The biggest sociological challenges also present the greatest potential, from an inventor's point of view. With environmental and developmental innovations, we can solve major social problems, reduce pollution and dependence on fossil fuels, improve education and health care, and help children, seniors, and underserved communities around the globe. These solutions require an abundance of imagination and optimism, without losing sight of real market forces. The Deshpande Center hopes help transform those qualities into viable innovations that will make the world a better place.

• (active) indicates project we are currently funding
• (complete) indicates project has completed funding
• (spin-out) indicates project has formed a company

Bill Green: New engine to replace diesel
A new take on the fuel-efficient, low-emission HCCI engine would be more robust and less complex than the original and could prove to be a long-awaited alternative to the polluting diesel engine. (complete)

Richard Lanza: Low-cost x-ray imaging systems
An inexpensive x-ray imaging system using off-the-shelf scanners and personal computers could be a boon to medicine in developing countries and could be used for homeland security and inspection applications. (complete)

Emanuel Sachs: High efficiency multi-crystalline solar cells
A new approach to improve the efficiency of multi-crystalline solar cells that could lower the cost per watt of solar energy, allowing it to become more competitive with grid electricity. (complete, spin-out)

Emanuel Sachs: Metallization on Solar Cells
This method for applying circuitry to solar cells could make them much more affordable and energy-efficient. (complete)

Don Sadoway: A cheaper, greener way to produce titanium - Manufacturing titanium through direct electrolysis could reduce production costs by 50 percent and open up a range of new markets for the metal while also creating a harmless, marketable by-product - oxygen. (complete, spin-out)

Donald Sadoway : High-Amperage Energy Storage Device
A technology to store high-amperage energy for industrial settings.
(active)

Yang Shao-Horn: Engineered electrode assemblies for PEM fuel cells
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells have great potential for powering cars and other applications, but the most expensive part of the fuel cells, the electrode assemblies, have been cost-prohibitiveÑuntil now. (complete)

Amy Smith: Low-cost electricity-free incubation
The phase change incubator is a revolutionary new incubation technology that enables incubation without electricity and the need for skilled maintenance. Moreover, existing prototypes cost only $100 -significantly less than comparable products - which may allow new markets that currently cannot afford incubators to open up. (complete)

Francesco Stellacci and Jing Kong: Super-hydrophobic Nanomaterials
A simple and rapid nano-material approach to controlling surface wetting that could impact how environmentally hazardous materials are cleaned. (complete)

Jefferson Tester: Renewable Propane from Biomass
Technology to allow the production of propane from biomass such as sugar, starches, or cellulose. (active)