Empowering innovators to build a better future.
273
Ventures Served
$1.4m
Value Delivered
100+
Expert Mentors
Bringing to life physical products that address social and environmental challenges requires more than technical expertise. It demands sustainable business models and training across technical, business, and social disciplines.
With over 90,000 members worldwide, ASME has brought technical due diligence and thought leadership to the hardware innovation ecosystem by launching the ISHOW accelerator in 2015. With the introduction of IDEA LAB in 2022, ASME expanded its offering to support earlier stage startups developing proof-of-concept prototypes. Our global network of engineers, designers, and manufacturers brings deep expertise in emerging markets and the realities of product development.
For nearly a decade, ASME has helped scale hardware-led social innovations that reach the communities who need them most.
Hardware-led impact is in our DNA.
Guiding Innovators on the Journey to Market
ASME supports innovators at every stage of the journey — from concept to market — through the Idea Lab incubator and ISHOW accelerator. Together, these programs provide the resources, training, and expert guidance needed to transform hardware-led social innovations into real-world solutions.
By instilling human-centered, sustainable design practices early and supporting teams through prototyping, manufacturing, and scale-up, ASME helps innovators navigate every challenge of bringing products to life.
Incubate.
The journey to building your first prototype is challenging. Idea Lab addresses critical components of the pre-prototype design process through a customized learning and mentorship program focused on technology development and instilling sustainable design practices from the very start.
Idea Lab provides the curriculum, the network, and the resources you need to get your solution into the hands of the people who need it.
Innovators undergo an initial benchmarking review by industry experts, informing their path forward by providing the basis for a tailored curriculum and activity recommendations to address specific gaps.
Accelerate.
The path from prototype to scalable product is complex. ISHOW supports innovators at this critical stage by providing expert design reviews, mentorship, and resources that strengthen both the technology and the venture behind it.
ISHOW offers direct access to global domain experts, equity-free seed funding, and a platform to showcase your innovation to international audiences.
Once shortlisted, ISHOW ventures participate in expert assessments across five pillars of product development. This process provides detailed feedback and a roadmap for improvement, helping ventures refine their prototypes, prepare for manufacturing, and position their solutions for lasting impact.