Quenching a Nation’s ThirstDescriptionIn a country where safe drinking water remains out of reach for millions, innovation is flowing far beyond pipes and pumps.This episode explores how off-grid and decentralized water services are reshaping access to safe drinking water in Haiti. With limited public infrastructure and recurring political and economic crises, private enterprises, social innovators, and NGOs have stepped in to deliver clean water where centralized systems fall short.We examine the rise of solar-powered water kiosks, community-managed systems, and entrepreneurial water networks—focusing on pioneers like DloHaiti, which operates decentralized, solar-powered water kiosks th...
2026-01-2305 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#55 SwissFreshWater: Franchising Safe Drinking Water Across AfricaDescriptionWhat if access to safe drinking water could scale the same way small businesses do?In this episode, we explore the case of SwissFreshWater, a Switzerland-based social enterprise that delivers affordable, high-quality drinking water to underserved communities through a franchise-based kiosk model. Instead of relying solely on public utilities or aid-driven projects, SwissFreshWater empowers local entrepreneurs to operate neighborhood water kiosks under the Diam’O brand—turning clean water into a sustainable, community-owned service.We trace SwissFreshWater’s journey from early pilot projects in rural Senegal to a nationwide network of franch...
2026-01-2315 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#56 Naandi Foundation: Scaling Social Innovation from Classrooms to Coffee FarmsDescriptionHow does a nonprofit grow from delivering school meals to transforming entire food systems?This episode explores the remarkable journey of Naandi Foundation, one of India’s most influential social innovation organizations. Founded in 1998, Naandi set out to prove that poverty eradication could be tackled at scale through professional management, community participation, and cross-sector partnerships.We trace Naandi’s evolution from early public-private collaborations in education and nutrition to pioneering hybrid models that blend nonprofit purpose with market mechanisms. The episode dives deep into four flagship innovations:Safe drinking wate...
2026-01-2316 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#52 Sehat Kahani: How Two Women Doctors Rewrote Pakistan’s Healthcare StorydeDescriptionWhat happens when thousands of qualified women doctors are pushed out of the workforce—while millions of patients remain without access to care?In this episode, we explore the inspiring journey of Sehat Kahani, a pioneering digital health startup founded by Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram and Dr. Iffat Zafar Aga. Born out of the deeply rooted “doctor-bride” phenomenon in Pakistan, Sehat Kahani set out to solve two massive problems with one bold idea: reconnect home-based female doctors with patients in underserved communities using telemedicine.From humble beginnings as a spin-off from doctHE...
2026-01-2318 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#12 Student-Driven AI Futures — From Ideas to ImpactDescriptionIn this episode, we explore a diverse set of AI innovation use cases from adaptive workplace tools to strategic industry solutions and truly transformative AI applications. What makes these ideas unique is how they were created: through close collaboration with students participating in the course Digital Futures and Responsible Innovation. Students didn’t just imagine what AI can do - they critically examined what AI should do. Each use case reflects hands-on student work that combines technical creativity with business reflection, addressing real-world challenges such as cybersecurity awareness, healthcare triage, mental health support, misinformation, sm...
2026-01-2114 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#50 How Bühler Group has been reinventing milling for a better worldDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Bühler Group, a 160-year-old Swiss engineering company, redefined what innovation looks like in the food and grain industry. From the heart of Switzerland to fast-growing markets in Asia and Africa, Bühler has tackled one of food’s toughest challenges: how to modernize staple food production without losing tradition, quality, or nutrition.We dive into Bühler’s groundbreaking milling innovations - most notably the Isigayo PesaMill, AlPesa systems—which succeeded where others failed by industrializing wholegrain flour while preserving the taste and functionality of traditional stone-mil...
2026-01-2015 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#51 Logy.AI: Bringing AI-Powered Oral Health Screening to EveryoneDescriptionIn this episode, we explore the journey of Logy.AI, a healthtech startup redefining how oral healthcare is accessed, screened, and delivered—especially in underserved communities.Founded in India, Logy.AI uses artificial intelligence and smartphone technology to turn everyday photos of the mouth into instant oral health screenings. Through WhatsApp chatbots, web apps, and API integrations, the platform enables people to check for cavities, gum disease, stains, calculus, and other oral conditions without visiting a clinic. What began as a response to the COVID-19 disruption of dental care has evolved into a...
2026-01-2017 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#46 SOIL: Reinventing Sanitation Through Dignity, Design, and Circular SystemsDescriptionIn this episode, we dive into the groundbreaking sanitation work of SOIL (Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods), a nonprofit that is redefining what safe, dignified sanitation looks like in dense urban communities.Operating in Haiti, where traditional sewer systems are often impractical or nonexistent, SOIL pioneered a container-based sanitation model that provides households with clean, affordable toilets—paired with a reliable waste collection service. Instead of treating human waste as a problem to hide, SOIL treats it as a resource, safely transforming collected waste into compost that supports agriculture and environmental restoration....
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#49 How Coca-Cola’s Micro-Distribution Centers were cracking the Last Mile in AfricaDescriptionIn this episode, we unpack how The Coca-Cola Company solved one of the toughest problems in emerging markets: reaching millions of small, informal retailers where trucks can’t go and infrastructure is limited.Born in Ethiopia in the late 1990s, Coca-Cola’s Micro-Distribution Center (MDC) model flipped traditional logistics on its head. Instead of relying on large-scale distributors, Coca-Cola empowered local entrepreneurs to run small, neighborhood-based hubs—using handcarts, bicycles, and motorbikes to deliver beverages directly to kiosks and corner shops. The result? Massive market penetration, faster restocking, and thousands of new micro...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#48 Hippo Roller: A Simple Idea That "Rolled" Into a Water SolutionDescriptionIn this episode, we explore the story behind Hippo Roller, one of the most iconic examples of frugal innovation in global development. Born in rural South Africa, the Hippo Roller tackles a fundamental challenge faced by millions of people worldwide: the daily burden of collecting water.Instead of carrying heavy buckets on their heads, women and children can roll up to 90 liters of water at a time using a durable barrel-and-handle design that dramatically reduces physical strain and time spent fetching water. What appears to be a simple product turns out to...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#47 Project Shakti: How Unilever Built a Rural Distribution Network by Empowering WomenDescriptionIn this episode, we explore Project Shakti, one of the most influential inclusive business initiatives ever launched by Unilever. What began in rural India in 2001 as an experiment in last-mile distribution has grown into a massive network of women micro-entrepreneurs—transforming both how products reach remote villages and how economic power is shared.Facing stagnation in urban markets and the challenge of reaching hundreds of thousands of underserved villages, Unilever partnered with women’s self-help groups to create a new model: train and support rural women—known as Shakti Ammas—to become local di...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#45 M-KOPA: Pay-As-You-Go Power and the Future of Inclusive FinanceDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how M-KOPA transformed access to energy—and financial inclusion—for millions of low-income households across Africa.Founded in Kenya, M-KOPA pioneered a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model that allows customers to purchase solar home systems and other essential assets through small, flexible mobile payments. By combining clean energy technology with mobile money and data-driven credit scoring, M-KOPA unlocked access to products that were previously out of reach for households without formal bank accounts or credit histories.The episode traces M-KOPA’s evolution from solar lighting to a broader digita...
2026-01-1912 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#44 Devergy: Rethinking Rural Power with Energy-as-a-ServiceDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Devergy is reimagining rural electrification in East Africa through smart technology and an innovative Energy-as-a-Service model.Founded in Tanzania, Devergy set out to solve a persistent challenge: how to deliver affordable, reliable electricity to off-grid communities where traditional grid expansion is slow, costly, or uncertain. Instead of selling solar equipment, Devergy built village-level solar mini-grids and operates them like micro-utilities—handling generation, distribution, maintenance, and customer service on behalf of users.The episode dives into Devergy’s use of smart mete...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#43 Spring Health: Delivering Safe Water, One Village at a TimeDescriptionsWhat happens when a cement company decides to tackle poverty, not just sell products? In this episode, we dive into the story of Patrimonio Hoy—an award-winning social innovation launched by CEMEX in Mexico that revolutionized how low-income families build their homes. Facing a housing deficit, financial exclusion, and the inefficiencies of informal construction, Patrimonio Hoy created a powerful model blending microfinance, group savings, technical guidance, and access to quality materials. Families who once spent years slowly adding rooms now build with speed, safety, and confidence.We’ll explore how the program evol...
2026-01-1906 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#42 W.A.T.A.: Turning Everyday People into Clean Water ChangemakersDescriptionIn this episode, we explore the inspiring story of Water Access To All (W.A.T.A.), a young nonprofit proving that solving the global water crisis doesn’t always require massive infrastructure—sometimes it starts with people, backpacks, and the right partnerships.Founded in 2024, W.A.T.A. focuses on delivering immediate access to safe drinking water through simple, durable household filtration systems in underserved communities around the world. From rural villages in Vietnam and Myanmar to Indigenous communities in Guatemala, W.A.T.A. works with local partners, youth leaders, and...
2026-01-1906 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#41 ChotuKool and the Power of Frugal InnovationDescriptionWhat does refrigeration look like when designed not for luxury, but for real life at the base of the pyramid?In this episode, we explore ChotuKool, the radically affordable, portable refrigerator developed by Godrej & Boyce to serve millions of Indian households that had never owned a fridge. Created for rural and low-income consumers facing unreliable electricity, tight living spaces, and limited incomes, ChotuKool reimagined cooling from the ground up.We unpack how Godrej applied principles of frugal and disruptive innovation—using solid-state thermoelectric cooling, a lightweight top-opening design, ultra-low power co...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#36 Mobisol and the Promise—and Limits—of Pay-As-You-Go SolarDescriptionWhat does it take to bring reliable electricity to rural communities that the grid may never reach?In this episode, we explore the rise, impact, and hard-earned lessons of Mobisol, a pioneering off-grid solar company that helped shape the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) energy model in East Africa. Founded in Germany and scaled across Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya, Mobisol provided solar home systems that enabled households and small businesses to replace kerosene with clean, reliable power—often for the first time.We examine Mobisol’s innovative rent-to-own financing model, its focus on high...
2026-01-1916 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#37 Esta Casa es Mía: How MIA Is Redefining Affordable Housing in MexicoDescriptionFor millions of low-income families, a safe and dignified home is the foundation for health, security, and opportunity—but traditional housing markets often leave them behind.In this episode, we explore the work of MIA (Mejoramiento Integral Asistido), a Mexican social enterprise that has transformed how affordable housing is built and financed for rural and peri-urban communities. Founded in 2009, MIA pioneered an assisted self-construction model that empowers families to build their own homes with technical support, standardized designs, and access to blended financing.We unpack how MIA combines government housing su...
2026-01-1918 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#38 Cooking Without Smoke: How Eco Cookstoves Are Transforming Health, Homes, and the ClimateDescriptionFor nearly three billion people worldwide, cooking still means open fires or inefficient stoves—exposing families to toxic smoke, accelerating deforestation, and consuming hours of unpaid labor every day.In this episode, we explore the impact of Eco Cookstoves and the broader clean cooking movement, focusing on how affordable, fuel-efficient cookstoves are reshaping daily life in low-income and rural communities. Designed to use less fuel and vent smoke safely, eco cookstoves dramatically reduce indoor air pollution, lower household energy costs, and improve health outcomes—especially for women and children.We unpa...
2026-01-1917 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#40 How Husk Power Is Electrifying Rural CommunitiesDescriptionWhat if agricultural waste could power entire villages—and unlock economic opportunity for millions?In this episode, we explore the journey of Husk Power Systems, a pioneering renewable energy company that began by turning rice husks into electricity for off-grid villages in India and evolved into a global leader in solar hybrid mini-grids. Founded in Bihar, one of India’s most energy-poor regions, Husk Power challenged the assumption that rural electrification must wait for the central grid.We unpack how Husk Power built and scaled biomass-based mini-grids, navigated fuel logistics and...
2026-01-1918 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#39 How LifeStraw Turned Clean Water into a Global Social InnovationDescriptionClean drinking water should be a basic human right—yet millions of people still rely on unsafe sources every day.In this episode, we explore the story of LifeStraw, the social enterprise behind one of the world’s most recognizable water filtration solutions. Originally developed for emergency response and humanitarian crises, LifeStraw evolved into a globally scaled innovation that delivers safe drinking water to households, schools, and communities across low-income and disaster-prone regions.We unpack how LifeStraw’s simple yet powerful filtration technology removes bacteria and parasites without electricity or chemic...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#35 How Azuri Technologies Is Bringing Clean Energy to Off-Grid AfricaDescriptionMore than 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa still live without access to electricity—but one company is proving that clean energy can be affordable, scalable, and inclusive.In this episode, we explore the story of Azuri Technologies, a pioneer in pay-as-you-go solar solutions that enable low-income, off-grid households to access reliable electricity without the burden of upfront costs. By combining solar innovation, mobile payments, and smart technology, Azuri allows families to replace kerosene lamps with clean lighting, charge mobile phones, and gradually upgrade to appliances like radios and televisions.We un...
2026-01-1906 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#34 From Motorbikes to a Super App: How GoJek Built an Inclusive Digital EconomyDescriptionWhat began as a small call-center coordinating motorcycle taxis in Jakarta has grown into one of Southeast Asia’s most influential technology platforms.In this episode, we explore the rise of GoJek and how it evolved into a socially inclusive “super app” powering transportation, food delivery, payments, and financial access for millions. Designed for a largely unbanked population, GoJek’s platform connected informal workers—drivers, couriers, and micro-entrepreneurs—to new income opportunities through mobile technology.We examine GoJek’s founding mission to empower the informal economy, the strategic choices behind...
2026-01-1914 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#33 How Sanergy Is Redefining Urban Sanitation in AfricaDescriptionIn the crowded informal settlements of Nairobi, where traditional sewer systems fail and sanitation is often unsafe, Sanergy set out to prove that sanitation can be both dignified and economically viable.This episode explores how Sanergy built an end-to-end sanitation solution—starting with franchised Fresh Life toilets operated by local entrepreneurs, and extending all the way to converting human waste into valuable products like organic fertilizer, insect-based animal feed, and renewable fuel. By treating waste as a resource rather than a liability, Sanergy created a circular economy model that improves public health, ge...
2026-01-1916 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#32 When Profit Isn’t the Point: Procter & Gamble's Pivot to Purpose”DescriptionWhat happens when a global consumer goods company applies its R&D muscle to one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian challenges?In this episode, we explore how Procter & Gamble transformed a failed commercial product into one of the most impactful corporate social innovation programs in the world: the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program.From the invention of a 4-gram water purification sachet to partnerships with NGOs, governments, and disaster-relief agencies, P&G’s journey shows how business innovation, when paired with purpose, can save lives at scale. We unpack...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#31 Toyola and the Clean Cooking Revolution: Saving Fuel, Health, and ForestsDescriptionFor millions of households across sub-Saharan Africa, cooking is still done with inefficient charcoal or wood stoves—driving deforestation, indoor air pollution, and preventable health risks for women and children. In this episode, we explore how Toyola Energy Limited set out to change that reality through local innovation and social entrepreneurship.Founded in Ghana, Toyola designs and manufactures fuel-efficient charcoal cookstoves tailored for low-income households. By combining appropriate technology with creative financing—most famously its “money box” savings scheme—Toyola made clean cooking affordable for families living at the Base o...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#29 Safe Water, One Village at a Time: The WaterHealth ModelDescriptionBillions of people still lack reliable access to safe drinking water—especially in rural villages and peri-urban settlements where centralized infrastructure has failed to reach. In this episode, we explore how WaterHealth International set out to close that gap using a decentralized, market-based approach.Founded as a mission-driven social enterprise, WaterHealth pioneered community-level water treatment centers that deliver WHO-quality drinking water to thousands of households at a time. Instead of waiting for pipes and large utilities, WaterHealth installs small-scale purification plants directly inside communities, charging affordable user fees to keep operations sustainable....
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#30 Bankers to the Poor, Online: Inside Kiva’s Digital Lending ModelDescriptionMore than a billion people worldwide remain excluded from formal financial systems—unable to access credit, savings, or basic banking services. In this episode, we explore how Kiva set out to tackle this challenge by harnessing the power of the internet and everyday lenders.Founded in 2005, Kiva pioneered peer-to-peer micro-lending, allowing anyone to lend as little as $25 to entrepreneurs around the world. By connecting individual lenders with borrowers through local partners, Kiva created a new model of digital financial inclusion—one that blends technology, storytelling, and trust to mobilize capital at scale.
2026-01-1904 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#28 How Grameen and Danone Took on Child MalnutritionDescriptionWhat happens when a global food giant partners with a Nobel Prize–winning economist to fight child malnutrition? In this episode, we unpack the Grameen Danone case, a pioneering social business launched in Bangladesh by Muhammad Yunus and Danone. Designed as a non-dividend, non-loss enterprise, Grameen Danone Foods Limited set out to address widespread child malnutrition through an affordable, fortified yogurt known as Shokti+.We explore how this bold venture blended business discipline with social purpose—from sourcing milk from local farmers and empowering rural women as door-to-door distributors, to navigating razor-thin marg...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#26 Hydrologic: Scaling Clean Water in Rural Cambodia Through Aspirational DesignDescriptionThis episode details the rise of Hydrologic, a Cambodian social enterprise that transitioned from a nonprofit project into a market-driven leader in rural water access. To combat widespread waterborne illness and the environmental toll of boiling water with wood, the company manufactures and distributes ceramic water purifiers. Their strategy combines local production, aspirational branding, and direct village sales supported by microfinance to make clean water affordable for low-income families. The sources highlight how Hydrologic achieved financial sustainability by diversifying revenue through carbon credits and institutional partnerships. Beyond health improvements, the initiative has reduced deforestation...
2026-01-1913 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#27 Unilever and the Quest for Safe Water: The Pureit Innovation StoryDescriptionAccess to safe drinking water remains one of the world’s most urgent public health challenges. In this episode, we examine how Unilever attempted to tackle this crisis through Pureit, a low-cost household water purifier designed for low-income and underserved communities.Originally developed in India, Pureit was engineered to deliver water “as safe as boiled water” without electricity, plumbing, or complex maintenance. We explore how Unilever combined product innovation, behavior-change marketing, and a razor-and-blades business model to make clean water accessible to millions—while still operating as a for-profit venture.The epis...
2026-01-1904 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#25 Bboxx: Powering Progress Through Next-Generation Distributed UtilitiesDescriptionThis episode examines the evolution of Bboxx, a technology-driven enterprise dedicated to alleviating energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and Pakistan. By leveraging solar home systems and an innovative pay-as-you-go (PAYG) financing model, the company provides affordable electricity to underserved populations living outside traditional power grids. Central to its operations is Bboxx Pulse®, a digital platform that utilizes IoT data to monitor systems remotely and manage customer payments effectively. Over time, the firm has transitioned into a "super platform" by diversifying its offerings to include clean cooking solutions, smartphones, and financial services. The sources highlight h...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#24 Jayashree Industries - Decentralized Innovation for Menstrual HygieneDescriptionIn rural India, millions of women lacked access to affordable sanitary pads due to cost and cultural stigma, forcing them to use unsafe materials like rags and ash. This episode tells the inspiring story of how social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham set out to solve this problem by inventing a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine. Through his initiative Jayashree Industries, he introduced a women-led microenterprise model: distributing these mini pad factories to self-help groups and local women entrepreneurs, who produce and sell hygienic pads in their communities.We explore the profound impact of this grassroots...
2026-01-1912 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#22 Manila Water (Tubig Para sa Barangay): A Model for Inclusive Water ServiceDescriptionThis episode details the Tubig Para sa Barangay (TPSB) program, an initiative by Manila Water to provide clean, affordable water to low-income and informal settlements in Metro Manila’s East Zone. Launched in 1998 following the privatization of water services, the program addressed a crisis where the urban poor paid exorbitant prices for unsafe water while the utility suffered from massive water losses due to illegal connections. By implementing innovative engineering, such as clustered meters, and offering subsidized connection fees, the program successfully integrated nearly two million marginalized residents into the formal network. Central to it...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#23 Farmerline: Cultivating Prosperity through African Agri-Tech InnovationDescriptionAfrica’s 33 million smallholder farms produce the majority of the continent’s food, yet their yields often fall below potential due to limited access to financing, quality inputs, information, and markets. This episode spotlights Farmerline, a Ghanaian agritech social enterprise helping farmers overcome these challenges and build wealth. Discover Farmerline’s innovations – from its Mergdata mobile platform that delivers real-time weather alerts and farming tips as voice messages in local languages, to a last-mile network supplying high-quality seeds, fertilizer, and training with flexible “pay-as-you-harvest” financing so farmers can afford what they need.By bridging cri...
2026-01-1913 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#21 Waste Concern: Turning Urban Waste into ResourceDescriptionWhat if city garbage could feed farms, clean neighborhoods, and create jobs—all at once? This episode tells the story of Waste Concern, a pioneering social enterprise based in Bangladesh that is redefining urban waste management in South Asia. In cities like Dhaka, where up to 80% of municipal solid waste is organic and poorly managed, Waste Concern developed a decentralized composting model that converts household food waste into high-quality fertilizer for farmers. The model not only helps divert tons of waste from landfills but also reduces methane emissions, improves public health, and restores degraded so...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#20 The KickStart Story: Irrigation, Innovation, and IncomeDescriptionHow do you help farmers grow their way out of poverty? In this episode, we dive into the story of KickStart International, a nonprofit social enterprise transforming the lives of smallholder farmers across Africa with a simple but powerful idea: sell affordable irrigation pumps, not give them away. With their iconic “MoneyMaker” pumps, KickStart enables farmers to irrigate year-round, increase yields, and multiply their income—sometimes by 300% or more.We explore how KickStart scaled from a single invention to a systems-level intervention, addressing everything from financing and distribution to training and maintenance. Throug...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#19 Beyond Charity: BRAC’s Blueprint for Ending PovertyDescriptionHow did one of the world’s poorest countries become a hub of development innovation? In this episode, we explore the extraordinary story of BRAC—formerly the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee—founded in 1972 and now the largest NGO in the world. From post-war relief work to nationwide programs in education, health, microfinance, and social enterprise, BRAC has transformed what it means to fight poverty at scale. Its secret? Combining systems thinking with grassroots trust, and running NGOs with the discipline of businesses.We trace BRAC’s evolution across five decades—from door-to-door oral rehyd...
2026-01-1914 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#18 Grameen Bank: Reinventing Credit for the Rural PoorDescriptionWhat if the world’s poorest women were seen not as charity cases, but as reliable entrepreneurs? In this episode, we tell the story of Grameen Bank—the revolutionary institution that reimagined credit for the rural poor in Bangladesh. Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus in the 1970s, Grameen Bank pioneered microloans without collateral, using peer groups and trust instead of legal contracts. The result? Millions of women lifted themselves from poverty by launching tiny businesses with just a few dollars.We’ll explore how Grameen’s group lending model scaled from one...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#17 Mobility, Motors & Markets: The MAX.ng StoryDescriptionCan electric motorcycles drive economic inclusion in Africa? In this episode, we ride along with MAX.ng—Nigeria’s trailblazing mobility startup that’s redefining transportation, employment, and energy access across West Africa. Founded by two MIT graduates, MAX.ng began as a delivery service and evolved into a tech-driven platform offering ride-hailing, vehicle financing, and now a bold push into electric mobility. Through smart design and financial innovation, MAX helps motorcycle taxi drivers become vehicle owners, boosting their income and dignity.We’ll explore how MAX.ng scales clean energy infrastructure—like battery-sw...
2026-01-1912 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#16 Sight for All: The Aravind Eye Care RevolutionDescriptionImagine a healthcare system that delivers world-class surgery to the poorest patients—at no cost—while remaining financially self-sufficient. In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary story of Aravind Eye Care System, a pioneering institution in India that has reimagined how healthcare can be delivered at scale. Founded by Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy, Aravind has performed millions of cataract surgeries using a model inspired as much by compassion as by operational precision. With 70% of its patients receiving free or subsidized care, Aravind combines efficiency, innovation, and community outreach to tackle preventable blindness in one of t...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#15 Patrimonio Hoy - Housing Innovation for the PoorDescriptionWhat happens when a cement company decides to tackle poverty, not just sell products? In this episode, we dive into the story of Patrimonio Hoy—an award-winning social innovation launched by CEMEX in Mexico that revolutionized how low-income families build their homes. Facing a housing deficit, financial exclusion, and the inefficiencies of informal construction, Patrimonio Hoy created a powerful model blending microfinance, group savings, technical guidance, and access to quality materials. Families who once spent years slowly adding rooms now build with speed, safety, and confidence.We’ll explore how the program evolved from...
2026-01-1913 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#11 Pilots Never Fail—but Also Never ScaleDescriptionWhy do so many promising water and sanitation pilots succeed in small settings yet fail to reach millions? In this episode, we unpack the paradox that “pilots never fail—but also never scale,” drawing on research across 19 organizations working in low-income countries.We explore how early success is built on tightly aligned business model dimensions—value creation, customer engagement, value capture, and customer identification—and why these alignments often break apart during scaling. The episode highlights three dynamic consistencies essential for overcoming the scale barrier: externalization & internalization, novel customization, and organizational ambidexterity.This conversati...
2026-01-1905 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#10 How Grameen America Scaled Microfinance in the U.S.DescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Grameen America successfully adapted the global microfinance model to the United States—proving that poverty, financial exclusion, and entrepreneurial potential exist even in advanced economies. Founded during the 2008 financial crisis, Grameen America set out to empower low-income women with something many had never been offered before: trust-based access to capital.We unpack Grameen America’s distinctive group-lending model, where social trust replaces collateral, and weekly peer meetings build accountability, confidence, and community. The episode traces how tiny loans—often just a few...
2026-01-1914 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#13 Worms, Waste & Wealth: Raj Organik’s Green RevolutionDescriptionWhat if worms could power a green revolution? In this episode, we dive into the inspiring story of Raj Organik, an Indonesian social enterprise that turns organic waste into opportunity. Founder Mr. Adam built a member-based network of thousands of micro-entrepreneurs who raise worms to produce organic fertilizer and high-protein feed for aquaculture. The result? A circular economy model that reduces waste, restores soil health, and creates income for local communities. Tune in to explore how Raj Organik is rewriting the rules of agriculture and proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in...
2026-01-1913 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#12 Drones, Data & Deliveries: Zipline’s Skybound ImpactDescriptionHow can a drone save a life? In this episode, we uncover the remarkable story of Zipline, a startup that began in California and took flight across the skies of Africa to revolutionize medical logistics. What started as a bold idea to use drones for delivering blood in Rwanda has grown into the world’s largest autonomous delivery network—serving over 49 million people in countries like Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.We follow Zipline’s journey from its early pilots to nation-scale operations, highlighting how technology, systems thinking, and social innovation came togeth...
2026-01-1915 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#14 How Peek Vision Is Transforming Eye CareDescriptionWhat if a smartphone could help solve one of the world’s most overlooked health problems—preventable blindness? In this episode, we explore the story of Peek Vision, a social enterprise using mobile technology and data intelligence to bring quality eye care to the most remote and underserved communities.Join us as we unpack how Peek’s innovative platform—combining smartphone-based vision testing, data tracking, and community health integration—is helping governments and NGOs deliver eye health at scale. From school screenings in Botswana to national programs in Pakistan and Ethiopia, Peek is proving...
2026-01-1913 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#10 Visa as a Service powered by AIDescription:In this episode, we unpack Visa’s strategic evolution from a card-centric network into a $40+ billion AI-enabled global payments platform. We explore how Visa transformed its core infrastructure into Visa as a Service (VaaS)—a modular, API-first architecture now delivering embedded solutions across payments, identity, fraud prevention, analytics, and open banking.The conversation dives into how Visa moved from reactive AI—primarily used to support card transactions—to positioning artificial intelligence as the engine of its business. Today, AI drives real-time decisioning, predictive risk scoring, and hyper-personalized insights, turning Visa’s data and...
2026-01-1413 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#11 Strategizing with Generative AI in the era of digital servitizationDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming strategic work in the era of digital servitization, where companies shift from selling products to delivering continuous, outcome-based services. We start with the bright side: how GenAI dramatically boosts strategic speed, scale, and creativity—from rapid scenario planning and market analysis to richer ideation, sharper customer insights, and more data-driven decision-making. Used well, GenAI acts as a powerful strategic co-pilot, helping leaders explore more options, surface hidden patterns, and communicate strategy more clearly than ever before.Bu...
2026-01-1416 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#09 The Mumbai Dabbawalas: Masters of PrecisionDescription:This episode explores the extraordinary world of Mumbai’s Dabbawalas—an iconic, century-old delivery network renowned for its near-perfect accuracy. We unpack how a semi-literate workforce built one of the world’s most reliable logistics systems using bicycles, trains, and an ingenious coding system. Listeners will learn how strong community roots, cooperative ownership, and disciplined processes shaped their success, and how the Dabbawalas are now adapting to the pressures of the gig economy, shifting work patterns, and digital transformation.Keywords: Logistics, Six Sigma, Community, Innovation, Gig Economy, Trust
2026-01-1410 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#08 Clarity for All: How DotGlasses Makes Vision AffordableDescription:In this episode, we explore how DotGlasses is transforming access to vision care in some of the world’s poorest communities. With a simple, low-cost eyeglass kit and a powerful idea—train local people to test eyesight and deliver glasses on the spot—DotGlasses is proving that you don’t need a clinic or an optometrist to help someone see clearly. We unpack how their smart design, innovative business model, and dignity-first approach are reshaping what it means to build health access from the ground up.Key Words: Vision Access Innovati...
2026-01-1412 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#08 When Washing Became a Service: Lessons from Electrolux’s Pay-Per-Wash ExperimentDescriptionIn this episode, we unpack Electrolux’s pioneering—and often overlooked—pay-per-wash pilot, launched in Sweden more than 20 years before “as-a-service” models went mainstream. Electrolux tested a radical idea: households would no longer buy washing machines, but pay only for the function—each wash cycle. We explore why the model emerged, how it worked technically and commercially, why adoption was modest, and what valuable lessons it revealed about customer behavior, sustainability, and cultural readiness for service-based consumption.This story offers a rare glimpse into an innovation that was ahead of its time—and what it tells...
2026-01-0810 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#09 Subscribing to GrowDescriptionWhy do some hardware subscription models scale successfully—while others stall or disappear? In this episode, we unpack the article and explore what it really takes to build and grow subscriptions around physical products.Drawing on cross-industry case studies from appliances, fitness, electronics, and mobility, we discuss why hardware subscriptions follow very different growth logics than digital ones. The conversation introduces three distinct paths to growth—service-centric, experience-centric, and platform-centric—and shows how each requires specific capabilities across experimentation, scaling, optimization, and maturity.Listeners will gain a clear framework for unders...
2026-01-0814 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#06 Smart Farming, Shared Tractors: The Hello Tractor StoryDescription:In this episode, we dig into how Hello Tractor is revolutionizing farming for millions of smallholder farmers across Africa. Often described as the “Uber for Tractors,” Hello Tractor uses mobile technology, booking agents, and IoT devices to match idle tractors with farmers who need them most. But it’s more than just tech—it's about trust, jobs, and community-powered solutions. We unpack how the platform helps farmers increase yields, enables rural entrepreneurs to run tractor businesses, and reveals what it takes to build a digital marketplace where connectivity is low but potential is high....
2025-12-1610 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#07 Watt by Watt: How Grameen Shakti Lit Up Rural BangladeshDescription:In this episode, we explore the extraordinary journey of Grameen Shakti, a Bangladeshi social enterprise that brought solar energy to over a couple of million rural people. From solar home systems to biogas and clean cookstoves, Grameen Shakti’s market-based approach transformed the energy landscape of Bangladesh’s villages—without waiting for the grid. We unpack how they scaled sustainably, empowered women, overcame financial and policy challenges, and what lessons their experience holds for the future of clean energy access worldwide.Keywords: Energy Access, Social Enterprise, Rural Electrification, Solar Power, Bangla...
2025-12-1612 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#06 Navigating the Shift from Products to ServicesDescriptionIn this episode, we unpack how industrial firms navigate the complex journey from selling products to delivering integrated services and solutions. We explore why servitization offers long-term competitive advantage—and why so many companies struggle to make the shift.We examine the organizational and cultural challenges and discuss how firms must gradually build service capabilities, redesign structures, and rethink the role of their installed base. Building on this, we look at evidence that simple add-on services rarely improve performance; instead, companies succeed when they invest in advanced service offerings and...
2025-12-1113 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#07 Unpacking Tetra Pak’s Transformation: From Products to ServicesDescription:In this episode, we explore how Tetra Pak transformed from a global packaging giant into a service-led innovator. What triggered this shift? How did they move from selling cartons to delivering performance? We unpack the company’s journey through digital transformation, outcome-based contracts, and predictive services—highlighting both the challenges and the strategic breakthroughs. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of industrial services and servitization.Keywords: servitization, digital transformation, outcome-based services, innovation, packaging, predictive maintenance
2025-12-1115 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#05 Beyond Cash: How M-PESA Transformed Everyday FinanceDescription:In this episode, we unpack the groundbreaking story of M-PESA—the mobile money service that changed how millions of people manage, move, and multiply their money. From its origins in Kenya as a humble SMS-based tool for microfinance repayments to becoming a full-fledged financial ecosystem across Africa, M-PESA has redefined what inclusion looks like in the digital age. We explore how it empowers low-income communities, the evolution of its business model, and what its story reveals about trust, technology, and transformation. Key Words: Mobile Money, Financial Inclusion, Innovation, Trust, Payments, Emp...
2025-12-0113 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#04 Bright Ideas: d.light’s Solar Path to EmpowermentDescriptionCan clean energy transform lives at the base of the pyramid? In this episode, we explore d.light’s journey from a student project to a global solar powerhouse serving low-income communities across Africa and Asia. With innovations in product design, pay-as-you-go financing, and last-mile distribution, d.light has helped millions escape the dangers of kerosene and the limitations of unreliable grids. We examine how this social enterprise is scaling light, power, and opportunity—and what it takes to build a sustainable business for the underserved.Key Words: Energy, Solar, Inno...
2025-12-0109 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#05 From Scanners to Smart Platforms: Siemens Healthineers’ Digital ReinventionDescriptionWhat happens when one of the world’s largest medtech companies pivots from selling MRI machines to building a global digital health platform? In this episode, we explore Siemens Healthineers’ digital servitization journey through the lens of Teamplay, their cloud-based solution designed to transform healthcare operations, diagnostics, and decision-making.We dive into the strategy behind shifting from hardware-centric business models to data-driven services, how platform economics and multi-sided ecosystems are changing the healthcare landscape, and what it takes to e...
2025-11-2011 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#04 Reimagining Services: How Agentic AI Is Transforming Digital ServitizationDescription:In this episode, we dive into the transformative potential of agentic AI for digital servitization in industrial equipment. What happens when autonomous AI agents—not humans—monitor machines, schedule maintenance, personalize services, and optimize customer outcomes 24/7? Join us as we explore how agentic enterprises are reshaping service delivery, accelerating innovation, and unlocking scalable, data-driven business models. From predictive maintenance to outcome-based contracts, discover why the fusion of AI and servitization could redefine the future of industrial value creation.Keywords:Agentic AI, digital servitization, industrial equipment, predictive maintenance, outcome-based services, AI agen...
2025-11-2012 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#01 Reinventing Impact: Stories from the Base of the PyramidDescriptionThis episode explores how organizations innovate their business models to serve low-income communities at the Base of the Pyramid. Drawing on research from water and sanitation initiatives around the world, we unpack how companies overcome challenges such as low incomes, poverty penalties, heterogeneous needs, weak payment rates, and slow scaling.Listeners will learn five types of business model innovation—design, renewal, expansion, diversification, and replication—and how each helps organizations adapt their value propositions, delivery systems, and revenue models to local realities . The episode also highlights why successful solutions depend on value-in-context, flexible adap...
2025-11-1411 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#03 mPharma’s Fight for Affordable MedicineDescriptionHow do you fix a fragmented drug supply chain across an entire continent? In this episode, we dive into mPharma’s bold mission to make high-quality medicines affordable and accessible across Africa. From its innovative Vendor Managed Inventory system to its Mutti pharmacy network and pay-as-you-go pricing, mPharma is reimagining how healthcare reaches people at the last mile. We unpack the company’s evolution, its impact on patients and pharmacists, and what its journey reveals about redesigning healthcare systems from the ground up.Key Words: Health, Medicine, Affordability, Innov...
2025-11-1410 minMission: Possible – Innovating for the World’s Most Marginalized#02 Franchising Clean Water: Sarvajal’s Model for Rural AccessDescriptionWhat happens when a simple idea meets a complex crisis? In this episode, we explore how Sarvajal is turning the tide on India’s drinking water challenge—one community at a time. Born from a bold experiment in rural Rajasthan, Sarvajal blends technology, entrepreneurship, and social innovation to bring clean, affordable water to the underserved. From Water ATMs and smart sensors to its franchise model empowering local operators, Sarvajal shows how business and purpose can flow together. We trace its journey, the challenges it faced, and the lessons it offers for global water access effo...
2025-11-1404 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#03 Reinventing Light — Philips (Signify) and the Rise of Light-as-a-ServiceDescriptionIn this episode, we explore how Philips Lighting (now Signify) broke away from its century-old product business to pioneer Light-as-a-Service (LaaS) — a radical shift from selling lamps to delivering guaranteed illumination. Using rich insights from their early experiments with architect Thomas Rau and transformative installations at Schiphol Airport and The Edge, we uncover how Philips moved toward a circular economy model that keeps ownership of lighting systems, cuts energy costs, and unlocks new IoT-enabled value propositions.We dive into how this new model challenged Philips’ financial structures, sales routines, risk mana...
2025-11-1305 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#02 Digital Servitization - Convergence of servitization and digitalizationDescriptionThis episode provides a comprehensive overview of digital servitization, which describes the convergence of servitization (the shift from product-centric to service-centric business models) and digitalization (the adoption of digital technologies). We explore how product companies utilize digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), to expand their service offerings and achieve revenue growth. This episode illustrates company growth paths—including examples like Siemens, IBM, and Apple—and discussing paradoxes related to investing in both services and digital assets. We explain digital servitization through the lens of four...
2025-11-1215 minThe Digital Servitization Exchange Podcast#01 Aligning Services with SustainabilityDescription:In this episode of The Digital Servitization Exchange, we dive into how manufacturers are reshaping their service offerings to support eco-friendly product innovations — with a special focus on the transition from combustion to electric vehicles. Drawing on recent research by Heiko Gebauer and colleagues, we explore how companies adjust financial services, fleet management, connectivity, and maintenance strategies to align with sustainable technologies and shifting market expectations.The discussion unpacks how firms expand both the scope (new services like charging infrastructure and lifecycle management) and sophistication (advanced digital and financial se...
2025-11-1209 min
Robotik in der IndustriePlattform Pioniere: Über Mythen, Missverständnisse und MehrwerteIn dieser Folge tauchen wir tief in die Welt der Industrieplattformen ein. Prof. Dr. Heiko Gebauer, Plattform-Experte vom Fraunhofer IMW, erklärt die Unterschiede zwischen Marktplätzen, IoT-Plattformen und Software-Plattformen. Robert Weber ergänzt, wie Transparenz und Interoperabilität die Zukunft der Robotik beeinflussen.
Unsere Gesprächspartner:
[Prof. Dr. Heiko Gebauer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/heiko-gebauer-bb09211b/?originalSubdomain=de)
Unser heutiger Host, Filip Miermans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/filip-miermans/
Mehr zu Keba: www.keba.com/industrial-automation
2024-09-0437 min
Maryann GebauerDr. Heiko Schöning | Criminal families, Trudeau Family, and German arrestsDr. Heiko Schöning and Robert Kennedy Jr. led the World Freedom Rally in Berlin October 2020. Four weeks later, he was arrested at Speakers Corner in London. Now Schöning has written a book 'Game Over’ which identifies the criminal characters perpetrating this global crime, including the Trudeau family. Schöning reports that Germany is seeing massive freedom violations currently, with frequent house raids and innocent citizens being arrested and placed in prison. Heiko Schöning’s website is https://www.wirkraft-institut.net/heikoschoening/
https://www.maryanngebauer.com
2023-06-0412 min
Drehmoment - Der AntriebspodcastUmrichter as a Service - ab auf die Plattform!?Beide Interviewpartner beschäftigen sich seit einigen Jahren mit Ökosystemen und der Plattformökonomie. Es reicht nicht, einfach Produkte ins Netz zu stellen. Hinter der Plattform-Idee verbirgt sich ein großer Change-Prozess im Unternehmen. Wie das gelingt, warum das Netflix der Industrie so begehrt ist, wie man Geld verdienen kann und warum auch die ganz großen Firmen noch Herausforderungen haben, klären wir im Podcast-Gespräch.
Noch mehr Antriebstechnik gibt es unter www.antriebspodcast.de
Kontakt zu unseren Gesprächspartnern:
Prof. Dr. Heiko Gebauer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heiko-gebauer-bb09211b/
Andreas Schmidt
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-schmidt-3b23111b/
2021-12-1533 min
Industrial AI PodcastKI-Modelle patentieren lassen - geht das? (inkl. Weihnachtsrätsel)Modelle begleiten uns seit einigen Wochen. In dieser Folge wollen wir von Patentanwalt Bastian Best wissen, was kann der Erfinder schützen und wer ist eigentlich der Erfinder?
Unser neuer Partner ist die Hannover Messe! Wir sagen DANKE!
https://www.hannovermesse.de
Das Weihnachtsrätsel: Der Preis ist ein KI Kartenspiel des Projekts Data Mining und Wertschöpfung - Danke an Heiko Gebauer und sein Team.
ENIAC war als erster Großrechner ein wichtiger Meilenstein in der Entwicklung von Computern.
Vor wieviel Jahren wurde der Rechner das erste Mal eingesetzt?
Wie schwer war der...
2021-12-0238 min
Subscribed Industry Podcast#06 | SI - Equipment-as-a-Service Navigator mit Prof. Dr. Heiko Gebauer, Uni St. Gallen
Gibt es eine Anleitung zur Entwicklung eines Equipment-as-a-Service Modells?
In Folge 6 des Subscribed Industry Podcast stellt Prof. Dr. Heiko Gebauer den von der Uni St. Gallen und dem Bosch IoT Lab jüngst veröffentlichten „St. Gallen EaaS Navigator“ 🧭 vor. Er beleuchtet typische Mythen 🤨 und Herausforderungen 🛑 von „as-a-Service“ Geschäftsmodellen und erklärt, warum EaaS wie Haare schneiden 💇 ist.
"The St. Gallen EaaS Navigator" Autoren:
Felix Wortmann, Claudio Lamprecht, Heiko Gebauer, Elgar Fleisch
#EaaS #maschinenbau #industrie40 #digitaletransformation #ZukunftDigitalGestalten #payperuse
2021-07-0637 min