Vitamigos - Safe Agua | Dell Social Innovation Challenge

Vitamigos - Safe Agua

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Vitamigos creates a new, fun, playful, and interactive experience for moms and kids that combines water purification and nutrition in a tasty beverage.

Standings & Awards

190 out of 190 in Central & South America
94 out of 94 in Food & Nutrition
935 out of 935 in Design
1066 out of 1066 in Blended
4003 out of 4003 Overall

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VOTES

Safe Agua

Clean water + nutrition, affordable, easy to use, and fun!

What is Vitamigos?

Healthy Children: Vitamigos provides a safe, easy, and affordable means of keeping children healthy. Having clean water is hard to come by and is crucial especially for growing children. Boiling water requires gas or charcoal which is expensive when it's costing 1/3 of a family's monthly income. When boiling water isn't an option chlorine can be used but only if one knows the precise amount needed to purify water, and how long before it's ready to drink. Vitamigos helps mothers to worry less about what their kids are drinking.

How it Works: Vitamigos is a system made up of a water puriftying-juice tablet "Vita-Tab" and a playful clear water vessel. Once the Vita-Tab is placed in a vessel of water (up to 1.5 litres) the magic starts to happen! The Vita-Tab is made up of layers. The first layer purifies water, the second layer starts to fiz up, pop, crackle, causes the tablet to move around letting you know something's happening, as the layers continue to dissolve the very center "juice" layer will release a nutritous powder that will change the color of the water. When the water has gone from clear to fully colored it's ready to drink!

Easy of Use: Drop and go, no measuring, no second guessing. Mom's rest assured and feel proud that they are mindful of their children's health.

Fun and Interactive: While mom's prepare meals she can ask the children to go and prepare drinks for the family. This involves the children in family activities, and the magic of the Vita-tab fizzing, popping, and changing colors makes preparing drinks a fun time! And it's healthier + cheaper than a bottle of soda!

Roadmap to Success Optional (1 - 3 minutes to upload)

Roadmap to Success:

roadmap_to_success.pdf

Sponsors, Investors, and Supporters

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

INNOVATIVE DELIVERY SYSTEM: •The purification+nutrition tablet’s time-release technology takes the guesswork out of dosage and timing. It changes color and infuses water with a tasty vitamin beverage when the water is safe to drink. INNOVATIVE BUSINESS STRATEGY: Proceeds from Vitamigos Pitcher + effervescent vitamin sales in developed countries help sustain Vitamigos’ educational campaigns and product distribution in developing countries.

2. Who gains the most?

For the 1 in 6 people living without safe drinking water, purification methods are costly, time-consuming, and often inconsistent. Kids often end up drinking sugary-sodas in place of clean water.Vitamigos helps reduce illness and medical costs associated with waterborne disease in children.

3. Who pays?

Initial developement was paid for by a grant. We are seeking additional grants to fund the chemistry and testing phase. Private sector funding will be sought for manufacturing and distribution. Additionally, the tablets will be offered to high end camping/backpacking markets to help subsidize Vitamigos education and nutrition campaigns. As revenues increase, the project will scale to other parts of the world where Vitamigos could provide value for people living without access to potable water.

4. What is your success?

•12 month goals: to have a tested, working tablet prototype that purifies water and delivers vitamins safely, as our thesis describes. •3 years: Vitamigos will be available in the South American markets of Chile, Peru and Argentina where our NGO partner, Un Techo Para Mi Pais operates. •5 years: As we begin to develop additional relationships with NGO's through the Art Center's Design Matters program, we hope to be able to bring Vitamigos to India.

5. How will you do it?

Proceeds from Vitamigos Pitcher + effervescent vitamin sales in developed countries help sustain Vitamigos’ educational campaigns and product distribution in developing countries. Regional sales teams acts as contact points for local bodegas to purchase the products directly at bulk discount, to keep the retail cost affordable to families earning less that $10 a day.