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Whirlwind Wheelchair International

Whirlwind Wheelchair International. Product Design for Social Benefit Keoke King. Independence through quality mobility and sustainable development. Ralf Hotchkiss - Founder Marc Krizack - Entrepreneur. Ralf and Marc receive a Tech Award in 2004. Product Design for Social Benefit.

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Whirlwind Wheelchair International

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  1. Whirlwind Wheelchair International Product Design for Social Benefit Keoke King Independence through quality mobility and sustainable development

  2. Ralf Hotchkiss - Founder Marc Krizack - Entrepreneur Ralf and Marc receive a Tech Award in 2004

  3. Product Design for Social Benefit 1. Background on Whirlwind 2. Our approach to product design 3. Our approach to development 4. Social business - for-profit similar different to non-profit 5. Questions

  4. Whirlwind Wheelchair International Since 1989 Whirlwind has been collaborating with Wheelchair riders around the world to create durable designs for rough terrain that empower people with disabilities through independent mobility and sustainable economic development. Roger Mibence Leon, Nicaragua

  5. Whirlwind Basics • Non-Profit Mission • 1. Independence through quality mobility • 2. Local economic development • Whirlwind uses contract manufacturing in the developing world • Two major chapters: • Whirlwind 1.0 - small grant funded shops Whirlwind 2.0 - medium scale factories with revenue from sales • Historically - Open source intellectual property

  6. 1979: Managua, Nicaragua • Ralf Hotchkiss found: • Four young men sharing one wheelchair • Inappropriate technology • Ralf and friends created: • Local designs and parts • Low capital requirement • Employment for riders

  7. A Good Wheelchair Can . . . • Help you stay clean and healthy • Take you to school • Get you to a job • Go shopping and raise a family • Promote social acceptance

  8. The Need: 20 Million Plus 20M+ need a good wheelchair and do not have one

  9. The Need urban rural 70% of the 20 million live rural areas with lack of pavement

  10. 1989: SFSU Nonprofit Incubator • At SFSU Whirlwind brought research and public service together • Intellectual and lab resources for R&D • Funded by SFSU, donations and grants for establishing small wheelchair shops

  11. Product Design • Whirlwind’s Approach: • User-Originated • Iterative design process • Rapid Prototyping • Designers are users • SF Hub & Many Innovation locations • Simple manufacturing techniques • Open source IP MADE – Uganda • Design quoteable

  12. Small Shop Dissemination • 46 small shops started • In 2003, 25 shops were ongoing • 50,000 + riders • Design quoteable

  13. Design Criteria - From Rider / Builders • Safe - stable • Maneuverable • Foldable • No removable parts • Comfortable • Cheap to build • Locally customizable design • Easy to build – low education/ skill required • Easy and cheap to repair • Indoors/Outdoors - desks, doors, mud, rocks, dirt, sand, stones • Design quoteable

  14. The User MUST Be A Leader • Users are Rider/Builders • Users are testers • Ralf is Founder and Chief Engineer • Hiring preference for direct experience with disability • Design quoteable

  15. Social Business Risk Tolerance • Kenneth Behring’s life changing delivery of wheelchairs Ken (on right) from KIFAS in Ankara Turkey

  16. Social Business “It is not a social social or a business business. It is a social business.” Marc Krizack • Kenneth Behring’s life changing delivery of wheelchairs • Similar / Different to For Profit Orgs • no investors • can accept donations • operate in less profitable spaces • you CAN make a profit

  17. Social Business • Business Principals • Use the market? • Inter-dependence not Independence • Scale • Control Costs • Influence Standards • Measurement and Improvement • Kenneth Behring’s life changing delivery of wheelchairs

  18. Family of Products • RoughRiderTM • Active Kid’s Chair • Trike Add-on for RoughRider • Cargo Trike – for micro enterprise • Standard Style Chair • Open Source Accessories

  19. Social Business Consequences • In 2000, small shops encounter globalization effects: • Competition from imports • Kenneth Behring’s life changing delivery of wheelchairs • Designs could be standardized because of wider availability of components In 2010 our design is copied. We are re-organizing around our durable competitive advantage.

  20. Questions? Quote on local econ devel

  21. Thank You We look forward to hearing from you: • keoke@whirlwindwheelchair.org • Please email me right away to join our mailing list whirlwindwc

  22. Thank You • end whirlwindwc

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