#9 - The Power of Frugal Innovation - Doing More with Less

In this episode of The Future of Sustainability, we dive into a conversation that challenges how we think about innovation, technology, and impact. Host Michael Hanf is joined by Serish Gandikota, internationally recognised expert in Frugal Innovation and Frugal AI. Serish is the co-founder of InnoFrugal and co-leads the Frugal AI Hub at Cambridge Judge Business School. His work spans continents and sectors, pushing forward a bold but practical vision: innovation should be inclusive, efficient, and sustainable; not just powerful.

We live in a time where AI is developing at breakneck speed. But while large language models and high-performance computing are gaining ground, the gap between those who can access these technologies and those who cannot is also growing. The mainstream AI narrative focuses on scale, speed, and raw power but what about the communities, organisations, and governments with limited infrastructure, budgets, or bandwidth?

Enter Frugal AI: an approach that asks not how big or complex a system is, but whether it truly serves its purpose with minimal waste and maximum value. In this episode, Serish breaks down what Frugal AI means in practice. We explore five core principles behind it: compute efficiency, climate-aware design, cultural and linguistic inclusion, affordability, and local relevance.

Throughout the episode, Serish shares stories from across the globe, from rural India to African cities and European municipalities, highlighting how innovation looks radically different depending on context. Whether it’s developing voice-based AI for illiterate populations, or deploying mobile-first tools in low-connectivity environments, Frugal Innovation is about making technology work for the realities people live in, not the other way around.

We also unpack the importance of rethinking total cost of ownership in AI deployments. Serish explains why many public and private sector organisations underestimate the long-term energy, financial, and operational costs of AI systems and how frameworks developed at Cambridge aim to address that.

A central theme of the conversation is mindset. Serish draws a clear line between short-term tech enthusiasm and long-term systemic change. He emphasises the importance of shifting away from a one-size-fits-all model of innovation toward a more context-aware and partnership-driven approach. Impact, he argues, doesn’t come from a single product or platform. It comes from trust, uptake, and working closely with local communities to develop and scale solutions that last.

Listeners will also hear about the work of the Frugal AI Hub and its Adoption Labs, which match local challenges with startups using Frugal AI techniques to create meaningful, scalable outcomes.

Key topics include:

• What is Frugal AI and why it matters
• The global innovation gap and why context is everything
• Practical examples from India, Africa, and Europe
• The hidden costs of AI and how to plan for long-term sustainability
• The role of mindset, policy sandboxes, and inclusive procurement
• How to get involved in the Frugal AI ecosystem

To learn more, visit frugalai.org or join the Frugal AI Initiative on LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

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