In October 2019, Burn Design Lab was excited to welcome the Strategy, Innovation, and Impact Team from the Gates Foundation for a tour of our lab. The Gates team was visiting Vashon Island for a staff retreat, and stopped by BDL for a tour to enrich their "camping" retreat theme. The Gates Foundation is widely recognized as a leader in innovation and philanthropy, and this visit was a unique opportunity for our engineering team to engage with and learn from such a respected organization. The Gates team brought with them an expertise in measuring impact and outcomes that we were excited to apply to our own work.

Burn Design Lab presented our mission and goals, and explored the challenges associated with the cookstove sector with the Gates team. This information expanded on what was previously displayed in an exhibit at the Gates Discovery Center in 2018. The Foundation Strategy team in turn provided thoughtful discussion on evaluating and measuring impact. “We got some of their thoughts on our strategic plan, for growth,” Executive Director Paul Means reflected on the visit. “They were in general agreement with our plan and aspirations for growth to achieve wider impact.”

After the group discussion, our engineering team led an interactive tour of the lab and shop, which included demonstrations of our stoves, an exploration of our materials testing process, and a breakdown of our latest Shea Roaster prototype. “It was fascinating to learn more about Burn Design Lab and their mission to design the best possible cookstoves,” commented Nirosha Pour-Moezzi, Senior Program Officer in the Foundation Strategy Office. “We enjoyed meeting their talented team, hearing about their current projects, and touring the design facilities.” The visit was a great time for all those involved, and the BDL staff was grateful for this collaborative experience with the Gates Foundation. We look forward to any future opportunities to learn and share expertise with partners.