Direct Relief Named Finalist in Wireless Innovation Project Competition

By Andrew Schroeder

April 8, 2014

Last week at a celebration in Redwood City, Calif., I was honored to accept on behalf of Direct Relief the recognition of our selection by Vodafone Americas Foundation as one of eight finalists in the sixth annual Wireless Innovation Project competition, publicly announced today.

Each year, Vodafone Americas Foundation selects a small group of the most creative and potentially impactful wireless technologies to highlight the plausibility to solve critical global issues through technological development and collaboration.

This year, Direct Relief was selected for our partnership in the Philippines with Palantir Technologies on the implementation of the MIMOSA (MIni MObile SAtellite) data collection, coordination and analysis platform to better coordinate emergency response among organizations following a disaster.

MIMOSA uses satellite-based short message service (SMS) communications to collect structured data from remote field locations, under conditions of severe damage to networks. The data from these forms feeds into Palantir software, allowing for real-time analytics, coordination of multiple response agencies, integration of real-time data collection with third party open datasets, and continuous evaluation of program impact.

Dramatic and simultaneous improvements in all of these areas promises to speed vital assistance to the people most in need during disasters by allowing Direct Relief, our partners, and our colleague organizations to understand and act upon accurate information right from the outset of complex crises.

In addition to our technology partners at Palantir, MIMOSA has been implemented in conjunction with our field partners, including Team Rubicon, Access Aid International, the Philippine Red Cross, Gawad Kalinga and the Tacloban Health Cluster.

The winners of the Wireless Innovation Project will be announced during the 2014 Social Innovation Summit held May 28-29 at the United Nations Plaza in New York City. The top three winners receive additional funding to enable further development and growth of their innovations.