Business Plan Challenge for a Global Dialogue on Emerging

Technologies for Emerging Needs

Overview
The Netherlands Red Cross, American Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), invite the international MBA students of Nyenrode Business University to help
the Red Cross/Red Crescent strengthen urban disaster resilience through the use of emerging
technologies.
Eight teams of four will have three weeks to prepare a business plan in English for one of the assigned
emerging technology use cases. Teams will submit their written business plans (see components below)
and presentation materials (a 1-page Executive Summary, PowerPoint Presentation containing 10 slides
or less, and a poster) to the Netherlands Red Cross, Ms. Irma Arends (via email iarends@redcross.nl) by
midnight on 31 December 2014.
Teams will be invited to present their business plans (pitch style) in three minutes or less on 8 January
2015, at the Nyenrode campus, for an audience of Red Cross/Red Crescent leaders and representatives
from business, academia and government.
A maximum of four teams ideas will be prioritized for further consideration at this meeting, and the
members of these teams will be invited to participate in the global, virtual team working to advance
emerging technologies for emerging needs throughout 2015.

Challenge
The Red Cross/Red Crescent is considering how best to incorporate emerging technology into its existing
programs throughout the world. Technology is a powerful enabler, and the ultimate goal is to use it to
strengthen urban dwellers resilience to disaster-related shocks and stressors and help them bounce
back quicker and stronger. Ideally, the emerging technology solutions would be accessed, managed
and/or owned by at-risk individuals and communities (not the Red Cross/Red Crescent). Business plans
will help the Red Cross/Red Crescent consider how best it can help support community use of the
emerging technologies and plot its investments wisely to achieve the greatest impact over the next 5-10
years. Between 8 and 9 January, the Red Cross/Red Crescent will develop operational plans, including
budgets and timelines, for the prioritized business plans.

Instructions
The business plans should contain the following components:

Vision statement
Use case
o Description of assigned emerging technology and use case
o Description of the functions performed by the emerging technology
o Projections of the emerging technologys capabilities within 5-10 years, potential future
impact and competitive advantage (in comparison to todays solutions or other tools)
Strategy for incorporating the emerging technology before, during and after emergency
situations
o Demonstrate how the emerging technology and strategy can strengthen disaster coping
skills (namely improve knowledge, health, organization, connection, economic
opportunities, access to infrastructure and services, and/or manage natural assets)
o Consider the social, ethical, security, political/legal, environmental and financial
implications of the strategy
Feasibility study
o User and market analysis that discusses the target user, desired market, competitors
and potential enablers/collaborators
o Analysis of the users/markets strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
Strategy for how the Red Cross/Red Crescent can support the access, management and/or
ownership of the emerging technology by at-risk individuals and communities (as opposed to
institutions or disaster responders)
o Consider financial realities of the targeted users and nonprofit organizations
Recommendations for funding and equipping the strategy (including external donors)
Names, bios and contact information of the team members
Executive summary (1 page)
A poster visualizing the business plan (A0 or A1 poster size)
An accompanying PowerPoint Presentation (10 slides or less)

The business plan should also:

Take into account how the emerging technology use case is or can be:
Open & Multi-purpose
Sustainable
Human-centered
Durable & Power-efficient
Appropriate & Inclusive
Easy to Learn & Use
Accessible & Affordable
Interoperable
Supported by Robust Community
Leverages Internet When Available But
Outreach/ Education
Doesnt Rely on It
Supported by Leadership, Data,
Tied to the Six Characteristics of a Safe &
Systems and Policies
Resilient Community
Scalable or Replicable
Align with the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement
Not be limited to a specific geographic location or community; the global Red Cross Red Crescent
network spans 189 countries and scale is a desired outcome
Not be limited to a specific timeframe; the Red Cross will determine, in consultation with other strategic
priorities, the best opportunities for implementation
Additional information:
All materials must be presented in English
Each team will be comprised of four currently-enrolled MBA students
Teams may consult mentors and each other in the development of the business plan
The Red Cross/Red Crescent will host an optional, one-hour teleconference to answer questions from
interested students at 13:00 on 18 December (Dutch time). Please dial in to +31207143554, conference
code: 6110773344 #. If there is an opportunity for a video conference this will be shared with the
students prior to the teleconference.
Each presentation (pitch style) will be limited to 3 minutes. The presentation will be followed by one
question generated by the audience and the team will have 3 additional minutes to respond
Teams will receive feedback on their business plans during the summit from a panel, through questions
of participants, and from a lead speaker. Teams will receive feedback on project plans that were
developed during the summit and which of those will be taken forward.

Emerging Technology Use Cases

The following emerging technology use cases will be assigned to groups of four by the faculty advisor for this
challenge. Please see the Addendum on Use Cases and Reference Materials for additional information.

Team 1: Wearable Technology for providing early warning, supporting search and rescue, and reconnecting
families post disaster
Team 2: Unmanned aerial vehicles for temporarily restoring communications networks and delivering
critical relief items, such as life jackets and medicines, post disaster
Team 3: Robots for supplementing emergency healthcare
Team 4: Smart Home sensor networks for sensing and reporting fires in informal settlements/slums
Team 5: Smart Cars and public transportation for coordinating emergency evacuations
Team 6: Biometric scanners in ATM-like kiosks for restoring lost documentation to prove identity, access
assistance and reconnect families
Team 7: Augmented Reality software for crowdsourcing and visualizing community resources
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Team 8: 3D Printers for developing custom relief items and retrofitting/repairing homes

Reference Materials

Summary reports and presentations from each of the regional consultations (the San Francisco summary
report will be posted online no later than Dec. 19)
An overview of current use cases for the emerging technologies as reported by media sources
A sampling of additional uses cases generated through the dialogue

Addendum on Use Cases

Below are narratives to jumpstart the teams research and further development the emerging technology use
cases. Please consult the Reference Materials, mentors, external resources and the Netherlands Red Cross for
additional background and guidance.

Team 1: Wearable Technology for providing early warning, supporting search and rescue, and reconnecting
families post disaster
Summary of Needs: Important preparedness messages and early warning of disaster risks often arrive
too late, are misrouted and overlooked, and sometimes they never arrive. Loss of life, injuries and
property damage could be avoided with timely, accurate and actionable guidance. Mobile devices and
push notifications have helped to close the gaps in recent years, but as fewer people consult traditional
media sources for news and information, officials need to consider more effective ways to send and
receive early warning to citizens, especially those who may have visual or hearing impairments.
When disaster strikes, people can easily become trapped in buildings or asked to shelter in place for a
significant period of time. If left in these situations for too long, without food, water and medical care,
lives will be lost. Families can also suffer psychological and emotional stress, if separated. During this
time, first responders will receive an overwhelming number of calls for help, but it is nearly impossible
to respond without GPS data and verification of the need. It is critically important the first responders
prioritize and target their efforts, especially when resources and time are limited.
Use Case Narrative: A wearable device that receives preparedness messages, early warnings and advice
from officials; sends the wearers location and vital signs to emergency responders to aid is search and
rescue; displays the location of other family members; and allows two-way communications with
emergency responders and loved ones. The wearable device could be sold commercially to subsidize atrisk communities use, and it would be less likely to become separated from its owner than a mobile
phone in a chaotic disaster.

Team 2: Unmanned aerial vehicles for temporarily restoring communications networks and delivering
critical relief items, such as life jackets and medicines, post disaster
Summary of Needs: Telephone and Internet communications are a critical need in emergencies and yet
they are typically disrupted in major disasters. It can take several days and weeks to restore
infrastructure and services, and during this time few people have access to information, ways to contact
their families and the tools they need to jumpstart their recovery.
Natural disasters can quickly and indiscriminating isolate communities, restricting ground transportation
and access by responders and suppliers. Rural and mountainous communities can be cut off from food,
water, communications and healthcare. It can take weeks and months to clear debris, open roads and
restore the flow of assistance.
Use Case Narrative: A swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles that transmit mobile and wifi signals using a
mesh network for a localized area to restore critical communication for citizens. The vehicles can hover
in the air or land on tall buildings/mountains, and citizens can contact family members, employers and
service providers via an application or SMS without overloading the system.
Unmanned aerial vehicles that deliver small items, such as power sources, lighting, life jackets and
medicines to targeted groups of people. The aim is to improve the response time for isolated and
inaccessible communities.

Team 3: Robots for supplementing emergency healthcare

Summary of Needs: Highly contagious diseases can spread rapidly in urban environments and the
volume of medical needs can strain the healthcare system. To add to the complexity, there is already a
worldwide shortage of trained healthcare workers. Responding to epidemics also puts healthcare
workers at significant risk of infection.
Use Case Narrative: Robots, with video screens to display the faces and voices of human healthcare
workers, that provide diagnostic support, treatment and monitoring of medical patients. They may also
assist nurses and doctors in removing their personal protective equipment, in burying the deceased, and
in comforting people who are suffering from stress and trauma. While people are in quarantine, robots
may also deliver medicines, basic necessities and video communications from loved ones.

Team 4: Smart Home sensor networks for sensing and reporting fires in informal settlements/slums
Summary of Needs: Fires regularly occur in urban slums, sometimes because stoves are used indoors,
wires are faulty or the residents are trying to keep warm. Rapid and haphazard development forces
homes close together and allows fire to spread easily. Pathways between homes are narrow and often
blocked. The density of the slum makes evacuations chaotic and dangerous. Residents commonly do not
know who to call for firefighting assistance. And traditional firefighters, if they are even available, have a
difficult time finding and responding to these fires quickly. Residents are therefore left devastated and
homeless.
Use Case Narrative: Low-cost, Smart Home sensors that are solar-powered and affixed to each roof
within the informal settlement. The sensors are networked to each other using radio signals and they
can detect a fire early, distinguishing between smoke and fire, and sound alarms across the network via
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SMS and broadcast to alert nearby homeowners. They can also directly notify firefighters (or an informal
brigade of citizen volunteers) and provide GPS data for the location of the fire. Armed with current
maps, the firefighters can effectively reach the fires in time to save lives and property.

Team 5: Smart Cars and public transportation for coordinating emergency evacuations
Summary of Needs: Officials often order emergency evacuations for a targeted population ahead of an
emergency or immediately following to minimize the risk and move people to safer areas. If not
managed carefully, panic can ensue, public transportation can become stressed and roads can become
congested with one-way traffic. Collisions and fuel shortages can result, and ambulances may not be
able to reach critically-ill patients during the rush. These complications can delay evacuations and
compound the emergency. Others, who do not have access to personal transportation and those who
have limited mobility or financial resources may also be left behind. Once the emergency has passed,
the same challenges can occur when people attempt to re-enter the city.
Use Case Narrative: Smart Cars that are accessed through a sharing economy or intelligent public
transportation system that are equipped with sensors to reduce the friction that can occur with mass
evacuations. The sensors can help drivers schedule their departure to coincide with traffic patterns,
avoid collisions, navigate through unfamiliar areas, carpool with other citizens and notify officials of a
medical emergency or empty fuel tank with GPS data. Some smart vehicles can also operate in high
waters, which is valuable when small bridges are damaged or roads flooded. Sensors in public
transportation vehicles can also advise riders of the real-time schedule, current capacity, maintenance
issues and the safety record of the operator to help in their emergency decision making. They become
even more valuable when they use alternative sources of power and accept digital payments.

Team 6: Biometric scanners in ATM-like kiosks for restoring lost documentation to prove identity, access
assistance and reconnect families
Summary of Needs: It is very common for families and businesses to lose personal documentation, such
as identification, proof of residence or home ownership, insurance policies, and medical records, in an
emergency. It is also nearly impossible to start the recovery process without this documentation. Even
after government services and businesses have resumed, they may not reissue the documentation
without proof of identity. Under these circumstances, disaster survivors can be left in limbo for months
or years.
Sudden disasters can cause families to become separated. Sometimes just across town and others
across borders. Not knowing where your loved ones are, if they are OK and when you will be able to
reconnect can be incredibly painful. When the lack of communication and transportation makes it
challenging for families to connect in emergencies, they turn to the Red Cross for assistance. As people
arrive at shelters, refugee camps and other safe places, they register their location and the Red Cross
can consult multiple databases and resources to locate missing loved ones.

Use Case Narrative: Solar-powered kiosks, at which people scan their fingers and eyes using Biometric
technology. In non-disaster times, the machines dispense cash like ATMs, and in emergencies, they can
also be used to retrieve personal documents from the cloud storage and print replacement
identification (similar to self-service boarding pass kiosks at the airport) and other important
documents. They may also be used to collect grants to restart businesses and locate family members
who may have registered with the Red Cross or another trusted organization.

Team 7: Augmented Reality software for crowdsourcing and visualizing community resources
Summary of Needs: Resilient communities can effectively connect, organize and share resources in
emergencies. They can also lend their skills to assist their neighbors in coping with and recovering from
the disaster. One barrier to this is that urban dwellers increasingly do not know their neighbors well, and
cultural and social barriers may prevent them from asking for help. Without this network, they cannot
easily locate food, water, healthcare, power sources and other assistance. Their recovery may also be
delayed or made more complex.
Use Case Narrative: Mobile devices equipped with Augmented Reality software that when held in the users
line of sight (similar to taking a picture) will display computer-generated billboards and bubbles on the screen
that correspond with peoples homes and businesses, indicating those who are offering food, water, first aid
and other services. This can be particularly helpful if the user is unfamiliar with the area, cannot see around
the corner or is surrounded by high-rise buildings. The software would be updated regularly and provide near
real-time information (generated by users) about fixed and mobile services as they become available and
expire.

Team 8: 3D Printers for developing custom relief items and retrofitting/repairing homes
Summary of Needs: In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, people need basic nonfood items, such as
shelter materials, cooking tools, personal hygiene items, first aid materials and cleaning supplies. Many
of the supplies required for relief efforts are fairly standard and can be sourced locally or brought into
the disaster zone in a timely manner. However, situations often arise where custom relief items, such as
modified tools for the disabled, are required and the process of sourcing and delivering them in a timely
manner may not be possible.
In preparation of a disaster, homeowners may be required to make custom modifications that
strengthen their homes and reduce its unique vulnerabilities. Additionally, if the home is damaged in an
emergency, the homeowner may need custom parts to complete the repairs. If the homeowner is not
an experienced contractor or engineer, this can be an intimidating and expensive task.
Use Case Narrative: 3D printers that are available locally to citizens through public spaces or commercial
ventures, and 3D models/simplified design tools that enable ordinary people to adapt relief items and
other supplies post-disaster. Examples of printed items can include splints for injuries, modified tools for
amputees, portable ramps for wheelchairs and connectors to expand the footprint or height of a shelter.
The printer can also make customized parts to mitigate potential structural risks and make permanent
houses disaster resistant.

About the Dialogue

Between July and December 2014, the American Red Cross and IFRC hosted a series of consultations around the
world with community members and technical experts from government, academia, business, technology and
humanitarian/development sectors to consider how emerging technology solutions might help improve and
expand a communitys ability to prepare for emergencies, respond to increasing risks, and help people bounce
back better and more quickly.
During the consultations, participants considered eight emerging technologies3D printing, augmented reality,
biometrics, smart cars and homes, robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, and wearable technologyand explored
how these solutions might help meet individual and community needs and strengthen resilience in the face of
future disasters.
By exploring these emerging solutions now, before they are widely available, the Red Cross/Red Crescent can
minimize any negative disruption, inform their design, lower their cost and help build community support.
The findings of this global series will be shared at a two-day summit (8-9 January 2015) hosted by Netherlands
Red Cross and Nyenrode Business University. Together, the hosts, interested Red Cross/Red Crescent colleagues
and committed partners will evaluate and prioritize the technology solutions proposed during the consultations
with the intent to pilot one or more of the ideas in 2015. The business plans for emerging technology solutions,
developed by the Nyenrode Business University MBA students, will inform the discussions and guide the
prioritization of the pilot projects.
More information about the dialogue, including consultation summary reports, can be found at
tech4resilience.blogspot.com.