D-Lab: Disseminating Innovations for the Common Good
MIT's Edgerton Center offers this course on scaling innovations for underserved communities, particularly in developing countries. Part of the D-Lab trilogy, it teaches students to build partnerships, pilot projects, secure financing, and implement and scale a chosen innovation aimed at the common good. The course is organized around MIT and external competitions, with student teams developing an idea, project, or social business plan meant to be ready to launch by the end of the term. Materials include an online discussion forum, student-led case studies, and a final proposal or business plan as the capstone deliverable. The approach is hands-on and team-based, drawing on real partnerships and pilot experiences rather than abstract theory, and reflects MIT's broader D-Lab focus on appropriate technology and international development work.