{"id":307,"date":"2009-10-07T15:33:00","date_gmt":"2009-10-07T15:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/archives\/307-3d-printing-the-bottom-of-the-pyramid.html"},"modified":"2014-07-03T16:53:11","modified_gmt":"2014-07-03T16:53:11","slug":"3d-printing-the-bottom-of-the-pyramid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/3d-printing-the-bottom-of-the-pyramid","title":{"rendered":"3D printing the Bottom of the Pyramid"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) is a term used to describe the largest and at the same time poorest group of people on our planet. This group of four billion people live on less than $2 a day. <\/p>\n

The BOP has unique challenges and has traditionally not been served by many companies & products. The BOP could benefit from well designed products that help the poorest people by making their lives easier, longer or even help them escape poverty in some way. <\/p>\n

As Shapeways we can potentially democratize manufacturing &
\nproduction for anyone, anywhere. We can produce 3D printed goods more efficiently with
\nmore scale and at lower cost than anyone. This means that unique, short run products can be made that potentially help the Bottom of the Pyramid. So how can we by using
\nShapeways’ strengths bring the benefits of 3D printing to the poor, the
\ndeveloping world? <\/p>\n

We don’t know. So we’re asking you for help. <\/p>\n

We are looking for viable product idea that could benefit the BOP. During this process, using co-creation, work together with the Shapeways community to improve this idea. We will call this process of working with you to develop this product “3D printing the BOP”. We would support your with design, 3D modeling & 3D printing expertise. We would also 3D print iterations and the final product for you. We are looking to, together with you, take this idea and turn it into a product.  <\/p>\n

The product could either be an end use product or prototype. So, it could either be, for example, a portable water carrier that is 3D printed and then sold or distributed to the third world or it could be a prototype for this product to be ultimately made by another production process.   <\/p>\n