Grassroots Innovators
A project that identifies, incubates and provides seed funding to grassroots innovators across the country who invent solutions to their communities’ problems using local wisdom and readily available materials.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
"Grassroots Innovators" began after a survey found that many people in communities have their own practical experience and skills, but lack opportunities to refine their ideas into inventions that can be shared and scaled more widely.
The project has been running continuously since B.E. 2562 (year 1) through a partnership between CH. Karnchang Public Company Limited and ChangeFusion Institute, under the Rural Reconstruction Foundation of Thailand under Royal Patronage. It is based on the idea that many grassroots innovators already develop inventions using their direct experience and materials available locally. When they get new ideas from seeing other kinds of tools or learning through online media such as YouTube and Facebook, they adapt them into tools of their own design, which cost less, are better suited to local conditions of use and are often sold at prices local people can afford.
However, because grassroots innovators tend not to form formal groups, they have fewer opportunities to receive support from both the public and private sectors. As a result, many good innovations remain in use only by their inventors and are not further developed or shared with other communities. The project therefore designed an appropriate support process: it invites applications and selects participants through interviews and visits to each innovator’s workplace to see their work. It assesses their potential based on the originality of their ideas, the potential to scale their innovations and their social impact, then selects promising grassroots innovators to receive initial funding, alongside advice from experts in engineering, product design, management and marketing.
"A good innovation is not measured by how advanced it is, but by how well it can actually solve people’s problems." — Dr Anukun Tantimat, Assistant Managing Director, Office of the Managing Director, CH. Karnchang Public Company Limited
The 5 steps in the process of promoting and supporting grassroots innovators in year 5 (B.E. 2568–2569)
1. Selection
Applications are open nationwide (in year 5, more than 157 people applied). Applicants are scored on 5 criteria: the importance of the problem, creativity and innovation, potential to scale to other communities, potential to create social impact, and feasibility for further development. Each criterion is scored out of 5. The applications are narrowed down to 28 innovations for site visits and in-person interviews, before the final 10 outstanding grassroots innovations are selected.
2. Incubation
A 2-day online incubation programme is delivered for the 10 selected teams. It covers design thinking, product design, online marketing, finance and accounting, and connections with partner networks such as UNDP, the Office of Social Enterprise Promotion, SE Thailand and ThaiHealth.
3. Further development
The project provides on-site advice to each team from CH. Karnchang’s volunteer engineering team (electrical and civil engineering), an industrial product design academic from Chulalongkorn University, an online marketing consultant, and CH. Karnchang’s finance and accounting team. They help develop each team’s prototype, safety systems and product development plans.
4. Connection
An exhibition and funding award ceremony are organised to give grassroots innovators a chance to meet and exchange experiences, and to connect them with partner organisations that may provide benefits or further funding in the future.
5. Scaling
Additional scale-up funding is awarded to teams with clear plans for further development and innovations that better address community problems, to help their innovations reach other communities.
Over 5 years (B.E. 2562–2569), selected grassroots innovators have come from more than 30 provinces across the country.
“Grassroots innovators have both technical knowledge grounded in science and the ability to adapt local wisdom or problem-solving methods to address the real needs of their communities.” — Sunit Shrestha, Director of ChangeFusion Institute
The Project assessed the social impact of all 10 outstanding innovations using the Benefit-Cost Ratio (B/C Ratio), projected 1 year ahead. The assessment found that all 10 innovations had a B/C ratio greater than 1, meaning that each one offered returns that justified the investment. The returns ranged from moderate, such as the charcoal-scrap gas stove in Buriram Province (B/C = 1.5), to very high, such as the automatic smoke-detection sprinkler firebreak in Lamphun Province (B/C = 66.67, based on the value of damage from forest fires prevented compared with the cost of just 5,000 baht per prototype set). These figures were assessed internally by the Project team and have not been verified by an external organisation.
3 of the 10 innovations—Nail-Clipping Housebuilding (Phetchabun Province), the automatic smoke-detection sprinkler firebreak (Lamphun Province), and Geo Art (Nakhon Ratchasima Province)—were selected for additional scale-up funding of 100,000 baht per team to develop stronger prototypes that could be used more widely in practice.
There is no official consolidated report of the Project’s cumulative quantitative impact over the 5 years (the total number of grassroots innovators or households benefiting across all years); only annual figures from each year’s report are available.
Main supporter
CH. Karnchang Public Company Limited
Project implemented by
ChangeFusion Institute, under the Rural Reconstruction Foundation of Thailand under Royal Patronage
Incubation advisers
Volunteer engineers from CH. Karnchang’s engineering division (electrical and civil engineering); Assistant Professor Saranya Siang-arom, Deputy Dean and lecturer in the Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University; Digital Byte online marketing consultant; and CH. Karnchang’s finance and accounting team
Partner network
Office of Social Enterprise Promotion, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Thailand), Social Enterprise Thailand Association (SE Thailand), Taejai.com, Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Ashoka Thailand, Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), Safe and Creative Media Development Fund
Year 6 (B.E. 2569–2570): continuing to expand the network of new-generation grassroots innovators
The project plans to open applications for year 6 (B.E. 2569–2570) from 1 November B.E. 2569, using the same 5-step process (selection, incubation, further development, connection and scaling). The 12-month project period will run from October B.E. 2569 to September B.E. 2570. Applications will close on 31 December B.E. 2569; the 10 outstanding grassroots innovations will be announced on 1 May B.E. 2570; the incubation programme will be delivered online on 20–21 May B.E. 2570; and an exhibition and announcement of scale-up funding awards will take place on 1 August B.E. 2570. The total budget will remain around 800,000 baht, divided into seed funding for 10 teams at 50,000 baht per team and scale-up funding for 3 teams at 100,000 baht per team.
The project also plans to expand its communication channels beyond Facebook to Instagram, TikTok and its own website to reach more grassroots innovators and interested people. It will also strengthen its collaboration with partner organisations in the public, private and civil society sectors and make this collaboration more concrete, for example, through free membership in the Social Enterprise Thailand Association and fundraising opportunities through Taejai.com.
7 entries
Everything the field team has recorded, newest first
How can we
help you?
Choose the question that fits your role. Answers are summarised from our own records of the work, and you can talk to the CF team from any card.
What change does this work create, and how do you know it is effective?
We create opportunities for Grassroots Innovators to develop inventions and expand their use. An assessment of the B/C Ratio for 10 innovations found that every one had a value greater than 1.
The project helps selected Grassroots Innovators further develop their inventions through seed funding, incubation and advice from experts. Over 5 years, selected innovators have been based in more than 30 provinces across the country. This Project
In year 5, all 10 innovations were assessed using the benefit-cost ratio, or B/C Ratio, with projections made 1 year in advance. Every innovation had a B/C value greater than 1. UpdateSocial impact assessment: all 10 innovations provide returns that justify the investment For example, a sprinkler firebreak with automatic smoke detection had a B/C value of 66.67, while a charcoal-waste gasifier stove had a B/C value of 1.5. UpdateSocial impact assessment: all 10 innovations provide returns that justify the investment
The B/C figures are an internal assessment by the project team to inform decisions about funding for scaling up, and have not yet been verified by an independent external organisation. UpdateSocial impact assessment: all 10 innovations provide returns that justify the investment We do not yet have an official report summarising the cumulative number of Grassroots Innovators or households that have benefited over the 5 years. This Project
How was this work carried out, and what lessons can be applied going forward?
We select projects based on their potential, then incubate them, provide advice and make connections to support their scaling, using criteria that consider the problem, innovation, impact and feasibility of further development.
We begin by inviting applications and selecting projects, considering the importance of the problem, creativity, potential to scale, social impact and feasibility of further development. We then interview the teams and visit the projects in person. This Project In year 5, more than 157 applicants applied; 28 projects were shortlisted for visits before the final 10 teams were selected. UpdateShortlisted 28 entries and conducted site visits nationwide UpdateAnnouncement of the 10 Best Grassroots Innovations, Year 5
The selected teams take part in online training in Design Thinking, product design, online marketing, and finance and accounting. They then receive team-specific advice from engineers, designers, and marketing and finance consultants. UpdateIncubating grassroots innovation through a 2-day online programme UpdateOn-site in-depth consultations for each team across 10 provinces nationwide This is followed by showcasing their projects, connecting them with partner organisations, and providing scaling-stage funding to teams with a clear plan for further development. This Project
One lesson from the process is that support involves more than funding: it also includes on-site assessment, advice and network connections. This Project The B/C results used to inform decisions are based on an internal assessment and have not yet been verified by an independent external organisation. UpdateSocial impact assessment: all 10 innovations provide returns that justify the investment
What types of areas is this approach suitable for, and what is needed to get started in our area?
This approach focuses on communities with skilled makers and projects that address local problems. We have examples of field visits across the country, but have not yet documented the conditions or resources a place needs to get started independently.
This approach starts from the experience and practical skills people in the community have for solving their own problems. They often adapt locally available materials or existing tools to suit the conditions in which they will be used. IssueCommunity Innovation and Local Wisdom The Project selects work that is already in use or being sold, then considers the importance of the problem, the newness of the idea, its potential to be scaled up, its social impact and the feasibility of further development. UpdateApplications open nationwide for the “Best Grassroots Innovator, Year 5” This Project
In year 5, the CF team visited all 4 regions to see the projects and interview community makers. The teams selected then received incubation and advice tailored to each team. UpdateShortlisted 28 entries and conducted site visits nationwide UpdateIncubating grassroots innovation through a 2-day online programme This example shows that the approach works with projects and their local creators, rather than imposing technology from outside on the community. IssueCommunity Innovation and Local Wisdom
We have not yet documented minimum requirements for budget, staff or procedures for local organisations that want to start this process in their own areas.
What methods or tools can we start using straight away?
Start by exploring the problems and inventions that the community already uses, then use Design Thinking and advice on design, marketing and finance to develop them further. We do not yet have a manual or ready-made tools that people can start using immediately.
The approach starts by looking at what problems the community faces and what local technicians or inventions are already being used to address them, because community technicians often adapt local materials or existing tools to suit the area. IssueCommunity Innovation and Local Wisdom In the Project, selected teams learned Design Thinking, product design, online marketing, and finance and accounting. UpdateIncubating grassroots innovation through a 2-day online programme
Another part that can be adapted is listening and looking at the actual work before offering advice. The advisory team visited the area to assess potential and help develop prototypes, safety systems, and plans for further developing the products. This Project UpdateOn-site in-depth consultations for each team across 10 provinces nationwide The works that received funding to scale up included Cutting Nails to Build a House, a sprinkler firebreak with automatic smoke detection, and Earth Art. UpdateShowcase, funding award ceremony and announcement of scale-up funding results
We have not yet created a manual, brief steps, or ready-made tools that practitioners on the ground can use immediately.
How does this work connect to systemic issues, and what kind of collaboration is needed?
We work to address the gaps that make it difficult for grassroots innovators who are not formally organised to access support. They need help refining ideas, technical advice, seed funding and channels for sharing their work.
Many grassroots innovators have the skills and experience to solve problems in their communities, but when they are not formally organised, it can be difficult for them to receive support from the public and private sectors. The complexity of support systems is also an obstacle to expanding their work, leaving some innovations in use only by their creators. IssueCommunity Innovation and Local Wisdom The support we see as necessary therefore includes help refining ideas, technical advice from experts, seed funding to develop prototypes, and channels through which other communities can adapt the knowledge. IssueCommunity Innovation and Local Wisdom
The Project puts this approach into practice through selection, incubation, team-by-team mentoring, exhibitions of the work, and connections with partner organisations. This Project The fifth year of incubation covers Design Thinking, product design, online marketing and finance and accounting, while also connecting participants with partner networks. UpdateIncubating grassroots innovation through a 2-day online programme Field visits involve engineers, product designers, online marketing consultants, and finance and accounting teams who provide advice. UpdateOn-site in-depth consultations for each team across 10 provinces nationwide
The stated collaboration therefore covers expertise, funding and network connections, but this does not mean that the Project guarantees future support from its partners. This Project