Innovation is often portrayed as a dramatic leap forward—a groundbreaking idea, a disruptive technology, or a revolutionary business model. While these big wins capture headlines, they rarely reflect the day-to-day reality of innovation. Most meaningful progress stems from small, consistent steps that accumulate over time to create lasting impact.
Innovation ecosystems thrive on collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. When organizations and communities seek to create impactful solutions, design thinking and human-centered methods have emerged as pivotal frameworks for driving innovation. These approaches are transformative methodologies that reshape how problems are understood and solved, aligning solutions with real human needs.
Through analysis of social care networks, presented at the 2024 Sunbelt Conference by several members of our OSB team and Teri Garstka, Director of the KU Social Innovation Lab, we've gained a deeper understanding of how network structures underpin the strength and resilience of systems.
Inclusive Innovation initiatives are a powerful catalyst for collaboration, connecting entrepreneurial communities, businesses, local governments, and academic institutions. These initiatives focus on equitable resource distribution, leadership, and ecosystem building, unlocking solutions that address the unique challenges of communities.
In today's fast-paced world of innovation, staying ahead means being adaptable, connected, and always curious about what's next. Industries are evolving at breakneck speed, driven by tech advances, shifts in consumer values, and the pursuit of smarter, more sustainable solutions.
Innovation is often portrayed as a dramatic leap forward—a groundbreaking idea, a disruptive technology, or a revolutionary business model. While these big wins capture headlines, they rarely reflect the day-to-day reality of innovation. Most meaningful progress stems from small, consistent steps that accumulate over time to create lasting impact.
Innovation ecosystems thrive on collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. When organizations and communities seek to create impactful solutions, design thinking and human-centered methods have emerged as pivotal frameworks for driving innovation. These approaches are transformative methodologies that reshape how problems are understood and solved, aligning solutions with real human needs.
Through analysis of social care networks, presented at the 2024 Sunbelt Conference by several members of our OSB team and Teri Garstka, Director of the KU Social Innovation Lab, we've gained a deeper understanding of how network structures underpin the strength and resilience of systems.
In September 2024, Orange Sparkle Ball launched a pilot testing the autonomous robotic pickup of plastic bags for recycling in partnership with Intermode and Refraction AI, with support from the North Corktown Neighborhood Association. The collected plastic bags were processed by the Recycle Here! facility. This pilot was successfully completed in October 2024.
Inclusive Innovation initiatives are a powerful catalyst for collaboration, connecting entrepreneurial communities, businesses, local governments, and academic institutions. These initiatives focus on equitable resource distribution, leadership, and ecosystem building, unlocking solutions that address the unique challenges of communities.
As of Friday, November 22nd, Orange Sparkle Ball has launched their fourth and final Michigan-funded pilot created to explore the use of autonomous robots for multi-material pickup. In this pilot, we are collecting (1) plastic bags for recycling, a material not currently accepted through curbside city recycling services, (2) small electronics for refurbishment, and (3) commercial food waste for processing into bioplastics.
How do you know if you’re making enduring change at scale?
At the University of Kansas Social Innovation Lab and Orange Sparkle Ball, we have been partnering on research to understand ecosystems. As a result of this work, we’re excited to release the first in a series of white papers focused on ecosystem evaluation. If you’re an ecosystem builder, this one’s for you!
How do you know if you’re making the best decision possible or acting on the most complete data? Short answer: you don’t. We all act on the best information we have and adapt as new information comes along. That being said, there are some approaches to gathering information that can ensure you are receiving a more comprehensive look.
September 10-12 marked the return of Dayton Startup Week to downtown Dayton, a significant gathering for the region's entrepreneurial community. This event, filled with powerful talks, workshops, and networking opportunities, showcased the dynamic and emerging ecosystem taking shape in real-time. As OSB emerges as an industry leader in ecosystem measurement, our engagement in this new ecosystem provides an opportunity to apply our expertise in analyzing and fostering innovation, helping to catalyze growth, collaboration, and sustainable development within the local startup community.
Orange Sparkle Ball has officially received a 2nd Transportation Innovation Zone (TIZ) Permit for piloting the autonomous robotic pickup of household materials for end-of-life processing in the Corktown region of Detroit in partnership with Intermode with support from the North Corktown Neighborhood Association.
Orange Sparkle Ball is thrilled to announce the expansion of our innovative robotic pickup platform, designed to revolutionize waste management and recycling in the Detroit community. We will be partnering with Intermode and Refraction AI to explore the use of autonomous robots for the pickup of household materials and proper end-of-life processing. Over the next month, we will be launching new material offerings for pickup, including plastic bags, small electronics, and food waste.
Orange Sparkle Ball received a Transportation Innovation Zone (TIZ) Permit for piloting the autonomous robotic pickup of food waste for composting in the Corktown area of Detroit in partnership with Ottonomy and Scrap Soils with support from Brother Nature Farm and the North Corktown Neighborhood Association. This pilot has successfully concluded, and results have been compiled into a case study and pilot video.
The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation is partnering with Orange Sparkle Ball to implement project-centered Innovation Coaching as a core offering of their upcoming Partnership Leaders Program; a 6-month long engagement designed to provide participants with a soft onboarding to inclusive Tech-Based Economic Development and entrepreneurial ecosystem development.
Introducing Penny Pickup by Orange Sparkle Ball - a platform where autonomous and micromobility solutions can be hailed specifically for various material and waste product types and redistributed to the most viable, sustainable destination to ensure their proper reuse, recycling, refurbishment, and redistribution.
Last month, several of our OSB team members and Teri Garstka, Director of the KU Social Innovation Lab, presented at the 2024 Sunbelt Conference hosted by the International Network for Social Network Analysis!
Last month, OSB team members Ashley Touchton, Amy Qu, Michaela Bonnett, and Nix Fisch had the great pleasure of presenting at the Middle Georgia Regional Library to share the results of our Macon Ecosystem Mapping.
