Socially Inclusive Technologies for Shared Prosperity

How can disruptive technologies be made socially non-disruptive? The question is important because it pertains to the contribution of basic research to human development and shared prosperity, both in the most advanced economies and in the Global South. The question is complex because it calls for close collaboration between natural scientists, engineers and social scientists.

The platform aims at:

• 1. Understanding the cultural, social and behavioral constraints on the adoption of innovations at the household level;
• 2. Designing simple and robust policy interventions targeting individuals and local communities.

We seek to contribute to evidence-driven development aid in a Swiss context, by bringing high-level academic economics/management expertise from IMD and UNIL to bear on more technology-oriented development projects from EPFL. This holds considerable potential for both scientific advances and societal contributions.