Oman Daily Observer

Mission not impossible

- Khalid Alsafi Al Huraibi khalidalha­ribi@gmail.com The writer is an entreprene­ur and innovation adviser

When was the last time you imagined our world as experience­d by those who are differentl­y abled? For example, how do people with hearing impairment feel in public events? How would you describe nature to someone who is visually impaired?

I believe that adding value to the lives of people with diverse physical, mental, and cognitive abilities is one of the most noble missions in life.

While we live in a world that experience­s violent shocks of disruption­s, not the least being pandemics, genocidal conflicts, and rapidly rising cost of living, we are also experienci­ng many ordinary people coming up with extraordin­ary solutions for humanity.

This is what amazed me about the origin story of “Not Impossible Labs”.

NOT IMPOSSIBLE LABS

You often hear the phrase “what a crazy idea!” describing a potential solution that has not been done before.

This phrase is what motivated Not Impossible Labs to start an innovation studio for technology solutions of societal problems.

This innovation studio does not only rely on technical engineers but invites groups of innovators from all walks of life to make experienci­ng the richness of life possible.

One of the most beautiful Not Impossible Labs examples is their project to facilitate for deaf people enjoying sound in a concert.

They developed devices that connect to the skin and transform sound waves into vibrations felt by deaf audiences.

People told them it was a crazy idea, but their determinat­ion to be inclusive of people who are differentl­y abled finally paid off and they are changing the lives of millions of hearing-impaired people around the world forever.

SCALING UP TECH SOLUTIONS

There is a famous saying in the business world in the Arab region that says “capital is coward” referring to the fact that people with money see risk as a major red investment flag.

Investing in technology for humanity and solving societal problems is a risk, yet it is the reason we are all alive today.

The homes we live in, the food and water which keep us alive and the income we generate come from solutions by forward thinking innovators, such as Not Impossible Labs.

Yet, the truth is access to ideas without access to resources means that the innovation ecosystem is not sustainabl­e. What makes the innovation ecosystem in more dire straits today is how profitable it is to invest technology related to conflicts.

One of the most blatant examples is how the US backed Zionist government­s of Israel’s intrusive surveillan­ce technology and assault weapons industry contribute­d to the harm and death of tens of thousands of people in Palestine and around the world, without any tech solutions to societal problems.

AN EXIT FORWARD

Exiting is a popular term in the investment world as it refers to the right time to leave a business or an initiative after meeting your objectives.

Humanity needs an exit from the clutch of human made crises, especially geopolitic­al conflicts, and this cannot happen if we keep fuelling these crises with investment­s.

One of the most significan­t steps in the road-map to make the impossible non-disruptive missions possible is by investing in incubators and studios that develop sustainabl­e solutions made by the right groups of storytelle­rs, artists, engineers, technologi­sts, entreprene­urs and ethical hackers.

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICAN­T STEPS IN THE ROAD-MAP TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE NON-DISRUPTIVE MISSIONS POSSIBLE IS BY INVESTING IN INCUBATORS AND STUDIOS THAT DEVELOP SUSTAINABL­E SOLUTIONS

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