Eight finalists were selected last week for the 11th Longevity Design Challenge at the Stanford Center on Longevityand this year the tech-based innovation contest accepted 228 submissions from over 100 accredited university design teams in 34 countries around the world. As stated in the Stanford introduction for the theme this year, it is tagged to their The New Map of Life initiative which was set out in 2018.
Lifting from the life course approach to aging and longevity, this time Stanford clearly stated “Designs may include physical products, digital solutions, or programs, and can address a life transition at any point in the life span.” And that’s what we see in the eight finalists – mobile game apps and online platforms that address various audiences with life transition needs, for example, from financial literacy education for women support groups to simulation games for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
As you can see from the two above mentioned, most of the finalists took aim at different topic areas not on the list of the many life transitions suggestions offered in the Design Challenge write up. Which areas were answered to some degree if not indirectly? There were a few – joining the working world (at any age), getting retrained or going back to school and, becoming a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent by birth or adoption.
Addressing this last point somewhat was a joint entry from the African Leadership College in Mauritius and Princeton University, USA titled KUR – an online platform that provides practical tips and resources for first-time parents, including local programs and access to featured relevant businesses in Rwanda.
Similar to last year, at this early stage I have yet to find videos or links to finalists in order to glean details to make my picks for the top three as I’ve done for every Design Challenge. So I’ll keep watch until April 9th when the winners are announced. At first glance the one I’m interested in learning more about is Limitless Financial fromUniversidad Iberoamericana, Mexico – an online platform that teaches teenagers money management and guides them toward financial stability.
On final note, for the first time since 2013 when I started following the Design Challenge, I had the privilege of knowing one of the judges from Canada who took part in this event – Mehbs Remtulla, theFounder/ CEO of What’s neXT?! – a global community and social venture designed to help professionals in later life transitions find their path and purpose in a new and longer life of work, learning, play, and giving back. With this mission one could say having Mehbs Remtulla as a judge was a good fit for the team of judges for the 23/24 Design Challenge theme.
As Mehbs participated over several months as a judge evaluating a large number of submissions, I wanted to hear from him about what he took away from his experience on the front line as it were. “What impressed me the most,” says Mehbs, “is how these young creative minds are viewing longevity as a period of opportunity, then collaborating with key stakeholders and designing products and services for an engaged and purposeful life for all. At the same time, their ideas are geared to help solve some major societal challenges.”
