Orange Sparkle Ball, Inc.

The mobility landscape has gotten much more multifaceted and we're excited to be pushing the boundaries of using the right type of mobility to address the right use case. We also have relished the challenge of finding processing that adds value and diverts materials from landfills. And, what if we combined those two challenges? Introducing Penny Pickup by Orange Sparkle Ball - a platform where autonomous and micromobility solutions can be hailed for specific material and waste product types, and redistributed to the most sustainable processing destination to ensure their proper reuse, recycling, refurbishment, and redistribution. Orange Sparkle Ball will utilize Penny Pickup for three upcoming pilots in Detroit, focused on the pickup of food waste, e-waste, and hard to recycle plastics. This work was catalyzed by a Real World Deployment Grant from the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. And, the Office of Mobility Innovation at The City of Detroit has been instrumental in supporting this work. Thank you to both teams! As our work progresses, we'll be looking for more pilot partners. Message us if interested. And, read more about how we are building and testing the platform here: https://lnkd.in/ei_jcF-r #pennypickup #detroitroboticpickup #circulareconomy #mobility #detroit

Whether it be in the realm of sustainability, economic development, or public health, our team believes that innovative technologies can and should be leveraged to create a more equitable world with better outcomes for all people. Many times, the work of creating positive change requires revising the systems and processes put into place at an ecosystem or organizational level. One such process is the home appraisal process— an assessment of a property's market value conducted by a licensed appraiser— which has historically undervalued Black-owned homes, contributing to the racial wealth gap, particularly in cities like Philadelphia. A key factor in the undervaluing of Black-owned homes in Philadelphia is the lack of diversity in the appraisal profession. To address this, Pennsylvania is adopting Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal (PAREA), a virtual training program that removes barriers to entry by replacing the traditional supervisor-trainee model with immersive simulations. PAREA offers a more accessible path for diverse candidates to become certified appraisers, fostering greater representation in the field and promoting more equitable home valuations. By ensuring fairer appraisals for Black homeowners, this technology could help close the racial wealth gap and support economic equity in Philadelphia. We're thrilled to see this incredible example of technology being leveraged to create actionable pathways to change, and we can't wait to see how similar tools might be implemented across the US. To learn more about the PAREA program and how it's being utilized to close the racial wealth gap in Philadelphia, click the link below: #techforgood #equity #careerpathways

Last week, OSB's Ashley Touchton and Meaghan Kennedy were at the Atlanta Startup Awards, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. The Startup Awards kicked off InnovATL, an ecosystem building series of events designed to build connectivity among Atlanta entrepreneurs, creators, tech pioneers, and innovators, which runs through October 19th. We were particularly excited to get to spend time with long time friend of OSB, Elizabeth Snively! ?? More InnovATL events: https://innovatl2024.com/ #Atlanta #ecosystembuilding #startups #InnovATL Startup Atlanta

The OSB team was delighted to support the work of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation and each of the Leaders Program teams. And, we can't wait to follow along as each team continues to implement their inclusive innovation projects, while magnifying their impact in the SE inclusive innovation ecosystem. Thank you for the shout out Jud Savelle! #inclusiveinnovation #southeast

In summer 2024, Orange Sparkle Ball piloted the autonomous robotic pickup of food waste for composting, in partnership with OttonomyIO, a leading ground robotics company, and Scrap Soils, a local Detroit composting non-profit, with support from Brother Nature Produce (https://lnkd.in/g3twstU2) and the North Corktown Neighborhood Association (NCNA). Utilizing cutting-edge technology, autonomous ground robots navigated designated routes in the North Corktown neighborhood of Detroit to pick up food waste for composting. This pilot results document provides a high-level overview of the goals of the pilot, key metrics, community engagement, key takeaways, and pilot outputs. To read the full pilot case study, visit the Orange Sparkle Ball blog here: https://lnkd.in/gm3Nt6Z6 This pilot was a proof point in the development of Penny Pickup (https://lnkd.in/gxs8G9S4), our micromobility logistics platform. _ Orange Sparkle Ball was awarded a Real World Deployment Grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification! This grant is enabling us to put our Autonomous Robotic Pickup Platform into action through a series of pilots in the Transportation Innovation Zone of Detroit, established by the Office of Mobility Innovation at The City of Detroit. For more information on the development of this platform: https://lnkd.in/ei_jcF-r #roboticpickupdetroit #detroitmobility #mobility #pilot #innovation #recycling #autonomousdelivery #autonomy #groundrobot #detroit #PennyPickup Mobility MI NextEnergy

Orange Sparkle Ball was thrilled to partner with Detroit Future City to facilitate a session at the Urban Manufacturing Alliance Detroit convening. The session built on work Detroit Future City has done as part of the Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM) and resulted in an actionable toolkit for workforce equity. Thank you for the invitation to co-facilitate Kimberly Faison and for the impactful work Katie O'Connor, Katy Stanton and Tanu Kumar. Check out more about our session, as well as many other insights from the convening:

Congratulations to the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation and the inaugural Leaders Program teams (Montgomery, AL, Albany, GA, Thomasville, GA and Kentucky/Tennessee) on a hugely successful closing event. We were honored to be included to support the teams develop their collaborative, cross-sector initiatives and were amazed to reflect on the progress made over the course of the program. And, the pitches were fantastic! Thank you all for having us and we are delighted to help this ecosystem grow! Jamal Lewis and Rachel Cronin, we loved getting to partner with you! #entrepreneurialecosystems #inclusiveinnovation #communitydevelopment #publicprivatepartnerships #SE #southeast

As a team working closely with corporate innovation and sustainability initiatives, we're familiar with the ever-changing nature of the regulatory landscape for sustainability and ESG requirements. Laws such as the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive are transforming sustainability from a voluntary initiative to a mandatory requirement, prompting companies to integrate ESG considerations into their core strategies. To stay ahead, many companies are forming dedicated green teams, educating employees on sustainable practices, and reassessing their supply chains to partner with eco-conscious suppliers. By aligning compliance with broader sustainability goals, businesses are not only meeting regulatory demands but also positioning themselves as leaders in corporate responsibility, unlocking opportunities for innovation and building stronger stakeholder trust. We're strong supporters of integrating sustainability into core company initiatives, as well as strengthening overall trust with stakeholders through transparent wrap-around communications regarding new initiatives. To read more about how companies are evolving their tactics to meet sustainability goals, click the link below: #humancentereddesign #communityactivation #leverforchange #innovation #leadership #sustainability #ESG

Hey friends - here is a great chance to learn more about the amazing cross-sector mobility ecosystem in Michigan! We’re thrilled to be participating.

“It has been wonderful to work alongside Macon Black Tech to continue building Orange Sparkle Ball's ecosystem measurement tools. By understanding innovation behaviors and connectivity within an ecosystem, we can begin to make educated and informed interventions that strengthen and advance the community as a whole. Having the opportunity to present the tool and results directly to the innovation community in Macon gave us wonderful insights into how these resources could be used in new ways to help individuals, businesses, and the ecosystem!” - Ashley Touchton, Partner OSB team members had the great pleasure of presenting at the Middle Georgia Regional Library to share the results of our Macon Ecosystem Mapping. We are grateful for this opportunity not just to share our work, but to engage with the local community and connect with so many other innovators! We are especially excited to continue engaging with our partners at Macon Black Tech and see how social network analysis can continue to be leveraged for ecosystem growth in Macon. Stay tuned for more future updates as our body of work continues to grow! Read more at our blog here: https://lnkd.in/evQ3tKKT #innovation #pilots #innovationecosystem #innovationecosystems #innovationpilots #pilotprogram #innovationsprint