Design that Matters
International Trade and DevelopmentWashington, United States2-10 Employees
Design that Matters is a nonprofit based in Redmond, Washington, that designs medical devices for low-resource hospitals in low- and middle-income countries. It partners with international groups such as Médecins Sans Frontières and MTTS to bring technologies to niche markets underserved by commercial medical-device companies. Its Firefly phototherapy device has been deployed in 49 countries and has treated more than 1.1 million newborns, while the Otter Newborn Warmer received CE marking in January 2026 and is being implemented in Vietnam, Zambia, and the Philippines. Across its initiatives, DtM has helped design and launch devices that have treated more than 3.1 million patients across 84 countries. The organization has earned recognition in the design and global health communities, including a Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, Firefly's inclusion in the WHO Compendium of Innovative Health Technologies, and the Otter Newborn Warmer's 2026 iF Design Award as well as the Green Good Design Sustainability Award.