Breakthrough Innovation

The Innovation Everyone Ignores: How to Build for the Underserved


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In this milestone episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we talk with Dr. Rahul Prasad, an applied physicist who helped advance nuclear fusion at institutions like Yale and the National Ignition Facility β€” and then made a radical pivot into global social impact.

Dr. Prasad is now president of Butterflies USA, chairperson of Amandla Development, and author of the upcoming book Impact Shift. His story is a blueprint for anyone seeking meaning beyond success.


πŸ”¬ Why he left a prestigious scientific career to empower marginalized youth

🌍 How he translated innovation from the lab to the streets of India and South Africa

🏦 The grassroots banking system run entirely by street children β€” and why it works

πŸ’‘ The power of asking β€œwhy not?” to unlock bold new impact

πŸ“˜ What Impact Shift teaches about pivoting toward purpose-driven leadership


This conversation blends science, service, and strategy β€” and it will absolutely shift how you think about real innovation.


Find more information about these great organisations here:

- https://www.butterfliesusa.org/

- https://amandladevelopment.org/


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Breakthrough InnovationBy JL Heather