Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Futures

How can we ensure a humane livelihood for all while respecting planetary boundaries? There is no single answer to this question. Sustainable futures take different forms across regions, societies, and communities. Thinking and acting on sustainability requires navigating ambiguity and complexity.

This multidisciplinary Leiden-Delft-Erasmus minor explores the role of frugal innovation and frugality in shaping sustainable futures across the globe. Frugality is about doing more with less—being resourceful, efficient, and intentional in how we use materials, energy, and knowledge. Across cultures and traditions, frugality has long been seen as a way to balance human needs with environmental constraints. In innovation, this mindset translates into frugal innovation: creating simple, affordable, and effective solutions to pressing challenges in healthcare, water, energy, housing, and agrifood.

By minimizing resource use while maintaining impact, frugal innovations offer a promising approach to economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Since the early 2010s, this concept has gained traction among academics and policymakers as a powerful driver of sustainable development.

For more information about this LDE-minor, please visit this website.