More than 200 entrepreneurs, speakers, faculty, students, and community members gathered at the Trent Semans Center for Health Education two weeks ago to discuss what is working for innovators around the world. The public Symposium on Scaling Innovations in Global Health wrapped up the three day SEAD Summit conference hosted by SEAD and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Chuck Slaughter, founder and president of Living Goods, was awarded the Enterprising Social Innovation Awards from the Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at the Fuqua School of Business. Living Goods uses an "Avon-like" model, traveling door-to-door bringing health services and selling affordable products that are not easily accessible to the poor. Living Goods offers malaria treatments, water filters, solar lamps, and cook stoves to families across Uganda, and relies on mobile phones and other technologies to keep the business working efficiently. "It is important to do both -- to have an impact and be financially sustainable," said Slaughter in his keynote speech. "Great ideas are great, but you really don't get anywhere without execution, management skills, and basic business chops."

After listening to Slaughter's speech, participants could attend panels covering such topics as encouraging behavior change, learning from failure, and developing student innovation pitches. The poster session allowed for students to network with innovators and other professionals.

This summary provided by SEAD Student Assistant Lizzy Knippler, Duke '16.