Based on the research and analysis
conducted for this report, IDB Lab has an
opportunity to show other development
finance institutions (DFIs) how to support
the systematic scaling up of successful
innovations. Many development
organizations have set up competitions
and labs to tap into the rich innovation
current in the world.
The approach to taking innovations to
scale in development is broken. On
one hand, huge amounts of money are
invested in innovations, as evidenced
by the sizable support infrastructure of
innovation hubs, accelerators, labs, and
grand challenges. On the other hand,
governments and DFIs operate at scale,
but rarely adopt new ways of tackling
development challenges. The skills
needed for the scaling-up process
differ from the skills for developing
an innovation. Specific intermediary
skills may include systems analysis,
strategic planning, process facilitation
and people management, monitoring and evaluation, etc. It is the vital role
of intermediation functions that often proves to be the clutch that connects
innovations to scale. Based on the research and analysis
conducted for this report, IDB Lab has an
opportunity to show other development
finance institutions (DFIs) how to support
the systematic scaling up of successful
innovations. Many development
organizations have set up competitions
and labs to tap into the rich innovation
current in the world.
