Design that Matters (DtM), a non-profit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, forms cooperative partnerships with organizations in developing countries to create world class products, enabling them to offer improved services and scale. A trail-blazer in creating designs for social impact, DtM has built a state-of-the-art open and collaborative design process through which hundreds of volunteer and reduced-rate collaborators in academia and industry donate their expertise and resources to the creation of breakthrough products for communities in need.

Our deep commitment to social impact compels us to partner with organizations that have extensive local community connections and proven ability to make and distribute solutions with systemic effects. Over the past decade, with the help of over 850 collaborators, DtM has transformed each of our partner organizations through the launch of products that improve the quality of life for beneficiaries in Africa and Asia, and has inspired countless others to do the same.

National Design Award / Winner
Corporate & Institutional Achievement
2012/ New York, NY

IDSA International Design Excellence Awards / Silver Award
Social Impact Design
Project: Firefly
2012/ New York, NY

IDSA International Design Excellence Awards / Finalist
Medical & Scientific Products
Project: Firefly
2012/ New York, NY

Spark: Concept/ Gold
Project: Firefly
2011/ San Francisco, CA

National Design Award / Finalist
Corporate & Institutional Achievement
2011/ New York, NY

Time Magazine/ Number 1 of Top 50 Inventions of 2010
Project: NeoNurture
2010 / New York, NY

National Design Award / Finalist
Corporate & Institutional Achievement
2010/ New York, NY

I.D. Magazine Annual Design Review/ Honorable Mention
Project: NeoNurture
2010/ New York, NY

HSBC RISD International Award
Project: CPAP
2009 / Brunel, Switzerland

The Tech Museum Award
2005 / San Jose, CA

Index Award / Top Nominee
Project: Kinkajou
2005 / Copenhagen, Denmark

Design News Award / 20k Award
Project: Kinkajou
2004 / Chicago, IL

MIT IDEAS Competition
/ 5K Lemelson-MIT International Technology Award
Project: Kinkajou
2003 / Cambridge, MA

World Technology Network Social Entrepreneur
2009
DtM CEO Timothy Prestero was selected by his peers for doing innovative work of “the greatest likely long-term significance.”

Social Venture Network Award
2007
Innovation, selected through the “Imagine What’s Next: Ideas that Will Change the Way the World Does Business” contest.

Third Goal Service Award
2006 / Boston Area
For returned Peace Corps volunteers. For fostering mutual understanding among all peoples through outstanding community service.

Draper Richards Fellow
2004
By delivering support at the critical start-up phase, Draper Richards Fellowships help outstanding people create wide-reaching social change.

Ashoka Affiliate
2004
Ashoka invests in social entrepreneurs. Founded in 1982, Ashoka has elected over 1,400 Ashoka Fellows in 48 countries in such fields as health, education and the environment.

Martin Fellowship / MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
2003
In recognition of efforts toward global sustainability.