Catalytic innovation is a type of innovation that creates scalable, sustainable, and systemic change by addressing social issues in a way that significantly disrupts existing systems.
Unlike traditional innovation, which focuses on incremental improvements or high-end markets, catalytic innovation targets overlooked or underserved populations, providing them with affordable and accessible solutions.
These innovations often operate within constrained resources and prioritize social impact over profit maximization. They challenge incumbents by offering simpler, cheaper, and more user-friendly alternatives, enabling marginalized groups to access opportunities previously unavailable to them.
A hallmark of catalytic innovation is its potential for widespread replication, thereby transforming entire industries or sectors.
For example, microfinance institutions disrupted traditional banking by providing financial services to low-income individuals, empowering them to participate in economic activities.
The concept of catalytic innovation was pioneered by Clayton M. Christensen, Heiner Baumann, Rudy Ruggles, and Thomas M. Sadtler, who emphasized its role in addressing critical social challenges and creating long-term systemic change.
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