Design that Matters
Design that Matters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs medical devices for newborn health in low-resource hospitals across LMICs. Its Firefly phototherapy and Otter warmer products are manufactured by MTTS in Vietnam and distributed through international aid organizations and ministries of health.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersSalem, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Design that Matters does
Design that Matters (DtM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 and headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that designs medical devices for newborn health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The organization operates on a human-centered design philosophy explicitly aimed at settings where commercial manufacturers have no incentive to develop context-appropriate products: hospitals with unreliable electricity, limited staff training, high patient volumes, and no access to manufacturer service or spare parts. DtM's design principle reframes "user error" as "design error," engineering devices to be "hard to use wrong" so the best clinical outcome is the easiest behavior for the caregiver.
DtM's core products are Firefly, a newborn phototherapy device that uses dual-sided LED illumination to treat jaundice in 40% less time while consuming 30 watts (roughly 70% less energy than competitors) with a 44,000-hour LED lifespan, and Otter, a newborn conductive warmer for preventing and treating hypothermia that features an intuitive touchscreen interface, seamless polycarbonate construction for infection control, and an integrated battery for uninterrupted warming during power failures. A third product, the DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 face shield, was released under public domain license in 2020 and scaled to 40,000 units produced by Boeing. All devices are manufactured by MTTS in Vietnam.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded as a nonprofit, with devices distributed through international aid organizations (e.g., East Meets West Foundation), ministries of health, and the MTTS manufacturing channel rather than direct sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. As of January 2026, DtM-designed devices have treated more than 3.1 million patients across 84 countries, including 1.1 million+ newborns with Firefly and 800+ with Otter. The organization is led by founder/CEO Timothy Prestero, operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees, and has cultivated a 1,500+ alumni volunteer network since 2007.
Design that Matters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design that Matters
- Legal name
- Design that Matters, Inc.
- Website
- https://designthatmatters.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Design that Matters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs medical devices for newborn health in low-resource hospitals across LMICs. Its Firefly phototherapy and Otter warmer products are manufactured by MTTS in Vietnam and distributed through international aid organizations and ministries of health.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Design that Matters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Design that Matters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and grants: DtM is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates on donations and grants. Nonprofit status keeps the team focused exclusively on social impact.
- Product distribution through partners: Medical devices are distributed through international aid organizations, health ministries, and manufacturing partner MTTS. Products are designed for low-resource settings where commercial manufacturers have no incentive.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Design that Matters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design that Matters (DtM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs medical devices for newborn health in low-resource hospitals. Its core products are Firefly, a dual-sided newborn phototherapy device for treating jaundice, and Otter, a conductive newborn warmer for preventing and treating hypothermia. DtM also designed the open-source DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 face shield. Devices are manufactured and distributed in partnership with MTTS in Vietnam and through international aid organizations.
Product overview
Design that Matters is a nonprofit that designs medical devices for newborn health in low-resource settings. The product portfolio includes Firefly (newborn phototherapy device for treating jaundice), Otter (conductive newborn warmer for preventing hypothermia), and DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 Face Shield (open-source PPE). All devices are designed with a 'hard to use wrong' philosophy, eliminating common failure modes in low-resource hospitals with unreliable electricity and limited staff training. Products are manufactured in partnership with MTTS in Vietnam.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Firefly: Newborn phototherapy device designed to treat jaundice in low-resource hospitals. Provides high-intensity phototherapy that is 'hard to use wrong' with lights from above and below, operating at 30 watts.
- Otter
- DtM-v3.0
Products and services
- Firefly Phototherapy Newborn phototherapy device designed specifically for low-resource hospitals to treat jaundice. Provides high-intensity dual-sided phototherapy from above and below the infant, reducing treatment time by at least 40% compared to single-sided LED systems, while operating at only 30 watts (up to 70% less energy than alternatives). Designed with no internal moving parts for durability.
- Otter Newborn Warmer Conductive newborn warmer designed to prevent and treat newborn hypothermia in low-income countries. Features an intuitive touchscreen interface, seamless polycarbonate construction for infection control, and an integrated battery providing uninterrupted warming during power failures. Targets admitted patients and in-hospital transportation in areas of electricity insecurity.
- DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 Face Shield Open-source face shield PPE designed for COVID-19 response. Focuses on improved protection from aerosol and splatter, washability, and re-use. Design released under public domain license for community use and remix.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% faster treatment time with dual-sided phototherapy
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Design that Matters
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design that Matters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Design that Matters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting, core and flagship.
- BoeingmajorBoeing produced 40,000 units of DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 face shields across eleven manufacturing sites in the U.S., distributed to frontline healthcare workers by HHS and FEMA.
- NIH (National Institutes of Health)majorDtM-v3.0 face shield design was reviewed and recommended for use by USA National Institutes of Health. Design downloaded thousands of times from NIH website.
- MicrosoftsupportingMicrosoft volunteers participated in design team including Microsoft Garage volunteers for COVID-19 face shield project.
- Mass General BrighamsupportingClinical experts from Mass General Brigham including Dr. Kris Olson (Pediatrician, Internist) and Dr. Paul Currier (Pulmonologist) provided clinical input on face shield design.
- University of Washington Medical CentersupportingClinical experts from UW Harborview Medical Center and UW Medical Center provided testing and feedback on COVID-19 face shield design.
- MTTS (Medical Technology Transfer and Services)coreVietnamese manufacturing partner established in 2004 with goal of delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions for newborns. MTTS leads all Firefly and Otter production. Founders Nga Tuyet Trang and Gregory Dajer were recognized by World Bank and Schwab Foundation as Social Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2017. MTTS has comprehensive suite of technologies for neonatal care including CPAP and warmer.
- East Meets West FoundationcoreKey partner hosting and supporting Firefly development and distribution in Vietnam and other regions. Has network across Vietnam, Philippines, Ghana, Myanmar, East Timor, and Italy.
- World Health OrganizationflagshipDtM's Firefly phototherapy device was recognized in the WHO Compendium of Innovative Health Technologies 2024, providing global credibility and visibility.
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design MuseummajorAwarded National Design Award in 2012 recognizing excellence in design for social impact.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Design that Matters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PATH: Global health nonprofit that develops and commercializes medical devices, drugs, and diagnostics for low- and middle-income countries. Most directly comparable to DtM in mission, partnership-driven distribution model, and focus on context-appropriate health technology for LMICs.
- Vayu Global Health: Nonprofit social enterprise developing affordable bubble CPAP and oxygen delivery devices for newborns in LMIC hospitals. Direct peer in product focus (neonatal respiratory care) and LMIC distribution via ministries and aid organizations.
- Bempu Health: Social enterprise developing wearable newborn health monitoring devices (e.g., hypothermia alert bracelet) for use in low-resource hospitals. Direct peer in mission, product category, and LMIC distribution model.
- Sinapi Biomedical: South African medical device company producing affordable, robust clinical equipment (autoclaves, infant warmers) designed for resource-limited African hospitals. Comparable in product category, customer base, and emphasis on durability in low-infrastructure environments.
- Global Health Labs: Nonprofit spun out of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that develops and commercializes affordable health technologies for LMICs. Comparable as a mission-aligned, well-funded nonprofit developing medical devices for global health markets.
- Gradian Health Systems: Nonprofit medical device company designing anesthesia machines, ventilators, and surgical equipment specifically for hospitals in low-resource settings. Directly comparable to DtM in designing rugged, context-appropriate clinical devices for LMICs.
Emerging players
- Embrace Innovations: Social enterprise that designs and distributes low-cost infant warmers for premature newborns in developing countries. Founded by DtM alumni, providing direct comparability in product category, customer base, and humanitarian mission.
Broad incumbents
- Laerdal Global Health: Nonprofit arm of Laerdal Medical focused on maternal and newborn health solutions for low-resource settings. Comparable as a larger, more established player with overlapping newborn care products (resuscitators, simulators) targeting similar LMIC hospital customers.
Regional players
- East Meets West Foundation: International development organization that has served as a key distribution and implementation partner for DtM's Firefly devices across Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Adjacent peer in the global health ecosystem with shared LMIC hospital customer base.
Others
- Rice 360 Institute for Global Health Technologies: Rice University institute that designs and validates low-cost neonatal and global health technologies for resource-limited settings. Comparable as an academic-driven source of context-appropriate medical device innovation for LMICs, though not a commercial competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Design that Matters social profiles
Digital presenceDesign that Matters compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Design that Matters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design that Matters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Design that Matters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design that Matters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design that Matters
What does Design that Matters do?
Design that Matters (DtM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that designs medical devices for newborn health in low-resource hospitals. Its core products are Firefly, a dual-sided newborn phototherapy device for treating jaundice, and Otter, a conductive newborn warmer for preventing and treating hypothermia. DtM also designed the open-source DtM-v3.0 COVID-19 face shield. Devices are manufactured and distributed in partnership with MTTS in Vietnam and through international aid organizations.
Is Design that Matters a public or private company?
Design that Matters is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Design that Matters founded?
Design that Matters was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Design that Matters based?
Design that Matters is headquartered in Salem, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design that Matters make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and grants are the primary driver. The others are product distribution through partners.
Who are Design that Matters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PATH, Vayu Global Health, Bempu Health, Sinapi Biomedical, Global Health Labs and Gradian Health Systems. Embrace Innovations is listed as an emerging player. Laerdal Global Health is listed as a broad incumbent. East Meets West Foundation is listed as a regional player. Rice 360 Institute for Global Health Technologies is listed as an others.
Does Design that Matters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design that Matters.