​内容来源：分享美国 地址链接： http://go.usa.gov/xD6pQ

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77家科学性企业能否帮助拯救世界？

这是这些企业与“启动”（Launch）网络平台协作进行的项目所希望达到的目标。77家企业开发的产品或服务都注重在解决气候变化、水资源短缺或医疗保健不足等全球性问题。“启动”帮助它们将设想推向市场并扩大解决方案的规模。

网络化解决方案

“启动”平台始于2010年，由创新发明人托德·科泽恩（Todd Khozein）和杰夫·哈玛奥（Jeff Hamaoui）创立，并得到了耐克公司（Nike）、美国国家航空航天局（NASA）、美国国际发展署（U.S. Agency for International Development）和美国国务院（U.S. Department of State）的支持。它兼具众筹、技术指导和业务加速器的角色，提出富有挑战性的课题，供有志创新的人解决。例如，最近的课题涉及“循环经济”、健康食品、生产化学品的新方法。

入围方案能得益于由政府、企业、学术界和公民社会智囊人士构成的网络，他们帮助这些企业找到投资资本和将产品打入市场，同时提高社会和环境效益。

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正是得到“启动”支持的设想，给世界带来了便携式微生物水测试产品和制造生物塑料的新工艺，以及有助于更好治疗哮喘等呼吸系统疾病的吸感器。

“启动”支持的发明创造为450万人提供了清洁用水，为10万人提供了健康保健，并节省了500万立升的水。

哈玛奥说，通过网络关系进行的“启动”项目为参与者带来了不同寻常的合作和伙伴关系机会。

“启动”网络中的美国航空航天局代表宇航员凯瑟琳·科尔曼（Catherine Coleman）说，“跨界并且与非传统合作伙伴联合创新具有关键作用。”

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Can 77 science-based business ventures save the world?

That’s the number of businesses that an organization called Launch helped to do just that. They’ve all developed products or services to address global problems, such as climate change, water shortages or inadequate access to health care. Launch helps bring their ideas to market and increase the scale of their solutions.

Network solutions

Launch was started in 2010 by innovators Todd Khozein and Jeff Hamaoui, with support from Nike, NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State. Part crowdsourced endeavor, part tech mentorship and part business accelerator, Launch comes up with challenges for innovative people to tackle. Recent ones relate to the “circular,” or no-waste, economy; healthy foods; and new ways of producing chemicals.

Finalists benefit from a network of bright minds from government, business, academia and civil society who help them secure investment capital and market their product while increasing its social or environmental benefit.

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Winning ideas have brought the world portable microbial water-testing products and a new process for manufacturing bioplastics, as well as inhaler sensors that help to better treat respiratory diseases like asthma.

Launch-supported inventions provide clean water to 4.5 million people and access to health care to 100,000 — and save 5 million liters of water.

Launch’s network-centered approach produces unusual collaboration and partnership opportunities for participants, according to Hamaoui.

“To look beyond borders and co-innovate with unconventional partners is key,” said Catherine Coleman, a U.S. astronaut, who represented NASA for the Launch program.

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