Can a Game Change the World? We Put It to the Test

The Innovation Night Success

It was truly exciting to be on stage at Boston’s first Mass Innovation Night in six years, hosted at the Museum of Science. Surrounded by dinosaurs and spacecraft, and joined by over a hundred engaged participants, we brought the Sustainability Lens Game to life—right from the audience’s phones.

We’ve been continuously evolving the game, and now we’ve introduced Sustainability Sam, an AI-powered guide designed to help anyone jump into gameplay and spark creative thinking.

Curious to try it yourself?

How It Works

We start with a business. The Sustainability Lens Game works best with businesses that already have systems in place—then we add the “magic” to make them more innovative, resilient, and impactful.

Let’s begin with a simple example: A Lemonade Stand

Freshly squeezed lemons are mixed with water and sweetener, then served to customers.

• Next, we choose a business segment to improve. One great place to start is Key Resources—in this case, the lemons and sweeteners.

• Players then draw three “gold coin” cards and one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) card.

• With just two minutes on the clock, the challenge is to creatively connect these ideas into the business model. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s creativity. Points are earned for each idea successfully integrated.

• And if you get stuck, Sam is there to help. Here’s what Sam suggested for our lemonade stand:

“We innovate our lemonade stand KEY RESOURCES by using a solar-powered cooler, certified organic lemons, and youth volunteers who are learning new business skills. Meeting SDG 9, we produce and serve lemonade while connecting with the community and protecting the natural environment.”— Sustainability Sam

Your Turn

Now it’s your turn.

Let’s explore another area: Customer Segments.

This is often an easy and relatable starting point—after all, we’re all customers.

• Draw your cards—three gold coins and one SDG (sample hand on left).

• Then activate Sam by scanning the QR code above, saying or typing “hi.”

• Upload a photo of your cards (image on left).

• Share your own story about how these elements could come together to better engage customers. You can respond by text or voice, and Sam will offer feedback and ideas to build on your thinking.

• 
  

The Bigger Picture

A full gameplay experience explores nine business segments, generating nearly 4,000 micro-solutions, innovations, and strategic tweaks.

These small changes add up. They shift how organizations think, operate, and engage—leading to stronger customer relationships, more resilient supply chains, and expanded audiences. The result? A more integrated, innovative, and ultimately more profitable organization doing meaningful good.

A full game typically takes about 45 minutes.

What About Energy Use?

Some people ask about the energy required to play the game. The answer is simple: it uses about the same amount of energy as a digital clock on an unused appliance.

A small price to pay for a powerful step toward truly sustainable development.

Ready to play?