- Cases
Designing for Survival: Local Insights Powering Neonatal Innovation
01 Situation
Neonatal mortality remains a critical challenge across low-resource settings in South Asia and Africa, where limited diagnostics, fragmented care systems, and context-specific barriers hinder survival. The Newborn Survival Prize aims to catalyze innovation but requires grounded, in-country insights to ensure relevance and impact.
02 Assignment
A research partner was needed to uncover the drivers of neonatal mortality and map innovation ecosystems across selected countries, while informing the design of a global open innovation programme. The focus: align solutions with real clinical needs and local market realities.
03 Approach
Leveraging a decentralized network of local human-centered design researchers, qualitative methods were deployed across ecosystems—combining stakeholder mapping, clinical observations, and in-depth interviews. Insights were synthesized through affinity mapping, personas, and user journeys, ensuring deep contextual understanding and co-creation with those closest to the challenge.
04 Result
The research delivered actionable insights into care gaps, innovation opportunities, and regulatory pathways—directly shaping a prize design rooted in lived realities. By embedding local expertise, the programme is positioned to unlock scalable, context-fit solutions for newborn survival.
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