The Social Innovator Dialogues, www.sidialogues.org.au, hosted some great meetings between Ezio Manzini and the Australian design community in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in July.

The aim of these meetings was to link the design community and particularly, design schools and institutions, in Australia with the broader DESIS (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) Network, www.desis-network.org/, and to take the first steps towards an Australian node in this network.

I was able to get to some of the sessions with Ezio Mazini this week in Melbourne and Sydney. This is the first installment of some reflections on his insights and some of the discussions that emerged in the lively sessions with CEOs, business people and the design community.

In no particular order of significance or importance...

It’s often struck me when I talk of innovation that many people respond in terms of technology.

Gadgets. Toys. Apps.

But most advances in technology are preceded by breakthroughs in science.

So if we really wanted to go to the source, wouldn’t we start there?

I think some of the challenge for social innovators is that, for most of us, science seems a bit remote.

An under-utilised asset. Check. An unmet community need. Check. A viable business opportunity. Check.

Can’t you just smell the possibilities for social innovation?.

Kikoff Soccer Centres has - the Sydney Morning Herald this week ran a story about the company turning old lawn bowling clubs into venues for other outdoor sports.

It’s a potential wreck any community-builder can see several trains driving into at full speed.