Innovators and social entrepreneurs are driven by the challenges they confront. They confront failure with another shot at the problem, with alternative approaches, renewed vigour and hope. Drawing boards, process-flow charts, project reports, …. are rarely used by innovators, as they confront issues head on.

Innovations in Services for Urban Poor Award Program recognises that - multiple aspects of the innovators’ approach collectively contribute to success, and it is often difficult to single out ‘one’ critical success factor.

However, with the benefit of hind-sight, the program will examine each of these success stories to identify the factors that contributed to success. The program will explore on how the innovations have fared along multiple dimensions.

Developing products / Configuring services
Technological breakthroughs or adaptations, or particular manner in which the service has been packaged can be innovative and critical for the success of the initiative.

Reaching out / Communicating
Innovators may have reached out to the urban poor constituency or communicated a complex message in an innovative way.

Planning / Regulation / Adopting multi-dimensional approach
A more comprehensive or multi-dimensional approach may have been adopted in addressing the problem. Planning approaches may include spatial planning, or using ‘spatial dimension’ as a filter to understanding and resolving the problem. Innovative regulatory measures can also address many a vexed problem in addressing issues relating to urban poor.

Pricing / Financing / Funding
Pricing and financing models are innovated by many, to break price and purchasing power barriers in accessing markets at the bottom of the pyramid. Similarly, financing and funding the initiative or enterprise itself may also have been innovated upon.