Healthy Teen Network, Inc.

Innovation Hub Name: In/Tend 

Innovation Hub Type: Incubator

Project Overview: Healthy Teen Network will implement the innovation incubator hub “In/Tend.” The name draws on the concepts of “innovation,” incubation,” and “intention” to emphasize the role of In/Tend to reshape unjust systems through participatory research and design. The name also reflects the “tending to” and “caring” role as In/Tend guides Innovation Development Teams (IDT) through the innovation pipeline to enhance their innovation capacity and create prototypes. This work will be guided by Healthy Teen Network’s innovation approach, which weaves together the principles of Human-Centered Design and Liberatory Design. 

In/Tend will foster a culture of innovation rooted in equity that embraces the belief in universal creativity, encourages experimentation and iteration, values diverse perspectives, considers constraints as catalysts, and remains adaptive and responsive to systemic inequity and the needs of communities. In/Tend will support multiple cohorts of diverse IDTs to develop, test, and refine prototypes of innovations and innovative strategies. The In/Tend Team will provide their expertise to the IDTs in discovery, exploring gaps and user needs, identifying existing assets and strengths, and building ideas through prototypes. With this tailored support and coaching, IDTs will build their innovation capacity to create new solutions and approaches for adolescent health. The project goal is to advance health equity and enhance the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of adolescents by intentionally cultivating IDTs to develop cutting-edge innovations.

Anticipated total number of Innovation Development Teams (IDTs) to be supported through the project: We will be the expert intermediary for multiple cohorts: in total, we expect 4 cohorts—of at least 6 IDTs each, composed of 3-4 members each—for 24 total IDTs and 72-96 members.