Santa Clara University

Frugal Innovation brings to life the School of Engineering motto "Engineering with a Mission." It is embedded within: graduate engineering courses including Engineering for the Developing World, and Mobile Applications and Instrumentation; senior design research projects; public health science classes; and undergraduate technical electives. CSTS offers two grant programs to fund faculty and student research projects and these have supported numerous projects in frugal innovation.  Throughout the curriculum students engage with field-based social entrepreneurs and global partners to solve real world problems.  

Core Competencies of Frugal Innovation

The Core Competencies are central to all Frugal courses. These critical design features make frugal innovation unique from traditional innovation in that the needs and circumstances of the user are quite different from the consumer for which many western producats are made. Understanding these design parameters is crucial for a student's success in these courses.