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(R)Tech's Summer of Design
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Caroline Stec (Portal)
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Caroline Stec (Portal)
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<div class="ExternalClassA31EA02827E64426B476276E1A07D257"><p><img src="/news/retailcheckout/SiteAssets/summer%20of%20design.jpeg" alt="summer of design.jpeg" style="margin:5px;width:375px;height:281px;" /><br></p>Earlier this year, the (R)Tech Advisory Council whose members include members of America’s most well-known retailers, recognized that “Ubiquitous & Ultra-Personal Shopping” and the “Circular Economy” (e.g., product take-back, renting, sharing, donation, reuse, refurbishment, secondary market development) are driving forces in the retail industry.<div><br>In order to delve deeper into meeting the wants of retail’s evolving customer base, the (R)Tech Center for Innovation is launching efforts to drive the Circular Economy by partnering with “Design Thinking DC.” </div><div>Led by Karen Hold, the program called “Summer of Design,” first kicked off in May. The 10-week program (run in several cities) connects nine teams of five entrepreneurial people to develop concepts that address the circular economy.<br></div><div><br>The program is training nearly 50 participants in the concepts of design thinking, while allowing them to practice those concepts on a real-world challenge. Teams are focused on clothing and shoes, electronics, entertainment, furniture, home décor, and kitchen items.</div><div><br>The experience is highly immersive, requiring participants to interview consumers and experts, visit facilities, and directly engage with the content. This enables participants to arm themselves with research before identifying solutions, ensuring that their solutions are addressing the most critical challenges.</div><div><br>Coca-Cola, Sears, Target, and Accenture are participating as subject matter experts and have provided input has already been profoundly valuable to the teams.<div><br>Participants must use design thinking to solve a hypothetical scenario that focuses on building an innovative circular economy that focuses on environmental sustainability through entrepreneurship and/or public-private partnerships.<div><br>The program has an all-star lineup of the Circular Economy “who’s who” to judge the final ideas on August 2 in D.C. including ANN Inc., Accenture, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Target, Under Armour, and the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.</div></div></div></div>
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(R)Tech's Summer of DesignEarlier this year, the (R)Tech Advisory Council whose members include members of America’s most well-known retailers, recognized that “Ubiquitous & Ultra-Personal Shopping” and the “Circular Economy” (e.g., product take-back, renting, sharing,...