Leveraging Indigenous Knowledge to Foster Developmental Entrepreneurship

Indigenous knowledge is about the ways of knowing, seeing, and thinking that are passed down orally from generation to generation, and which reflect thousands of years of experi mentation and innovation in all aspects of life. Indigenous knowledge has value not only for the culture in which it develops, but also for scientists and entrepreneurs seeking solutions to community problems. Considering indigenous knowledge is essential when conceptualizing, validating, and implementing entrepreneurial ventures in developing communities. Penn State is producing a series of thirteen video clips of 6-8 minutes each capturing compelling stories about the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in developing and implementing entrepreneurial strategies to address global challenges and foster development. The video stories discuss how indigenous knowledge helped solve a significant prob lem, as well as the processes used to uncover indigenous knowledge, validate it, and apply and integrate it into community development projects in various parts of the world.