Established by Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, Vestergaard Frandsen is a Swiss-based firm that develops forward-looking innovations that improve public health around the world. One of the company’s areas of focus is enabling simpler water purification to stave off water-borne diseases.

Waterborne diseases come about when a person drinks contaminated water. They include diarrheal diseases such as cholera, typhoid, guinea worm disease, and dysentery. These diseases cause up to 3.4 million deaths annually. The most affected are vulnerable populations including pregnant women, children under the age of five, people who have HIV, and people in developing countries who do not have access to safe drinking water.

Vestergaard is fighting these diseases through its innovative LifeStraw water filters. These filters purify water at a microbiological level, ensuring users get clean drinking water. The company sells a variety of LifeStraw products designed to fill different needs. For example, the LifeStraw Family 1.0 can be used at home by families without access to clean water, the LifeStraw Family 2.0 has water purification and storage capabilities to help families that would like to store their water, and the LifeStraw steel is a portable filter that can fit in a pocket for individual outdoor use.