About the Center

Solving the world's biggest problems in

The Blum Center for Developing Economies leverages the talent, enthusiasm, and energy of the University of California, Berkeley community to address the grand challenge of global poverty. Our interdisciplinary problem-solving approach draws on students and faculty dedicated to facing this challenge through innovative initiatives, education, and research. 

The Blum Center offers the following academic programs and initiatives:

BIG IDEAS is an annual innovation contest that provides funding, resources, mentorship, and validation to student-led social ventures. Based out of the Blum Center at UC Berkeley and open to all 10 University of California campuses, Big Ideas seeks out novel ideas and offers targeted training and support to social entrepreneurs as they navigate the earliest stages of the ideation process. Learn more…

 

GLOBAL POVERTY AND PRACTICE (GPP), one of the largest and most popular minors on the UC Berkeley campus, gives students an opportunity to examine contemporary forms of poverty, wealth, and inequality through academic coursework and practical experience. To date, 19,200 students have taken GPP courses and over 1,000 have graduated from the minor. Learn more…

DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING is an interdisciplinary training program launched in 2014 for UC Berkeley graduate students who aim to use technology to address the needs of people living in poverty. The program is the first of its kind in the country. Now featuring InFEWS, a food-energy-water concentration of Development Engineering, and a forthcoming professional master’s degree program. Learn more…

IDEALABS are multidisciplinary collaborations between UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students working on developing a common application, product, or service. Learn more…

DEVELOPMENT IMPACT LAB (DIL) was founded in 2012 with a $20 million investment from USAID and is a global consortium of researchers, nongovernmental organizations, and industry partners committed to advancing international development through science and technology. Learn more…

THE SOCIAL INNOVATOR ONRAMP helps students grow their ideas for social impact while still in school. The OnRamp course and its online resource guide are designed to bridge the gap between early stage ideation and off-campus implementation. Learn more…

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