Dazin initiates crowdfunding campaign to save lives

    Cooking is a basic need, but still the lack of proper cooking conditions kills about 491 people per hour and results in 21% of black carbon emissions. In order to change this, Danish-Bhutan based startup Dazin developed a unique model for distribution of smokeless stoves and fuels, addressing the important problem of affordability of such stoves.

    “The technology of smokeless stoves and renewable fuel to solve this problem already exists, but it is too expensive to reach the masses because, those who need it, can’t afford it and those who can afford it, don’t need it,” write Dazin in their crowdfunding campaign.

    Dazin’s distribution model targets both, rural and urban households and here’s how it works. The company collects wood waste from rural dwellers and turns it into condensed fuel ‘cookie’, which is later sold to urban customers at a competitive price. Collected money allows Dazin to give smokeless cookstove to rural household on a lease complimented with enough fuel cookies to cover their needs. In the end the stove cost in rural areas is recovered within 7 months due to the fuel sales in cities.

    So far Dazin ran one pilot project that proved to be successful. The company has also won a number of awards for their idea and work. But in order to scale the project Dazin team initiated a crowdfunding campaign. Their goal is to raise 40,000$ which will allow them to expand stove user base and establish presence in other developing countries.

    This article is in collaboration with Øresund Startups, originally by Iryna Velykokhatko. Øresund Startups is a news site focusing on startups in Copenhagen and the other cities around the Øresund strait; Malmö, Helsingborg and Lund. It was initiated by Karsten Deppert and covers news about startups and events from the startup scene. You can follow them at @Oresundstartups.