Could a Simple Idea Save a Million Babies?

“You will inevitably fail, and you need to have the courage and the persistence to get back out there, learn from your mistakes, and try again” Jane Chen

Women in technology have been revolutionizing the field, breaking down barriers, and making big progress. As years progress, we can expect the number and influence of women in technology to soar, with role models setting the standard for upcoming generations. The increasing number of women starting their own businesses in the technology sector is changing how people think about innovation and business.

Jane Chen is a pivotal example in the arena of technology-driven entrepreneurship. Jane Chen transformed healthcare technology through her firm Embrace, but she has also encouraged a new generation of women entrepreneurs to explore tech-related businesses. The story began when Jane Chen was an undergraduate student at Stanford University, USA. Jane and her three friends were challenged to design a cost-effective incubator for infants, as part of their graduation course in Design for Extreme Affordability. The fact-finding trip made to Nepal and India in 2007 gave them the idea about the real need for such an affordable incubator in a developing country where power is nonreliable and the skills of health care staff are limited, along with the poor financial conditions of the people. The cost of a traditional incubator was roughly around USD 20,000 which was a big amount to most of the hospitals in developing countries. The availability of incubators at hospitals was limited. The lives of thousands of newborns couldn’t be saved due to the unavailability of incubators. Immediately the concept grew beyond a mere design for academics. Embrace was registered in 2008 and in 2009 the team moved to Bangalore, India for further research and development. In 2011 Embrace Warmer was launched as a pilot program in India. Now, over 700,000 newborns are said to have benefited from the Embrace infant warmer, which costs under 1% of what a typical incubator does. These warmers allow the infant to be with the mother instead of being isolated in NICUs.

Embrace is a humanitarian venture that sells inexpensive baby warmers to assist the 15 million premature and low birth weight babies that are born each year. Over 250,000 newborns are said to have benefited from this infant warmer, which costs under 1% of what a typical incubator does. Embrace Innovations most recently introduced Little Lotus Baby, a new range of baby items for the US market that uses NASA-inspired technology to maintain babies at the ideal temperature so they can sleep better. With every product sold, they help a newborn in a developing nation. This is known as the “buy one, give one” model.

Jane was chosen to be a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and one of Forbes’ Impact 30. Jane has been recognized with the Economist Innovation Award and the Fast Company Innovation Award. She is also a TED Fellow. Additionally, she was named the World Economic Forum’s Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year. At Stanford University and SAP Academy of Engineering, Jane teaches leadership and design thinking. Using the design thinking framework, she created the Embrace incubator. She talks about the lessons she learned about leadership, the lives it has saved, and her experience creating it.

The number of women working in technology is expected to rise through 2024 and beyond, fostering innovation, diversity, and quality in this rapidly changing industry.

-Manju Malathy is an Assistant Professor with 12 years of experience in the higher education sector. She is a Zone Trainer at Junior Chamber International India Zone 20 and a social activist.