Tech4Dev at the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris in April 2026
© 2026 EPFL
Within the frame of the Tech4Dev programme of EPFL EssentialTech Centre, our Programme Manager, Dr. Tiphaine Detoudeville, hosted a roundtable at the international ChangeNOW Summit on April 1st in Paris, titled “From Research to Impact Investing in Scalable Local Climate Solutions.”
Alongside Professor Corentin Fivet from EPFL SXL Laboratory and humanitarian architect Markus Zorn, the session spotlighted a resilient shelter project launched by Tech4Dev in South Sudan, a collaboration bridging academic research and humanitarian practice. It provided an opportunity to delve into the realities of designing and deploying such initiatives in the field, and to better understand the challenges and requirements of scaling solutions that are conceived, developed, and implemented on a larger scale.
More broadly, the discussion refocused on what truly matters: the realities on the ground and the direct impact of climate change on the most vulnerable communities.
At its core, the session underscored a shared conviction: meaningful innovation must emerge locally, co-created with communities and designed for tangible, real-world impact.
