Philanthropy Central

It’s easy to take lighting for granted—especially if you live in a developed part of the world and your electric company delivers a steady stream of power to your door.
Unfortunately, more than two billion people living in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia are left in the dark once the sun goes down. They’re forced to rely on outdated and potentially unsafe sources of illumination like conventional flashlights, candles, and kerosene lamps. As a result, more than 1.6 million men, women, and children die each year from inhalation of kerosene fumes in Africa alone. And alternative light sources eat up as much as 30% of a typical family’s income. Unsurprisingly, many choose to go without lighting altogether, making it hard to read, study, cook, or respond to late-night emergencies.
Mark Bent had already spent over $250,000 of his own capital on SunNight Solar, so his research and development budget was limited. Instead of trying to do it all on his own, he looked outside for a partner with the resources to help him perform R&D in a cost-efficient, timely, and effective manner. That’s when he turned to InnoCentive. . . .