An untold story behind the Sandbox
Sandbox is basically is a place where you can experiment with your ideas and there is no stigma associated with failing. Failing in Sandbox is looked upon as an avenue to grow and learn. One is encouraged to start over with spirit, active zeal, and updated knowledge.
Dr. Desh, initially wanted to take off with a technology innovation centre in India, but after looking at the context of the Indian ecosystem, he came up with a simple equation.
Relevance + Innovation = Social Innovation.
He says, “The deep understanding of the problem itself is a core competence.”
Unlike technological innovations, social innovation doesn’t require to be patented or to be the first-of-its-kind. The whole idea is a two step process – firstly, to co-create the solution with people who need it and secondly, to build a capacity within the community to spread the solution so it can impact lots of people. In line with this idea, Sandbox took birth.
The aim of the Sandbox is to create an environment where innovative approaches to addressing social challenges are encouraged. The Sandbox ecosystem lies on the fundament that there are three types of people in a community – one, who are oblivious to the problems, you should probably not bother about them. Second, those who see a problem and start complaining about it. Third, those who see every problem as an opportunity to create a new solution. Now, the difference between a vibrant community and an impoverished community depends on the ratio of the second and third type of people a community has. If a community itself has a group of problem solvers, it does not require any external force to take command over their problems.
Sandbox believes that people complain because they feel helpless about the situation. So it provides them with an opportunity to turn into problem solvers from complainers. When a student is given a problem, it’s a homework but when somebody picks up a problem and starts identifying its solution, they start building an entrepreneurial thought process. Now they become problem solvers.
Sandbox, in a nutshell, motivates people to identify the problem within their surroundings and solve their problems with an entrepreneurial rigor.
Sandbox has evolved into an exemplary success as it continues to support a critical number of local leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who can focus and develop solutions to local issues.