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Michal Vakrat Wolkin CleanTech Open 2014
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Success Factors in Leading Edge Technologies
Lesson Learned in Innovation in Clean Tech
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
• Innovation is NOT necessarily an invention, a scientific discovery, or a math proof…
Innovation is the Process of Changing the world…
What innovation is all about?...
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Invention or innovation?
• Silicon can emit red to blue light in the nano scale
• Michal Vakrat Wolkin, Physical Review
Letters, 82, 197 (1999)
• Intel and Corning are developing a new optical interconnect technology capable of 1.6 terabits per second.
Optical based computing….
Invention Innovation
Clean Tech innovation challenges…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
• We have to solve great challenges of our society, provide clean water, sustainable energy, build infrastructures in emerging economies, and move into oil independence
Quantum Dots
Turbine blades
Electron Value
Cellulosic bio mass
Efficient power
Wider adoption
Innovations happen everywhere…
How do companies succeed in innovations? …
Innovation isn't a cooperate phenomena …
1. Subject matter expertise is not a must…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Tesla Model S
Best practices for success…
“More positive change , less incremental improvements…”
2. Can do vs. Can’t do culture…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
1876: Alexander Graham Bell makes the first telephone call in his Boston laboratory
Imagine the future…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Innovation = Keep Trying… Take a risk….
Innovations in Batteries for Electric Cars
2. Can do vs. Can’t do culture…
• Battery in 2009; (Range <100 km, Price> 1000$/KWh) • Battery in 2014; (Range: >300km, Price <300$/KWh) • Tesla’s Giga battery factory
3. Thinking Inside the box … (as opposed to Outside the Box)
Defining the box is key, innovations come from practical solutions o Instagram o Tesla
4. Business Un- usual…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Kickstarter
Distorting usual ways, changing fundamental economics
4. Business Un- usual…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
o Collaborations
Future energy storage system
Lunar Lander Moon express
o Competitions
NASA’s Innovation Strategy:
5. Going Nano (Materials & Fabrication)
• Making high quality things at lower prices
• Printing materials
• Making Sensors
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
6. Making new rules in clean tech…
• Community/commercial energy storage (Solar City)
• Shared energy economy / Electron’s economic value (NREL)
• Charging cars instead of fueling cars (ChargPoint)
• Safe nuclear fusion (Helion)
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Helion Energy wins energy generation category at Cleantech-Open 2013
(Xerox) PARC Innovation Center
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
• D. De Broyker, M.Vakrat Wolkin, Et al, • PNAS 101, 9517 (2004), and 6 issued patents
Windows (Steve Jobs)
Mouse Nano-litter Chip for
Drug discovery
Flexible electronics
NASA’s Centennial Challenges
• Engage the public in the process of advanced technology developments
• Incentive prizes to generate revolutionary solutions
Latest challenge 2012;
• “The Night Rover Challenge” catalyzes bold advances in energy storage technologies for Space Rovers
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
The mission: • Portable energy storage system through several lunar daylight and darkness
The process: • Steering committee defines the technical spec
• Challenge is advertised to the relevant research communities
• Concept submission deadline and review (6 months)
• Teams submit applications (1 year development)
• Start of trials and Testing at NASA Glenn
Judging criteria: • Mass, Volume, Energy content
Status Update: •In most cased…. No winning technology…
$1.5M prize purse
The Night Rover Challenges
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Gates Foundation Gates challenges: extreme poverty , poor health in developing countries, America’s education system
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
Innovations Success factors:
collaborations, unlimited funding, focus on project management, good cause
Second Life EV Batteries for irrigation systems
Irrigation systems improve diet and income in rural sub-Saharan Africa
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
+ Battery
solar
Summary
• While the challenges are huge, we are able to solve them thinking creatively…
• “Don’t just go for safe project, take on the really tough problems.” Warren Buffett
• Israel is a hub for those “smart and young” engineers that can break the rules… so go find your collaborators …. and innovate…
Dr. Michal Vakrat Wolkin michal@vakrat.com
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